Some Quick Notes

Quick notes from the past couple of days and tons of art viewing:

I have visited both the Giardini and the Arsenale, the major 'I am important enough to be included in the Biennale on their grounds' areas as well as numerous smaller sites. So far the smaller sites have become gems, where as the official areas with national pavillions does not always measure up. Australia is quite good. Shaun Gladwell's video work featured in the Australian national pavilion feels very Australian because his videos directly deal with the rugged landscape in the western part of the country. However, especially with the videos about the deceased kangeroos, it is simultaneously poetic and pin points issues between humans and our surroundings, as well as him specifically and his surroundings. For more information click here.


Other countries that have been sucessful, in my opinion: Luxemburg (over all really good concept and transports the viewer to the anxious mentality desired by various video installations), Korea (installation using mainly shades was amazing, I am going to visit again to really focus on the work), Cyprus (their concept was really interesting surrounding the rumors surrounding a palm tree importer started by his competitors that cobra eggs were present in the roots when shipped, although the connection between the two could have been more directly presented-a folly of the curator), Republic of Gabon (photographs the artist took asking 'where are we going?' in public spaces using street signs in cities throughout the world, also very well installed in the space given), and Chile (presented in the Arsenale, but really well done).

I have got to run. Ciao!