On 27 March Cerith Wyn Evans will unveil a major new light installation for the Tate Britain Commission 2017. The annual commission, supported by Sotheby’s, invites a contemporary British artist to create a new artwork in response to the grand space of the Duveen Galleries at the heart of Tate Britain.

Born in Wales in 1958, Cerith Wyn Evans first came to attention as a filmmaker producing experimental films and collaborative works. He has subsequently expanded his practice to incorporate diverse media including installation, sculpture, photography, film and text. This wide range of artistic forms reflects his interests in philosophical concerns with language and perception – a plurality of ideas and means of execution that results in richly allusive works which allow and encourage the imaginative and interpretative engagement of the viewer. Wyn Evans has created site-specific light installations for locations around the world including “Arr/Dep” (imaginary landscape for the birds) for the Headquarters of Lufthansa in Frankfurt (2006) and  E=V=E=N=T (2015), a sculpture commissioned for Malmö Live, a new cultural hub and concert hall, home to the Malmö Symphony Orchestra.

Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain, said: “We are delighted that Cerith Wyn Evans will undertake the next commission for the Duveen Galleries. Cerith has made a unique contribution to British and international art for over two decades. His ability to create compelling structures out of light on a challenging scale, and the rich world of poetic ideas that informs his projects, makes him the perfect choice for the Tate Britain commission. We are excited to see how he will transform the Duveen Galleries this spring and summer.”

Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, Europe said: “Every year the ambition, inventiveness and sheer scale of the Tate Britain Commission captivates visitors to the magnificent Duveen Galleries. This year, we are proud to be celebrating the tenth anniversary of our support for the commission, which will be as unmissable as ever withCerith Wyn Evans’ architectural light installation.”

Cerith Wyn Evans studied at St Martins School of Art and The Royal College of Art and lives and works in London.Recent solo exhibitions include MUSEION in Bolzano (2015), Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London (2014), Kunsthall Bergen (2011), Tramway, Glasgow (2009), Inverleith House, Edinburgh (2009), MUSAC, Leon (2008), Musée d’art modern de la ville de Paris (2006), ICA, London (2006), Kunsthaus Graz (2005), MIT Visual Arts Centre (2004) and MFA, Boston (2004). Alongside this exhibition, he has just opened a solo exhibition at Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich (2017). He will participate in the forthcoming Venice Biennale as well as this year’s decennial Sculpture Projects Münster.

Tate Britain Commission 2017: Cerith Wyn Evans is curated by Clarrie Wallis, Senior Curator of Contemporary British Art, Tate, and Elsa Coustou, Assistant Curator of Contemporary British Art, Tate.