The Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo have announced a collaborative initiative to jointly commission and acquire new work by artists from around the world who are active in video, film, performance, and sound. The Future Fields Commission in Time-Based Media will support the creation and production of a new work every two years that will be presented at both the Museum and the Fondazione. With its unique focus and its commitment to the joint acquisition of the works produced with the support of this initiative, the commission aims to give unprecedented opportunities to international artists who are exploring new territory in these experimental modes of contemporary art.

Rachel Rose (American, born 1986) has been awarded the inaugural Future Fields Commission. Known for her innovative video works that combine an array of subjects through deft digital editing, Rose’s commission will widen the scope of her interests by investigating narrative devices and storytelling. Setting her new project in 16th century agrarian England, Rose will explore the relationship between reality and perception, history and coincidence. Rose is developing the work in close consultation with Erica F. Battle, the Museum’s John Alchin and Hal Marryatt Associate Curator of Contemporary Art. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will host its premiere in spring 2018, with its first international presentation to follow at the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin in winter 2018.

Timothy Rub, the George D. Widener Director and CEO, Philadelphia Museum of Art, stated: “We are delighted to introduce this new initiative which is supported by a shared commitment on the part of two institutions on two continents. This collaboration will help to expand our efforts to commission and present works in new media, thus strengthening our engagement with contemporary art. Our selection of Rachel Rose, an artist who is widely admired, demonstrates how vital it is for institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art to support emerging talents at precisely the time that such support is needed.”

Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, said: “We are so happy to launch this international collaboration with the Phildelphia Museum of Art. The new commission brings a special focus to artists working in new media, at a turning point in their careers. It builds on the Fondazione’s extensive work over the past 20 years to commission and support artists who are pioneers in their field. We’re excited to see the results.”

Carlos Basualdo added: "Patrizia Sandretto is a longtime member of the Museum's Committee of Contemporary Art, and the idea of this collaboration emerged from many conversations regarding the role of new media in our field. It reflects a commitment both of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and the Museum to remain nimble and responsive to the stimulating changes in this growing area of artistic practice."

This inaugural artist selection has been made by Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President, and Irene Calderoni, Curator, at the Fondazione; and by the Museum’s curatorial staff including Carlos Basualdo, The Keith L. and Katherine Sachs Senior Curator of Contemporary Art, Erica F. Battle, The John Alchin and Hal Marryatt Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, and Amanda Sroka, Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art. Subsequent Future Fields Commissions will be granted every two years to an artist determined by a nomination process in which leading curators and critics from around the world will be invited to submit artists for consideration by the Museum and the Fondazione. The Museum and the Fondazione will alternate the curatorial lead and premiere with each project.

Commenting on her selection for the first Future Fields Commission, Rachel Rose said: “I am so grateful for this commission and truly excited to work together with two incredibly dynamic institutions. To me, this collaboration represents a unique platform for new research and for experimenting with format and installation.”

About Rachel Rose

Rachel Rose creates video installations that combine video, sound, and architectural elements. Rose obtained her MFA at Columbia University in 2013, and was the recipient of the Frieze Artist Award in 2015; she has had solo exhibitions at the Serpentine Galleries (London) and the Whitney Museum of American Art (both 2015). Her work is collected by prominent institutions such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; LUMA Foundation, Arles; Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris; Ishikawa Foundation; Tate, London; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

For her new commission, the artist plans to create a video installation that will explore new creative directions within her research-based practice, extend her vision into the mechanics of story construction, and investigate new modes of film production.