2019 Venice Biennale - Report 1
It has been over a month since I've loaded anything onto this blog! I try to check in once a week or so. I've said before, that the blog feature of this site is as much as an art diary for me as anything else. Instagram has taken some of my attention away from updating as well. I've had a very busy June and July thus far - including a trip to Italy.
I really did not know much about the event other than it happens every two years, and it is amongst the premier art events on the the planet. I really never considered that I would ever see it, so I was content at looking at the reviews and reports over the years and did not completely understand the format of the event.
Swallowed Sun - 2019 - Southern Yellow Pine, Steel, Polyester, Rope
As I understand it, each country elects a "curator" for their pavilion and they decide what is to shown. It may be a single artist, or a combination of a variety of artists and themes. In this case, I am highlighting the United States Pavilion. The US has a permanent building located in the Giardini section of the event. Many other countries have a permanent pavilion in this location as well. A second concentrated area is the Arsenal, and in fact a former arsenal. This is a series of giant warehouses that house an incredible amount of art. I'm not sure if counties have permanent sections or it rotates in some sort of fashion. A third option is that countries find a venue somewhere else in Venice.
Tabernacle - 2019 -Steel. Cedar, Cypress, Pine, Makore Veneer, Canvas, Cotton Fabric, Glass, Stainless Steel
This year's US pavilion hosted a single artist - Martin Puryear. (Wikipedia Link) I had heard of him but was not really that familiar with his work. I kind of consider him an artist's artist. I think that he was a fine selection for the event. These were well crafted and very contemplative works for me. Here is a link to the Artnews article about his selection. I really won't get into a critique of the pieces since i think we all can do that ourselves. It's worth a internet search to take a look at his work, or better yet, visit the Biennale yourself.
Cloister - Redoubt or Cloistered Doubt? - 2019 -Hemlock, Pine, Polar, Cedar
Detail of Cloister - Redoubt or Cloistered Doubt? - 2019
Big Phrygian - 2010-2014 - Painted Red Cedar
Another stunning piece, I thought it originally to be fiberglass rather than painted cedar.
New Voortrekker - 2018 - Ash, Cypress, Maple, Mirror
Hibernian Testosterone - 2018 - Painted Cast Aluminum, Cypress
