fluktor -|||- study - office - newsletter July 2, 2005

Taipei Times, Jun 16, 2005
The art world converges in Venice
The 51st International Art Exhibition runs until Nov. 6 and showcases the latest ideas in the diverse world of art
By Susan Kendzulak
[image] A still from a video by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook.

The 110-year old Venice Biennale recently inaugurated the 51st International Art Exhibition, which consists of two sections: national pavilions of 70 represented countries and two international exhibitions that were curated separately by Rosa Martinez and Maria de Corral. This enormous exhibition requires at least three or four days to experience as the venues are spread throughout the labyrinthine stone paths of Venice.

Biennales are platforms for risk taking. For Martinez's exhibition in the Arsenale, a former arms depot, she presents the diverse artworks as chapters in a book, with each area leading to a new thought. Based on Samuel Beckett's Breath, the exhibition overall gives the uplifting message that our lives are too short, so we must make the most of them.

In contrast, de Corral returns to the sterile white-walled museum look with framed paintings hung on walls and sculptures on plinths. However, she included some strong works such as Chen Chieh-jen's (陳界仁) Factory, a film about unemployed garment workers in Taoyuan.
[image] A statue of a lion-fish, provided by the Singapore pavilion.

The Biennale seems to be divided into two camps: conservatism -- such as in promoting national identity and/or white cube presentation -- and its opposite, experimentation. Several national pavilions have chosen the same safe route, the US Pavilion in the lead with its lackluster presentation of a usually dynamic artist. It comes off looking like little energy and thought was put into the exhibition on behalf of the organizers.
[image] Tsui Kuang-yu's Spectre of Freedom.

Some dynamic ideas that transcend the traditional art practice of object making are seen in several works. Olaf Nicolai's work is provided by nature; he offers printed matter that tells the viewer to watch the northern sky in August for St Lawrence's Tears, a spectacular star shower.

Meanwhile, artists Gianni Motti and Christoph Buechel propose something more radical. They've initiated talks with the Cuban government to rent Guantanamo Bay and transform the occupied military site into a site of culture.

The Swiss Pavilion shines in its brilliance by showing that nationalism in art, as in sport, is becoming a dated concept. It exhibited four outstanding artists, none of them born in Switzerland.

As many of the Western countries chose blue-chip artists in museum-like settings, the exhibitions from Asia are more concise, lively and moving. Thailand's pavilion entitled Those Dying Wishing to Stay, Those Living Preparing to Leave in the cloister of a church show the Buddhist-inspired works of deceased artist Montien Boonma and the videos of Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, in which she gives

lectures about death to the corpses lying at her feet. Far from being morose, the works poignantly dialogue with the tomb-lined walkway, and leave one feeling contemplative and inspired about life.

Even though it is an art show, politics still comes into play, so the pavilions for Taiwan and Hong Kong are listed in the printed matter as part of the related events. For the debut of the China Pavilion, both Chinese and Italian officials spoke about the opening of future ties between the two nations.

For the opening performance, two artists attempted to launch a small spacecraft created by a farmer living in Anhui Province.

Unfortunately, there was no liftoff, but the ersatz UFO hammered the point that this work was a metaphor for the aspiring dreams of the rural residents.

Singapore is represented by one artist, Lim Tzay Chuen. In his wry work, the artist, whose work deals with intervention in real-life situations, proposed to bring one of the state's five Merlion statues (head of a lion, body of a fish) to Venice. Unable to receive permission to undertake this remarkable feat, he installed a M/W restroom instead -- sarcastically -- saying that art can still provide a function.

Taiwan's smartly installed Spectre of Freedom showcases the work of four Taiwanese artists -- Kao Chung-li (高重黎), Tsui Kuang-yu (崔廣宇), Lin Hsin-i (林欣怡) and Kuo I-chen (郭奕臣) -- under the rubric of allusive freedom.

It was fun to see many people wandering San Marco Plaza plastered with Lin's de-strike stickers. In addition, several people from Taiwan came to Venice to give out the newly established Taiwan Art Award funded by private individuals. Part mockery of the art system, this award also mimics what the organizers tried to criticize. While this project can be viewed cynically as an opportunistic free trip based on a simplistic argument, it can also be seen as a positive opportunity, as the large cash prize was awarded to the Afghanistan pavilion, thus creating future possibilities for the artists to continue to create. The award was presented to artist Lida Abdul in an emotionally moving ceremony.
See: www.artecommunications.com

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/06/16/2003259552

****************************

Asia Art Archive
Venice Biennale

Italian Pavilion
The Experience of Art
Chen Chieh-jen
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, 1960
Lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan
Jun Yang
Born in Tientsin, China, 1975
Lives and works in Vienna, Austria

