“56th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition” Report Part 2

2015.8.25

"Exhibition of Golden Lion Award-winning artists and country pavilions, a recommendation for viewing 120 years of history and future"

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the Venice Biennale, which was started by the city of Venice to contribute to the development of art and culture.
Today, it has developed into one of the world's largest international art exhibitions, with special exhibitions involving 136 artists from 53 countries and exhibitions in 89 country pavilions, including the Japan pavilion where we interviewed last time. You can see the diversification of artistic expression as globalization occurs on a global scale.
In this report, in addition to the exhibits of Golden Lion award-winning artists and the country pavilions, we will also take you on a virtual tour by a correspondent from the Magcal editorial department, where you can enjoy the history of the Venice Biennale, which has reached a milestone.

▶ Click here for “Japan Pavilion Chiharu Shiota “The Key in the Hand” – Opening! Interview with Chiharu Shiota & Hitoshi Nakano”!

Start by thinking about history at Café Florian, then listen to Marx at the main venue.

Café Florian, a long-established coffee shop founded in 1720, is located in the center of Venice, in Piazza San Marco, a tourist destination hailed as the most beautiful square in the world. Artists and intellectuals gather almost every night for discussions. Ta. In 1893, the idea for the Venice Biennale was born in this cafe. Although the biennale was intended to show off the power of the imperial court, it also aimed to expand on the cafe's existing function of recognizing the diversity of contemporary art from Japan and abroad and encouraging the free exchange of speech through art and culture. It is. While thinking about these historical facts, let's first heal the fatigue of the trip and prepare to admire the vast exhibits.

Caffè Florian Provided by: Caffè Florian Venezia (Archivio Caffè Florian)

Let's head to the exhibition rooms at the two main venues: the Arsenale, which is located on the site of the National Shipyard, and the Giardini, which is the largest park on the island and is full of greenery. First, we headed to the Giardini Central Pavilion. A large red arena (theater) was built here, which characterizes this year's Biennale. The Venice Biennale has reflected the dramatic changes in history from the late 19th century to the 21st century, from the modern to the present. From the stage located at the center of this exhibition hall, programs are being implemented that re-observe the state of modern society and explore today's artistic expressions, crossing over fields other than art. Marx's Das Kapital (all 4 volumes), which is the main reference for the exhibition, will be read aloud every day during the seven-month period, as well as panel discussions, performances including music and dance, and screenings of video works. will also be held and can be viewed freely. ( Click here for the program )

The "Arena" installed in the Giardini Central Pavilion and the events held there
Isaac Julien
《DAS KAPITAL Oratorio》, 2015.
Photography: Andrea Avezzù Provided by: la Biennale di Venezia

Special exhibition “The future of the whole world”

Next, let's take a look at the Central Pavilion. At the end of the 5 meter ladder, there is a sign that says ``The END'', just like the end of the movie. This large installation by Fabio Mauri (1926-2009), a Roman native who had close ties with the Italian film industry during his lifetime, suggests the ``end of eternity,'' or the exhibition begins with a single frame before the screen goes dark, and features old and new works. The artist's exhibition continues.

The overall theme of this year's exhibition is "All the World's Futures." The general director is Okwui Enwezo, who was born in Nigeria in 1963 and is currently the director of Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany. He has demonstrated his skills in exhibitions that take up various issues in society as it shifts from Western-centric to post-colonial times. In this Biennale, in view of the current situation where various cracks have arisen due to the aforementioned "capital," we will once again consider the connection between this unstable world and history, and explore new relationships (future) between art and society. I tried to present it.

