Venice Biennale, Day 2

The first Biennale began in April of 1895 with almost 200,000 visitors. There are two main areas and then a bunch of outlying installations. The title this year is May You Live In Interesting Times focusing on artists who challenge existing times and habits.

We began the first day at the Giardini where I believe there are 29 countries participating. Each artist is represented by their country and shown inside a building set inside the gardens. The Belgian Pavilion was one of the first and definitely one of my favorites. The artists are duo Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys. Folkloric figures of white people, some electronic, behind bars representing a society stuck in the past. It is called Mondo Cane.

The Central pavilion is filled with artists from around the globe who were chosen to be there. Nicole Eisenman, Morning Studio. I am a huge fan of her work.

Zhanna Kadyrova, called Second Hand from the Ukraine. She used second hand tiles from Venice to create clothing as the Ukraine has a long history of ceramic tile production. A process intended to erase all traces of the Soviet past.

Jill Mulleady, Swiss artist paintings.

Mexican artist, Teresa Margolles, a concrete wall that stood outside her school in Juarez, one of the highest murder areas in Mexico. She refuses to show violence but the aftermath of unresolved tragedies.

Guari Gill, an Indian photographer taking photos of people on the margins of India in Rajasthan. Gill commissioned artists to make paper mache masks representing real people enacting regular every day life in their neighborhood.

Njideka Akunyili Crosby from Nigeria who works in Los Angeles portrays domestic interiors and life of her and her family.

The Brazilian pavilion was pretty amazing with a movie of dancers reminiscent of West Side Story.

Above is an inside outside plane in the Polish Pavilion by Roman Stanczak.

Lots of art, lots of sweating and really interesting work. Most of the pavilions had video which is hard to capture for the blog but really great to see.