With the rampant growth of the global art world, biennales and other international art exhibitions can be rough on the feet of intrepid travelers trying to take it all in—but even harder on the tongue, with the names of the unfamiliar artists continually flummoxing you with their consonant clusters and secret diphthongs.
To make things a bit easier for well-meaning art lovers, and to spare artists the chagrin of hearing their names vivisected by clueless admirers, we've compiled a second volume of our popular artist pronunciation guide. Practice the names below and impressed friends at the Venice Biennale (bee-eh-NAH-lay) might think you've transformed overnight into the second coming of Harald Szeemann (HA-rahld ZAY-MANN).
Abraham Cruzvillegas – AH-bra-HAAM CRUUZ-vee-YAY-gaz
Alfredo Jaar – Alfredo YAAR
Allen Ruppersberg – Allen ROOP-erz-BAYRG
Anri Sala – ON-ree SAH-LA
Ari Marcopoulos – Ari Mar-KOP-ah-liss
Artur Zmijewski – ar-TUR zhuh-MEE-eh-SKI
Asim Waqif – ah-SEEM wah-KEEF
Bouchra Khalili – BUSH-hra HCHA-lee-lee
Cildo Meireles – see-OOH-doh MEER-eh-les
Danh Vo – YON VOH
David Altmejd – David AWLT-mayde
Denise Kupferschmidt – Denise KOOP-er-SCHMITT
Ed Paschke – Ed PASH-key
Enrico Baj – En-REE-coh BUY
Erik van Lieshout – Eric van lee-SHOOT
Erwin Wurm – ERR-vin VURM
Günther Förg – GUNE-tah FOURG
Haim Steinbach – HIGH-eem STEIN-baak
Harun Farocki – HAH-ruhn FAH-rrokey
Imi Knoebel – EE-MEE kuh-NOH-bell
Imran Qureshi – Im-RAN koo-RESH-ee
John Armleder – John ARM-lay-derr
Jonas Mekas – JOE-nass MAY-kass
Kutluğ Ataman – KOOT-loog ATA-maan
Luc Tuymans – LUKE TIE–mans
Lucy Skaer – Lucy SCARE
Luis Gispert – lew-EES JHUH-spare
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye – Lynette YEE-AH-dom BOAH-chay
Marcel Dzama – Marcel de-ZA-ma
Maria Lassnig – Maria LASS-nig
Marianne Vitale – Marianne vi-TAH-lee
Marisa Merz – ma-REE-za MERTZ
Martin Eder – Mar-TAN AY-der
Matias Faldbakken – ma-TEE-ahs fald-BAK-ken
Maurizio Cattelan – more-REET-zio CAT-teh-LAN
Miroslaw Balka – MEER-oh-SLAV BALKA
Naama Tsabar – NAH-ma tsa-BAR
Neo Rauch – NAY-yoh RAOWK
Olafur Elíasson – OLA-fur ELLE-ee-ah-SON
Oscar Tuazon – OSE-car Tua-ZON
Otto Piene – Otto PEEN-nuh
Pawel Althamer – PAH-vul ahl-TAMMER
Piotr Uklański – Pee-OTE Uk-LAN-sky
Polly Apfelbaum – Polly AP-fell-BAUM
Richard Misrach – Richard MIZZ-RACK
Robert Mapplethorpe – Robert MAPLE-thorpe
Roger Caillois — Roger KALL-WAH
Roger Hiorns – Roger HIGH-orns
Ryan Trecartin – Ryan treh-CAR-tin
Sarah Sze – Sarah ZEE
Shirazeh Houshiary – SHARE-a-ZHAY HOOZH-ee-AARY
Simryn Gill – SIM-rin GILL
Thomas Ruff – TOE-mass ROOF
Thomas Scheibitz – TOE-mass SHAI-bits
Thomas Schütte – TOE-mas SHUTE-teh
Tino Sehgal – Tino seh-GAHL
Uri Aran – YOU-ree a-RAHN
Walead Beshty – wah-LEED BESH-tee
Walid Raad – wah-LEED RAHD
Xul Solar – SHOOL so-LAHR
Zhou Chunya – JOE choon-YAH
RELATED ARTICLES:
ART 101: How to Pronounce Artists' Names, Vol. 1
Massimiliano Gioni on His Venice Biennale Show, and "Trying to See More"
RELATED COLLECTIONS:
Venice Biennale: National Pavilions Collection
Venice Biennale: "The Encyclopedic Palace" Collection
Venice Biennale: Museum Shows Collection
