travelswithalice

September 06, 2013

 

Venice Art Biennale

On our way to the Arsenale, we took refuge from the sun at Palazzo Mora. I wouldn't have chosen to view this particular exhibit myself but I'm glad I did.

 

The exhibit, entitled CULTURE. MIND. BECOMING, dedicated to a group of  contemporary Chinese artists, occupies the entire palazzo. It highlights the globalization of Chinese culture.

We happened on another exhibit on the waterfront. EMERGENCY PAVILION: REBUILDING UTOPIA. The SOLIDARIDAD banner outside is brashly subversive. It's a protest against fascism- political, artistic, or any other form of repression in today's world. It's a multilingual multimedia installation. Dramatically staged, sparse, and to the point. 





The exhibit I was eager to see was at the Arsenale. THE ENCYCLOPEDIC PALACE, the centerpiece project of this Biennale. As a viewer who expected to be awed,  I was intrigued, entertained, at times repulsed, but never over-the-moon engaged. Nothing there really spoke to my soul or made my spirit soar. 

At one point, Stuart said in exasperation, I don't get it, please explain. 
To which I replied:
The mere fact that you know you haven't got it means you're well on your way to getting it. Got it?

We both laughed and hurried out, fearing for our sanity. I felt it failed in communicating what should've been an overload of information and experiences. As it was, it was merely a lot of not much.

Outside, on the concourse,  a red carpet was being laid for the evening's Film Festival do.





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