arrived in venice straight to La Biennale di Venezia- GARDIENI, ARSENAL,empire II PREVEIW EVENT! (part 1 GARDIENI)

This is a document of my personal highlights at the Venice Biennale and a sketchbook for my current project. Whether it's political, use of material, use of space or participatory arts, I have made some notes to come back to.

I start with, however, photos I took on the flight over on 10th May. A clear day for most of Europe it seemed - better than any show at the cinema! I'm completely surprised the airline hasn't cashed in on paying extra for a clear day.

(click above images)

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'Hajra Waheed’s work seeks to address personal, national and cultural identity formation in relation to political history, popular imagination and the broad impact of colonial power within a global context.'

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Andy Hope 1930 I thought was extremely clever, accessible, immersive, political, communicative and exciting. I really liked the way he connected the video works with the space. The work was dry, lonesome and inventive. He created a character, that I imagine, created childlike artworks of aliens and logos of energy drinks that were displayed in the space. Everything in the room was interlinked, even the visitors became part of it. 

(click above images)

Rachel Rose created this enchanted, magic, circular, complicated and beautiful artwork. It reminded me of a book I had as a child that I dreamt about. The storyline seemed to relate in some way to this memory -  a child's confused sense of reality or actuality. ​I can’t believe the artist is so young and talented. It’s so accomplished. Truly incredible!

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Mark Bradford 'fabricating his signature mixed-media collages with ephemera such as segments of billboards, flyers, and graffiti stencils, American artist Mark Bradford’s works marry his interests in modernist abstraction with the urban community from which he culls his materials.’

This walk (click above images) is so confident. It's a memorable walk and you know it. It's a walk of validation,  a new relationship, a new job, money in the bank, an invite to dinner or just waking up in the morning and realising there is nothing to worry about.

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I love the way they have displayed this film in the Nordic Pavilion.

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I have spent a lot of time in the Republic of Korea pavilion (below). A really thought provoking space. The room with the clocks!!!!!!! The room was soundproofed and was really dead, which was the first thing you noticed. Each clock had someone's name on it and country and each clock ran at different speeds. For instance, someone called Clare was on double slow time while Patrick was super fast - funny!

The Thinker by Cody Choi in Republic of Korea Pavilion

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 Jana Želibská (below)