Adrian Piper (born 1948 in New York, currently living and working in Berlin), winner of the Golden Lion, created a blackboard drawing (Everything 21, 2010-) that read ``Everything will be taken away'' at the Giardini. 2013), and in the exhibition leading up to the Arsenale, ``The Probable Trust Registry: The Rules of the Game #1-3'' (2013) will be exhibited. The former imagines a situation in which a child is forced to write the same word over and over again as punishment, suggesting that everything is bound to fall apart, while the latter suggests writing something like "I WILL ALWAYS BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BUY." This is a participatory installation in which viewers sign written declarations, skillfully mocking the discourse that takes place in capitalist society. At the Arsenale, be sure to take some time to watch documentary filmmaker Lim Heung-soon (born 1969 in Seoul, still living and working in Seoul). She won the Silver Lion Award, which is given to young artists, for her feature-length video work Factory Complex (2014), which features interviews with about 20 Asian female workers and scenes of their struggles. At the award ceremony, Heung-sun said, ``(In addition to expressing the harsh current situation), I also want to convey that work, life, and everyday life are always integrated with art.''

Fabio Mauri
《Macchina per fissare acquerelli》, 2007.
Fabio Mauri e Pier Paolo Pasolini alle prove di Che cosa p il Fascismo 1971, 2005.
Il Muro Occidentale o del Pianto, 1993.
Photography: Alessandra Chemollo ©la Biennale di Venezia

Adrian Piper
《Everything 21》,2010-2013.
Photography: Alessandra Chemollo ©la Biennale di Venezia

Adrian Piper
《The Probable Trust Registry: The Rules of the Game #1-3》, 2013. (Exhibition view)
Photography: Alessandra Chemollo ©la Biennale di Venezia

Attempts at diversifying country pavilions

Giardini is lined with unique country pavilions, so be sure to stop by the Belgium Pavilion. The Belgium Pavilion is the first country pavilion built in 1907. In this exhibition, not only artists based in Brussels but also more than 10 artists from around the world will be joining in to explore the ``micro-history'' of Belgium, which was colonized by the Belgian government in 1908. Focus on Congo. The video, which features songs of resistance to domination and the rhythm of a rumba, takes a step back from the unfortunate story of exploitation and violence that occurred between Europe and its colonies, and focuses on the art, music, and behavior that developed in colonial Congo. It is also clear that it brought benefits such as the promotion of cultural activities such as principles.

《One.Two.Three》,2015. Vincent Meessen and Normal, Brussels

Belgium pavilion “Personne et les Autres” exhibition (exhibition view)
Photography: MAGCUL.NET Editorial Department
http://www.personne-et-les-autres.be/

Finally, let's head to the Armenian Pavilion, which won the Golden Lion this time. The exhibition venue is a monastery located on the island of San Lazaro degli Armeni (meaning ``Island of Armenia''), which is about 20 minutes by boat from the main island of Venice. Here, too, a group exhibition is being held by 16 artists from different places of birth and base of activity, all of whom are descendants of the people who were dispersed during the Armenian genocide that occurred 100 years ago. . Their homeland, located to the east of Turkey, was constantly infiltrated by other ethnic groups, and this island was also given by the Republic of Venice to Armenian monks who fled the country due to the Turkish invasion in the 18th century. In order to reflect on "Armenity" in this milestone year, artists from across nationalities are exhibiting works that trace their own identities and memories. Sarkis (born in Istanbul in 1938, currently living and working in Paris), who was born in Turkey, which was on the side of the invaders at the time, depicts daily life on stained glass, where religious pictures are usually painted, and uses LED lights even at night to avoid being influenced by natural light. In addition to the illuminated works, Hera Büyüktaşçıyan (born in Istanbul in 1984, currently living and working) expresses the history of this monastery as one of Europe's most important printing presses through sculptures. These modern-day works seem to be achieving a peaceful ``reunion'' and ``reconciliation'' in this quiet monastery. You can feel the power of art exchange to overcome negative history.

Armenia Pavilion “Armenity/” exhibition (exhibition view)
http://www.armenity.net/
[Top 4] Photography: MAGCUL.NET Editorial Department
[Lower 1 point] Sarkis《Croix de brique, from Ailleurs ici, Chaumont-sur-Loire》, 2012. © Piero Demo, 2012

Report writer: Mami Iida (art historian)

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