La Biennale de Venezia
Posted By Ewan on September 17, 2011
Bice Curiger, Director of 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Often referred to as the Olympics games of the art world, the Venice Biennale is the oldest and most prestigious contemporary art exhibition in the world. This year the city hosts its 54th biennale, an event initially conceived to showcase decorative arts. Since its inauguration in 1895, the show has become increasingly international in scope and has developed a strong interest inthe more innovative traditions taking place in modern art.
Today it forms the single largest avant garde art festival in the world, displaying the best contemporary talent across all artisticmediums. The festival is based at a park named the Giardini that is home to an array of permanent national pavilions. Each country is given free reign to manage its own pavilion and countries not owning one are exhibited in other venues across Venice. Included in the Giardini is a large exhibition curated by the Biennale’s director.
This year’s choice is Bice Curiger, a Swiss born art historian, critic, curator and editor. The theme of the central exhibition is ILLUMInations, featuring over 80 artists, four of whom have been asked to create parapavillions in which to house work by other artists. The chosen theme reflects an interest in the concept of nationhood, with Curiger seeking to explore new forms of ‘community’, embracing the wider world and its socio-political dimensions. Notions of the collective as well as more fragile, temporary identity formation are there to be examined and she has encouraged mutual exchanges between the artists, with all being asked fi ve questions that relate to their own sense of identity and belonging. These include ‘If art was a nation what would be written in its constitution?’ and ‘Does the future speak English or another language?’.
Mike Nelson - Pavilion of Great Britain at 54 International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Britain’s Mike Nelson powerfully engages with Curiger’s theme and has created a hugely popular piece. Through his construction of a masterful, labyrinthine installation that is typical of his work he offers a meditation on identity and historical memory that straddles different cultures and times. Drawing upon and extending an Istanbul piece from 2003, he has transformed the British pavilion from its original format into a convincing maze that, although imagined, is reminiscent of other realities, similar to Turkish slums or the old back streets of Venice.
However, American artist Christian Marclay seems to have stolen the show, winning the Golden Lion for Best Artist with his 24 hour film The Clock. Featuring an enormously complex compilation of clips from hundreds of fi lms that have been synchronized with real time, it has been referred to as hypnotic, addictive and mind-boggling. To witness fi rst-hand works such as these is truly an experience and those who are fortunate enough to make the trip will remember it for years to come.
To learn more about the Biennale and the extensive collection of works on show this year visit www.labiennale.org.
Written by Kyle Reeves
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