On my third day in Venice, I decided to explore the North side of the island. There were only a couple national pavilions there and I knew I was going to have to do a lot of walking again but I didn't mind it. It turned out that I enjoyed the North side way more than I did the South. It is a small island but it seems that there are almost none of the tourists there and you get a glimpse of how the locals spend their days. You get to see lovely small squares with outdoor cafes, traditional gatherings of men where they discuss who knows what (you do have to wonder if they ever go to work). I even found an accordion player and many extremely loud cicadas, I'm not joking...you could go deaf from standing underneath a tree full of them. I visited a small book shop on my way that keeps its books in gondolas and bath tubs because Venice floods so often. And I learned a little bit of history I did not know about Venice...
Not far form the Ukrainian Pavilion, I found a Jewish ghetto. A tiny little corner of land with an ugly history. Upon my arrival in the New Ghetto Square I realized a few things:
a) The buildings were simple apartment-style, like in so many other ghettos around Europe. However, it was very different from the architecture in the rest of the Venice island.
b) This was not a popular tourist spot. In fact, majority of the tourists were Italian by nationality. All of the international tourists were clustered around the cliche spots of wealth and power.
c) I never truly thought about the fact that such a beautiful place like Venice also fell victim to prejudice against Jews. This was a welcomed interruption in my knowledge.
My later research turned up that Venetian Ghetto under Venetian Republic, was, in fact, the first area populated by Jews that was referred to as "ghetto." The word comes from Venetian ghèto and Italian ghetto. The Venetian ghetto as instituted on 29 March 1516 and existed until Napoleon conquered Venice in 1797.
It was pleasant to see that the spot is still the center of Jewish life and culture in Venice. There are working synagogues and Jewish centers, a memorial for the two occasions Venetian Jews were deported to concentration camps in Germany during the WWII. The religion is still actively practiced here. There were little Jewish boys and rabbis walking around the square. It was a peculiar place with a wall of victim's names on one side of it, outdoor cafes on the other side. It was tranquil and beautiful.
After that peaceful visit, it was time to move on. As it turned out, despite the listed opening times, not all galleries and pavilions were open. This was a slight disappointment but I quickly got over it because there was still so much to see. My next stop was another "open borders" exhibition put on by Kiribati.
The Pavilion of Kiribati
Artist(s): Performance Group Kairaken Betio; Teroloang Borouea, Neneia Takoikoi, Tineta Timirau, TeetiAaloa, Kenneth Ioane, Kaumai Kaoma, Runita Rabwaa, Obeta Taia, Tiribo Kobaua, Tamuera Tebebe, Rairauea Rue, Teuea Kabunare, Tokintekai Ekentetake, Katanuti Francis, Mikaere Tebwebwe, Terita Itinikarawa Kaeua Kobaua, Raatu Tiuteke, Kaeriti Baanga, Ioanna Francis, Temarewe Banaan Aanamaria Toom, Einako Temewi, Nimei Itinikarawa, Teniteiti Mikaere, Aanibo Bwatanita, Arin Tikiraua. Visual Artist: Daniela Danica Tepes. Performance Group Ngaon Nareau: Teata Tetoki, Raakai Ianibata, Taorobwa Bakatokia, Tekaei Kaairo, Nabiri Kaaraiti, Abetena Itaaka, Bwobwaka Bwebwere
Curator(s): Pelea Tehumu, Nina Tepes
Title: "Open-borders" / Sinking island, unsinkable art
Kiribati is a new participant to the Biennale. The pavilion was places on the top floors of an old building, the entire thing as like a maze, every corner you turn there was something else to look at. A wide variety of techniques and subject matters were represented. Starting from the classic works of putting paint on canvas and ending with installations and manifestos. I was fascinated by the quality of photographic works in the exhibition. This was the most interesting open-borders pavilion I saw in this year's Biennale with only the best works represented. I am sure you will find them interesting as well. I only photographer a few of them and mostly photo work for my own reference and point of interest but artist like Sohn Paa are very interesting as well. He, almost exclusively, seems to be making sculptures out of tiny pins.
These open-borders type of seem to be more about showcasing technique and material use, not cohesive theme or concept.
The Pavilion of Guatemala
Artist(s): Cesar Barrios, Lourdes de la Riva (Maria De Lourdes De La Riva Gutierrez), Arturo Monroy, Andrea Prandi, Erminio Tansini, Elsie Wunderlich, El círculo mágico
Curator(s): Daniele Radini Tedeschi
Title: La Marge
The Guatemala pavilion was all about the margin - the point where two different (usually at extreme) textures and surfaces meet. An interesting concept, for sure. The works were made up a good selection of all the possible interpretation of this tension point.
Out of all of the works in the gallery, which were all very enjoyable and interesting, only one stood out. Unfortunately no matter how I searched in the gallery, I could not find who made it. It was a book, the text was written on tree leaves and the entire book was designed incredibly textured. It was more like reading with hands then with eyes. This book shows a whole new meaning to interaction with books and storytelling.
