Let’s take a closer look at some of the work shown at the national pavillions at the Venice Biennale. Part 1 is here.
Our favorite work is the mobile bonzai (as we called them) in the French pavillion. Several small trees with their roots bounded at the base move imperceptibly slowly around an open courtyard with a concrete floor. Very surreal.
Sarah Lucas’s Deep Cream Maradona at the British pavilion, satirizing British culture, sexuality, and gender stereotypes.
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“The key in the hand” by Chiharu Shiota (塩田 千春) in the Japanese pavillion was very popular.
The piece which was somehow moving (surprisingly) contains literally thousands of keys all suspended and connected to something in the room by red threads.
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The external patio of the Swiss pavillion is illuminated by artificial green light burring the distinction between the indoors and outdoors, …
… and the interior walls have a verdant colouring which dissolves the separation between culture and nature.
Pamela Rosenkrantz filled the Swiss pavillion with a monochrome liquid matching the standardized northern european skin tone (our photo below obviously does not render it accurately). It was a bit disturbing to view a pool of swirling skin-colored fluid – it is hard to explain the experience.
The nordic countries share one pavillion.
… with a lot of broken windows
… and some microphones inside
The Danish (it has its own) pavillion is classical on one side …
but very modern and sparse inside.
It took us half a day to visit most of the pavillions at this venue and only in details in a few of them. We needed more time … but there was another venue. We really enjoyed the setting and the variety of works.