CHINA
Virgin Garden: Emersion
Artists: Yung Ho Chang, Liu Wei, Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Wang Qiheng, Xu Zhen
Commissioner: Fan Dian. Curator: Cai Guo-Qiang. Assistant Curator: Pi Li
Venue: Arsenale - Giardino delle Vergini

HONG KONG
"investigation of a journey to the west by micro + polo" artists from hong kong, china
The exhibition features the works of two established Hong Kong artists anothermountainman and Chan Yuk-keung under the curatorship of Sabrina M.Y. Fung. It investigates the blending and divergence of cultures in our societies through the microcosmic vision of the artists and reflects parallels and differences between Hong Kong and Venice
Organisation: Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong, China
Venue: Fondaco Marcello, San Marco, 3415

JAPAN
mother's 2000-2005 - traces of the future
Artist: Miyako Ishiuchi
Commissioner: Michiko Kasahara
Assistant commissioners: Hiroshi Omori, Jun Takeshita.
Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

SOUTH KOREA
Artists: Young-Whan Bae, Yiso Bahc (1957-2004), Choi Jeong-Hwa, Gimhongsok, Ham Jin, Yeondoo Jung, Beom Kim, Sora Kim, NAKION, Kiwon Park, Park Sejin, Hein-Kuhn Oh, Sungshic Moon, Jewyo Rhii, Nakhee Sung
Commissioner: Sunjun Kim.
Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

TAIWAN
The Spectre of Freedom. Il Fantasma della Liberta
Partly inspired by Luis Bunuel's film, "The Spectre of Freedom", curated by Chia Chi Jason WANG, adapts the concept of freedom as an illusive spectre to reveal the contemporary human condition in an era of globalization. The exhibition showcases the four Taiwanese artists Chung-li KAO, I-chen KUO, Hsin-i Eva LIN, and Kuang-yu TSUI
Organisation: Taipei Fine Arts Museum of Taiwan
Venue: Palazzo delle Prigioni, San Marco, Castello, 4209

http://www.aaa.org.hk/newsletter.html

__________________

with kind regards,

Matthias Arnold
(Art-Eastasia list)

http://www.chinaresource.org
http://www.fluktor.de

__________________________________________

An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is
available at:
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For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to:
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	July 2, 2005: [achtung! kunst] 51st Venice Biennale

