Coiffured and waxed fashionistas - and that includes the journalists - along with the gallerists, curators, civic and political leaders, artists and others are at the preview week of the Venice Biennale.
Having noticed some raised (perfected shaped) eyebrows at my sensible shoes and casual travel clothes worn during the intense Venetian summer of the 2015 Biennale, this time I’m taking lippy and some flash gear.
Photo: RNZ / Lynn Freeman
Just like the Edinburgh Festivals, during the Biennale in Venice you encounter artworks in the most unlikely of places.
The island is so compact and its buildings seem so fragile, but nothing deters the hundreds of international artists hoping to stand out from the rest. It’s a challenge for them but a delight for visitors.
My ability to get lost even in Wellington is a genuine bonus in this unique city. In every nook, cranny, empty building, alleyway and park, and on every street corner, something is happening.
While the fringe events and performances are a delight, (my favourite last time was a seated blindfolded man wearing a black monk’s habit knitting with leek leaves) the focus during the Biennale media preview days is on the formal artworks representing dozens of countries.
Lisa Reihana is New Zealand’s chosen artist for 2017. Unlike most previous works we have sent to the Biennale, the core port of Lisa’s contribution has already been seen by thousands of New Zealanders. In Pursuit of Venus (Infected) premiered at the Auckland Art Gallery in 2015 and went on to be a finalist in the 2016 Walters Art Prize.
Photo: Supplied
It’s now the central part of an enhanced and extended exhibition called Lisa Reihana: Emissaries.
I haven’t seen it, but have interviewed Lisa in depth about it. Think of her audio/visual work as a massive living wallpaper telling the story of first contact between Māori and Captain Cook.
Lisa and her life and artistic partner James Pinker have brought new elements to the work, including recording Cook’s actual clock as part of the intricate soundscape.
For the first time New Zealand is exhibiting amidst the bulk of the countries at Venice, at the Arsennale. This gigantic series of buildings on the waterfront houses a bewildering array of art during the Biennale. Much of it divine, captivating and thought provoking. Much of it wonderfully obscure. Much of it bizarre and disturbing.
Just like trying to see all the art at the Louvre in one hit, there’s too much to take in in a day. But for many of the reviewers that’s all they’ll have there, if they’re to travel the city to see other significant works in site specific buildings.
It’s a brutal environment at the Arsennale. There are huge queues outside some venues, especially those with goodie bags for the VIPs. Word of mouth is the other key factor in getting attention of ‘the powers that be’. Artists have seconds to get genuine attention as the hordes pour through the venues. My money’s on Lisa to do just that.
Photo: RNZ / Lynn Freeman
