Pioneering Women from Luxembourg
By Editors of Luxembourg National Website
March 9, 2021
PORTRAIT OF EIGHT EXTRAORDINARY LUXEMBOURGISHWOMEN IN HONOUR OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
International Women's Day is celebrated on 8th March in many countries around the world. It gives us a chance to revisit their past struggles and achievements and to inspire future generations of women. It is also an opportunity to get to know or rediscover eight female pioneers from Luxembourg who have made significant breakthroughs in a wide range of fields, from entrepreneurship and education to politics, gastronomy and the arts.
Su-Mei Tse (1973-), Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale
Unsurprisingly, Luxembourg contemporary art and Su-Mei Tse go hand-in-hand. Her creations combine music, photography, sculpture, video and other art forms and, as such, it is impossible to compartmentalize her work as she regularly combines several artistic disciplines. Having trained as a classical cellist, she also studied textile and printing. She graduated from the Beaux-Arts in Paris in 2000. Her participation at the Venice Biennale in 2003 proved to be a turning point for her career and Luxembourg in the world of art, as she was awarded the Golden Lion for her exhibit Air conditioned, a truly unique exploit. Since then, she has gained international recognition: her work, which raises questions about time, memory, musicality and language, is exhibited across the globe.
A little anecdote
At the entrance of the Luxembourg pavilion at the 2003 Biennale, Su-Mei Tse installed an acoustic anechoic chamber, also called a 'echo-free chamber' as it does not reflect sounds. Some visitors cherished the peace and quiet and spent many hours in the chamber, even taking time to flick through the exhibition brochures. Others felt imprisoned by the silence. It was a truly intense experience!