	Taipei Times, Jun 16, 2005 The art world converges in Venice The 51st International Art Exhibition runs until Nov. 6 and showcases the latest ideas in the diverse world of art By Susan Kendzulak [image] A still from a video by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook. The 110-year old Venice Biennale recently inaugurated the 51st International Art Exhibition, which consists of two sections: national pavilions of 70 represented countries and two international exhibitions that were curated separately by Rosa Martinez and Maria de Corral. This enormous exhibition requires at least three or four days to experience as the venues are spread throughout the labyrinthine stone paths of Venice. Biennales are platforms for risk taking. For Martinez's exhibition in the Arsenale, a former arms depot, she presents the diverse artworks as chapters in a book, with each area leading to a new thought. Based on Samuel Beckett's Breath, the exhibition overall gives the uplifting message that our lives are too short, so we must make the most of them. In contrast, de Corral returns to the sterile white-walled museum look with framed paintings hung on walls and sculptures on plinths. However, she included some strong works such as Chen Chieh-jen's (陳界仁) Factory, a film about unemployed garment workers in Taoyuan. [image] A statue of a lion-fish, provided by the Singapore pavilion. The Biennale seems to be divided into two camps: conservatism -- such as in promoting national identity and/or white cube presentation -- and its opposite, experimentation. Several national pavilions have chosen the same safe route, the US Pavilion in the lead with its lackluster presentation of a usually dynamic artist. It comes off looking like little energy and thought was put into the exhibition on behalf of the organizers. [image] Tsui Kuang-yu's Spectre of Freedom. Some dynamic ideas that transcend the traditional art practice of object making are seen in several works. Olaf Nicolai's work is provided by nature; he offers printed matter that tells the viewer to watch the northern sky in August for St Lawrence's Tears, a spectacular star shower. Meanwhile, artists Gianni Motti and Christoph Buechel propose something more radical. They've initiated talks with the Cuban government to rent Guantanamo Bay and transform the occupied military site into a site of culture. The Swiss Pavilion shines in its brilliance by showing that nationalism in art, as in sport, is becoming a dated concept. It exhibited four outstanding artists, none of them born in Switzerland. As many of the Western countries chose blue-chip artists in museum-like settings, the exhibitions from Asia are more concise, lively and moving. Thailand's pavilion entitled Those Dying Wishing to Stay, Those Living Preparing to Leave in the cloister of a church show the Buddhist-inspired works of deceased artist Montien Boonma and the videos of Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, in which she gives lectures about death to the corpses lying at her feet. Far from being morose, the works poignantly dialogue with the tomb-lined walkway, and leave one feeling contemplative and inspired about life. Even though it is an art show, politics still comes into play, so the pavilions for Taiwan and Hong Kong are listed in the printed matter as part of the related events. For the debut of the China Pavilion, both Chinese and Italian officials spoke about the opening of future ties between the two nations. For the opening performance, two artists attempted to launch a small spacecraft created by a farmer living in Anhui Province. Unfortunately, there was no liftoff, but the ersatz UFO hammered the point that this work was a metaphor for the aspiring dreams of the rural residents. Singapore is represented by one artist, Lim Tzay Chuen. In his wry work, the artist, whose work deals with intervention in real-life situations, proposed to bring one of the state's five Merlion statues (head of a lion, body of a fish) to Venice. Unable to receive permission to undertake this remarkable feat, he installed a M/W restroom instead -- sarcastically -- saying that art can still provide a function. Taiwan's smartly installed Spectre of Freedom showcases the work of four Taiwanese artists -- Kao Chung-li (高重黎), Tsui Kuang-yu (崔廣宇), Lin Hsin-i (林欣怡) and Kuo I-chen (郭奕臣) -- under the rubric of allusive freedom. It was fun to see many people wandering San Marco Plaza plastered with Lin's de-strike stickers. In addition, several people from Taiwan came to Venice to give out the newly established Taiwan Art Award funded by private individuals. Part mockery of the art system, this award also mimics what the organizers tried to criticize. While this project can be viewed cynically as an opportunistic free trip based on a simplistic argument, it can also be seen as a positive opportunity, as the large cash prize was awarded to the Afghanistan pavilion, thus creating future possibilities for the artists to continue to create. The award was presented to artist Lida Abdul in an emotionally moving ceremony. See: www.artecommunications.com http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/06/16/2003259552 **************************** Asia Art Archive Venice Biennale Italian Pavilion The Experience of Art Chen Chieh-jen Born in Taipei, Taiwan, 1960 Lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan Jun Yang Born in Tientsin, China, 1975 Lives and works in Vienna, Austria CHINA Virgin Garden: Emersion Artists: Yung Ho Chang, Liu Wei, Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Wang Qiheng, Xu Zhen Commissioner: Fan Dian. Curator: Cai Guo-Qiang. Assistant Curator: Pi Li Venue: Arsenale - Giardino delle Vergini HONG KONG "investigation of a journey to the west by micro + polo" artists from hong kong, china The exhibition features the works of two established Hong Kong artists anothermountainman and Chan Yuk-keung under the curatorship of Sabrina M.Y. Fung. It investigates the blending and divergence of cultures in our societies through the microcosmic vision of the artists and reflects parallels and differences between Hong Kong and Venice Organisation: Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong, China Venue: Fondaco Marcello, San Marco, 3415 JAPAN mother's 2000-2005 - traces of the future Artist: Miyako Ishiuchi Commissioner: Michiko Kasahara Assistant commissioners: Hiroshi Omori, Jun Takeshita. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini SOUTH KOREA Artists: Young-Whan Bae, Yiso Bahc (1957-2004), Choi Jeong-Hwa, Gimhongsok, Ham Jin, Yeondoo Jung, Beom Kim, Sora Kim, NAKION, Kiwon Park, Park Sejin, Hein-Kuhn Oh, Sungshic Moon, Jewyo Rhii, Nakhee Sung Commissioner: Sunjun Kim. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini TAIWAN The Spectre of Freedom. Il Fantasma della Liberta Partly inspired by Luis Bunuel's film, "The Spectre of Freedom", curated by Chia Chi Jason WANG, adapts the concept of freedom as an illusive spectre to reveal the contemporary human condition in an era of globalization. The exhibition showcases the four Taiwanese artists Chung-li KAO, I-chen KUO, Hsin-i Eva LIN, and Kuang-yu TSUI Organisation: Taipei Fine Arts Museum of Taiwan Venue: Palazzo delle Prigioni, San Marco, Castello, 4209 http://www.aaa.org.hk/newsletter.html __________________ with kind regards, Matthias Arnold (Art-Eastasia list) http://www.chinaresource.org http://www.fluktor.de __________________________________________ An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is available at: http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to: http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm