The 2017 Venice Biennale
Review by artist Graham Hay
Flop or not? Is the Venice Biennale a time warp in the global art world, or does it promise us an artistic redemption through transformation ?
After a week and half in May and another week in August visiting as many exhibitions as possible, it was impossible to see even half of the artwork. The many formal and informal art guides offered maps, and so time efficient ways, to see the over 200 exhibitions running concurrently May to November. However, like the medusa's head in Damion Herist's "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable" exhibition, it solidified my existing perceptions.
After a week and half in May and another week in August visiting as many exhibitions as possible, it was impossible to see even half of the artwork. The many formal and informal art guides offered maps, and so time efficient ways, to see the over 200 exhibitions running concurrently May to November. However, like the medusa's head in Damion Herist's "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable" exhibition, it solidified my existing perceptions.
Reviews of Herist's huge twin exhibitions have ranged from bad to good. The Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable title
Arsenale: SHIMABUKU (b. 1969 Japan, lives and works in Naha), "Oldest and Newest Tools of Human Beings", 2016. 4 prehistoric Axes, 4 smart phones, Vitrine with glass. His video "shapening a MacBook Air" of him doing just that and then using it to cut vegetables provided light relief from an overload of too serious art. — at Arsenale Biennale Di Venezia.
Conclusion
Of course the sensible thing is to conclude that the truth about the Venice Biennale lies somewhere between the binary opposites of flop and not. I'm not sure I want to moderately please and moderately annoy all readers...
Of course the sensible thing is to conclude that the truth about the Venice Biennale lies somewhere between the binary opposites of flop and not. I'm not sure I want to moderately please and moderately annoy all readers...