The Encyclopedia Palace - Venice Biennale II

In an earlier post I referred to my fun looking around the various international pavilions. In the Arsenale, the Venetian naval dockyards, the rest of the curated exhibition was on show. Now one thing to say about this is that it is huge.

The other remark I would make is that it is difficult to determine any theme to a contemporary art show like this. Its rather like reviewing the RA Summer Exhibition. It contains all sorts.

But there is perhaps one theme. Almost none of the works require any skill to accomplish. Heavy emphasis on abstract, on concept and on really dire video installations. But the realism tends to be ultra-realism, because either its photographic or its sculpture obtained by casting objects. Not that either of these things is wrong, but its prevalence does make you wonder whether or not the most vital element of contemporary art is ease of manufacture without having to acquire any technique.

Actually all the skill element goes into the copious explanatory boards. I am afraid, especially when it came to any of the video installations, I used the blurb as an editing tool. I disregarded one because it used the verb "to constellate". Some of it is just such gibberish you don't want to look further.

Some of it is just wonderfully pointless when it comes to product.

I particularly remember looking at a series by a Turkish artist of slightly surreal but childish looking daubings painted "in his muted and ruddy palette - a result of his paint formula of potash, honey, egg whites, oil, bone marrow, blood and urine." Not I understand commercially available yet. The result however of this esoteric formula is a dull brown. There are easier ways to achieve this.

 The sculptures here are all entitled "untitled" for obvious reasons. The canvases in the background are by an artists whose influences were all art forms through history from cave-painting to abstract expressionism. Pity that the outcome of this milieu  was just swirly bits on an admittedly rather attractive green background.

 Now I did like these sort of melted plastic figures which could have come from some science-fiction dystopia.

 You see this wonderfully realistic image isn't craft, its a cast. Fine, but is it art any more than a photocopy is?

 I quite liked this too, even if it is only a glitter ball in reverse

But it was worth going round all this just to see the Arsenale which is lovely and would make a wonderful place for cafes and small shops. Cool (well cold actually) at night.