A view of the Giardini. All photos by Marsha Owett.
Today we spent the majority of our time looking at the Pavilions and we’ll be spending much of tomorrow similarly. Overall, there seem to be fewer people visiting the pavilions and Biennale this year—as evidenced by shortened bathroom cues and the ability to get a cup of coffee in less than hour. It’s hard, though, to discern the reasons for this. It’s not like anyone knows in advance what the shows (or weather) will be like. Still, I wondered if the poor quality of this year’s biennale might have depressed some enough that they took the day off. And perhaps the Americans here are too worried about the President’s recent firing of FBI Chief James Comey to focus on art? I know it’s an issue for me as well as many others I’ve seen over the last two days.
As for the pavilions, it’s a mixed bag—some good, some bad, and some stinky. I mean that literally. At least three pavilions this year need stench warning signs for those with allergies.
I’ll be discussing a lot of the work in greater depth in a separate post. In the meantime, here’s a sampling of what we saw this afternoon.
SWITZERLAND
Carol Bove, Teresa Hubbard/Alexander Birchler
RUSSIA
Grisha Bruskin, “Scene Change”
Grisha Bruskin, “Scene Change”
Grisha Bruskin, “Scene Change”
THE NORDIC PAVILION (FINLAND, NORWAY, SWEDEN)
Installation view of “Mirrored”, an exhibition including Siri Aurdal, Nina Canell, Charlotte Johannesson, Jumana Manna, Pasi “Sleeping” Myllymäki, and Mika Taanila.
THE UNITED STATES
Mark Bradford, “Tomorrow is Another Day”
Mark Bradford, “Tomorrow is Another Day”
Mark Bradford, “Tomorrow is Another Day”
Mark Bradford, “Tomorrow is Another Day”
Mark Bradford, “Tomorrow is Another Day”
GERMANY
Anne Imhof, “Faust”, 2017
CANADA
Geoffrey Farmer
GREAT BRITAIN
Phyllida Barlow, “Folly”
Phyllida Barlow, “Folly”
Phyllida Barlow, “Folly”
FRANCE
Xavier Veilhan, “Studio Venezia”
Xavier Veilhan, “Studio Venezia”
Xavier Veilhan, “Studio Venezia”
AUSTRALIA
Tracy Moffett,
Tracy Moffett
Tracy Moffet
CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Jana Zelibska, “Swan Song”
ISRAEL
Gal Weinstein, “Sun Stand Still”
Gal Weinstein, “Sun Stand Still”
BELGIUM
Dirk Braeckman,
SPAIN
Jordi Colomer, “Unete! Join Us!”
ALVAR AALTO PAVILION OF FINLAND
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka Nissinen, “Natives”
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka Nissinen, “Natives”
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka Nissinen, “Natives”
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka Nissinen, “Natives”
Nathaniel Mellors and Erkka Nissinen, “Natives”
GREECE
George Drivas, “Laboratory of Dilemmas”
George Drivas, “Laboratory of Dilemmas”
George Drivas, “Laboratory of Dilemmas”
VENICE PAVILION
Beatrice Moscas, “Luxus”: Note—Moscas is described as the “artistic director” not the participant/artist, which makes sense for this pavilion. It reeked of perfume and with the exception of this room, looked like the inside of an airport boutique. This just looks like props for a stage play.
EGYPT
Moataz Nasr, “The Mountain”
SERBIA
Milena Dragicevic, “Enclavia—Painting a Consequence of This Kind of Life”
AUSTRIA
Erwin Wurm
All photos Marsha Owett
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