The Pavilion of Iran
Artist(s): Bizhan Bassiri
Curator(s): Majid Mollanoroozi
Title: TAPESH , The Golden Reserve of Magmatic Thought
Iran's pavilion was one of my very favourites in this Biennale. I especially enjoyed the monumentality but extreme simplicity of the work. Bassiri works with paper mache, steel, bronze, and even lava elements. No wonder the figures in this exhibition look like charred figures. They also remind me of pedestals and monuments due to the square base they all share. I cannot tell you, without further research, how the figures are made but my guess is that the artist used paper mache to create the textures surface. The the other elements were mainly golden. Aesthetically this work was elegant and minimal. Combination of the very few colours is effective and reveals the meaning effectively. An added element, which I found very interesting, was the location of the pavilion. Iran is predominantly Islam culture. Tehran is the birth place of Bassiri. The exhibition was placed in an old church. Sadly I have no information if the church was still functioning but some elements were maintained, like the cross placed high by the ceiling in the middle of the room. This does not reflect in the work in any way, as far as I can tell. I just liked how these two worlds meet in that little space.
I do not think that I can read all art perfectly well and I am smarter to think my readings are the only ones and the correct ones. However, I can offer you my interpretation of what I saw. There were four golden podiums facing each other in groups of two, the type people use to read lectures. Behind these podiums were a four perfect lines of charred figures waiting. In the center a plinth with two golden dice in a pool of red liquid was set between two more figures. This art work makes me think of politics and recklessness. It appears that the center piece represents a game of some sorts. Only the winners and losers are not what we would like to think. This game, that is tainted by unavoidable violence (the pool of red - blood?) has no winners at all. I read it as the centuries long fight to gain the maximum benefits and wealth (represented by golden objects in the exhibition). I read it as the commentary on the individualistic extraction culture (neoliberalism) that dominates the Western culture and slowly takes over the more society oriented countries of the East by invading and claiming resources that do not belong to the West. This glorification of wealth will eventually lead to loss of more than a few beautiful landscapes but large number of people. In the no one will be protected from the results of such politics. This exhibition is like a look into the future, the figures aiming to play the game and win will be just as much the losers as the rest of the planet. It is the cult of the wealth and power. And many elements of is exhibition represent destruction - burning, dust on the white platform, little pools of red liquid that surround the gold elements.
The Pavilion of Andorra
Artist(s): Eve Ariza
Curator(s): Ivan Sansa, Javier Balmaseda, Paolo De Grandis
Title: MURMURI
These thousands of clay bowls are chosen to illicit calmness and state of meditation in middle of the hustle and bustle of Venice Biennale. The artist chose the shape because the bowl was the first modeled form by man. It is the container of truth and also revealer of our shared experiences as human beings. The ceramic bowls have a natural resonance that invite self-awareness and meditation. There is a certain calmness to be found in repetition that allows people to disengage and meditate. Viewing these bowls will eventually make anyone relax and take a deep breath. It might seem that the bowls are the same but they are very different. Each one is unique and slightly different. The bottoms of the bowls look like small mouths. The round shape by itself is a safe and calming. I don’t know about other cultures but ancient Latvians drew circles for protection perhaps that is a universal subconscious association with round shapes – safety. Ariza has obviously thought a lot about the location of this exhibition. In places visited by that many tourists of different nationalities, this exhibition speaks to universal language and reaching a point of calmness.
The Pavilion of Mongolia
Artist(s): Chimeddorj Shagdarjav, Enkhtaivan Ochirbat, Munkhbolor Ganbold, Bolortuvshin Jargalsaikhan, Davaajargal Tsaschikher
Curator(s): Dalkh-Ochir Yondonjunai
Title: Lost in Tngri (Lost in Heaven)
These five artists have done a great job working together on a single theme that deals with the uncertain nature of Mongolia’s future. At the heart of the issue lies the cognitive dissonance – wish for a richer and better life that is obtained by extracting Mongolia’s natural resources, and at the same time being at odds with it because of loss of culture and nature that Mongolians value a lot. People in Mongolia for many centuries have lived a nomadic lifestyle, they depend on natural resources that are available. With privatization, these resources are starting to disappear and bringing more negative than good. This exhibition is a call for people to stop and examine the destructive human nature and consequences that leaves. For this reason, the artists are using the elements of destruction the new politics are bringing to Mongolia. Thousands of dead animals due to storms, overgrazing and loss of vegetation, droughts and mined land, etc. Skulls and soil are very prominent features in this exhibition.
The Pavilion of Zimbabwe
Artist(s): Sylvester Mubayi, Charles Bhebe, Dana Whabira, Admire Kamudzengerere
Curator(s): Raphael Chikukwa
Title: Deconstructing Boundaries: Exploring Ideas of Belonging
This exhibition is a very strong move towards decolonization and telling the hidden histories. The entire pavilion considers identity of Zimbabwe people. The artists used their cultural traditions and myths, which were placed next to objects presented by colonial rule. In many cases these artists ask one question: Where is the voice of these people? What are they saying? A wide range of Zimbabwe people are represented as well…not just men or just women. It is about the identity of society as a whole and each individual at the same time. I am trying to find the subaltern in this exhibition. Who is not talked about? Who still needs to be addressed? It is hard. There were references to men, women, youth, children, the poor, the indigenous, etc.
Work in this exhibition is also a great source of information for myself, in my research. Since the topics deal with decolonization and identity, a closer look at the artists will help me in my future works. My country is going through the same process of finding its new identity after the events of 20th century.
And that is all for today. I saw amazing work and explored other small corners of Venice. I will add some pictures the gallery!
