La Biennale
After hearing so much about the Biennale I wanted [eventually] to see what the fuss was all about. So, in 2015, I was determined I'd 'see them all' Over a weekend in May I went to both major sites [Giardini and Arsenale] and some of the minor sites scattered throughout the city. I guess I can say I was a bit surprised - perhaps it was the scale/range of exhibits that meant by the law of averages I'd have to see something that pleased my eye or provoked a thought [other than 'what?'].
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There is an interesting Huffington Post Australia article dd December 2015 titled
"Yes, Art Is Boring Sometimes, But Maybe That's A Good Thing". I hesitate to say it but I think I may have understood the article, just a little bit ... it really does make interesting reading. Simply click on the article's title above to get to read it. |
The exhibits are grouped in country pavilions ... Japan, Russia, Denmark etc. etc. I wandered through them all and below are my favourites, for various reasons. Many of the pavilions, and even more of the exhibits, just didn't make the short list! Boring, unimaginative,
Some of the exhibits were wonderful, some weird, some pornographic [Britain being the prime, awful example - and 'no, I won't show it here!'], some whimsical [for want of a better word] like Canada where their typical country store - harking way back - was stocked with many grocery products with ALL of the labels printed out of focus. Some of the pavilions were, well .... so bereft of anything to look at that the sign indicating what country it supposedly represented was the most interesting thing to be seen.
Some of the exhibits were wonderful, some weird, some pornographic [Britain being the prime, awful example - and 'no, I won't show it here!'], some whimsical [for want of a better word] like Canada where their typical country store - harking way back - was stocked with many grocery products with ALL of the labels printed out of focus. Some of the pavilions were, well .... so bereft of anything to look at that the sign indicating what country it supposedly represented was the most interesting thing to be seen.
Japan
Extract from the board on entering the pavilion " ... you see two wooden boats, red yarn stretching in every direction as well as an enormous number of keys, each attached to the end of a piece of yarn. The keys were assembled from all over the world".
Artist Chiharu Shiota explains, "Keys connect us to each other; boats carry people and time."
By combining and resonating with the memories that people all over the world bring to the pavilion we truly hope Shiota's work, an accumulation of various memories, will inspire new dialogues and ideas."
I was surprisingly fascinated by this exhibit and spent a great deal of time just looking, walking and looking again ... I loved it! Colour and movement?? Did the textural nature of this exhibit perhaps appeal to my tactile senses? Did I really just ask that last question?
Artist Chiharu Shiota explains, "Keys connect us to each other; boats carry people and time."
By combining and resonating with the memories that people all over the world bring to the pavilion we truly hope Shiota's work, an accumulation of various memories, will inspire new dialogues and ideas."
I was surprisingly fascinated by this exhibit and spent a great deal of time just looking, walking and looking again ... I loved it! Colour and movement?? Did the textural nature of this exhibit perhaps appeal to my tactile senses? Did I really just ask that last question?
Serbia
Titled 'United Dead Nations'
This exhibit was staged in a large hall, painted stark white. Around the wall, on slightly raised white surfaces, were the names of past failed countries and empires, the Ottoman Empire; German Democratic Republic; Austria-Hungary and a number of others. From certain angles, and in varying light, the names were often barely discernible.
This exhibit was staged in a large hall, painted stark white. Around the wall, on slightly raised white surfaces, were the names of past failed countries and empires, the Ottoman Empire; German Democratic Republic; Austria-Hungary and a number of others. From certain angles, and in varying light, the names were often barely discernible.
Scattered across the floor, in various piles, were discarded and torn clothes, and they were loosely inter-sorted with the flags of those failed states, symbolising, to me, the wasted lives of those wiped out in the names of those states, themselves no more today.
Naturally it raised the question of "Why?" For the first time ever I was moved to leave a comment in the Visitors' Book!
Naturally it raised the question of "Why?" For the first time ever I was moved to leave a comment in the Visitors' Book!
I must say this exhibit has burnt into my memory and even writing about it many months later I still feel an incredible sadness.
Swatch
Just for a change of pace .... I have no idea what Swatch was exhibiting for except that their glass 'flower show' was very pretty ... perhaps it helped sell more watches and/or cars ... and it did look good.
I may have become a little carried away with the 'moving' pictures ... I've got plenty more!!. Colour and movement!
I may have become a little carried away with the 'moving' pictures ... I've got plenty more!!. Colour and movement!
Canada
A 'typical' Canadian convenience store .... with all of the goods on display sporting out-of-focus labels. Why? Perhaps the first item was inadvertently blurred and the 'artist' thought, "what the heck?" and continued. 'Art' ... '?', 'boring?'', "n-o-o-o ... possibly not"... "Why"... You must know by now that I'm the wrong person to ask.
Holland
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Flower Buds
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Scythes
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The rest are all 'From the lagoon'
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Australia
Driftwood .... or is it?
Poland
These three photos are of the same incredible painting. As I approached and concentrated initially on the overall image of trees I saw something additional when I closed in ... and was startled to see what was in the third photo .... a great illusion.
Various
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RUSSIA: 4 m. high, with moving eyes
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UNITED STATES: Bugs
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ISRAEL: Tyres surrounded their pavilion
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HUNGARY: Tiles at the entrance
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SPAIN: Piles of 'Twisties' in a glass case!!
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BRAZIL: Holes in Walls
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