The treacherous gravel of the Arsenal rises in small white clouds, marking sandals and boots, sneakers and moccasins: all that range of technological and stylistic possibilities unleashed by curators, directors, journalists, artists, to face the Venice Art Biennale. While the pedometer records the sudden surge in physical activity, between collateral exhibitions and events, we offer you a close selection of the unmissable exhibition projects of the national pavilions of the Arsenale (here are the six pavilions to see in the Giardini).
Saudi Arabia Pavilion, Manal AlDowayan
A cacophony of prejudices. Women’s voices denied, limited, distorted. It’s a cry of solidarity, Shifting Sands: A Battle Songinstallation by Manal AlDowayan for Saudi Arabia. It combines in a single space the sonic and geological peculiarities of the desert with the voices of women, giving life to a single song, a liberating dirge, almost a ritual against the prejudices of which the women – who sing it – are victims. So what do we see in the Saudi Arabia Pavilion curated by Jessica Cerasi And Maya El Khalil: large petal-shaped sculptures that recall the desert rose, all decorated with silk-screened texts that speak of women, the absolute protagonists of the space. In the background, the tireless singing.
«I hope that this work of art encourages women to look inward and stand in solidarity with the female community, to make their voices heard and carve out their voice within this new chapter of history, much of which is not yet been written.”
Italian Pavilion, Massimo Bartolini
By Luca Cerizzathe Italian Pavilion is an obligatory stop, not only for that (un)healthy parochialism that emerges in international events but above all because the evocative machine developed by Massimo Bartolini. The mayor of Venice didn’t like it Luigi Brugnaro, who during the presentation on April 19 declared that he preferred «The figurative», but the pavilion is far from ineffective. A satisfying sense of zeroing creeps in among the innocent tubes, emptying hearts and minds weighed down by worries. We whisper, we hardly chat, we observe, we reconcile, we forgive the first bare room, except for a small bronze statue of a Pensive Bodhisattva at the end of a long organ pipe, we savor the garden outside ‘Italian of the second, an intricate labyrinth of innocent tubes cold only apparently and which hides the sound compositions of Caterina Barbieri and Kali Malone. In the center, a composed wonder, a tub-fountain inside which breathes a liquid based on water and clay that breathes rhythmically, elastic and viscous (here is our complete article).
Latvian Pavilion, Amanda Ziemele
In O day and night, but this is wondrous strange… and therefore as a stranger give it welcome, there is an abundance of painting but these are not paintings that exhaust their field of action between the four sides of the frame. The canvases of Amanda Ziemelean artist born in 1990 called to interpret the space of the Latvia pavilion with a project curated by Adam Budak, they also expand their surface of action to the back, which has at least as much formal value as the painted front, as in a sculptural all-round. Just as the distribution of the works in the room has enormous aesthetic importance, almost falling down due to the indolent force of gravity. The result of a movement that has just passed, they look like petals and clouds scattered randomly but only in appearance. Instead they are in dialogue, they rhythmically punctuate the space which is discovered, step by step, increasingly enjoyable, captivating, playful.
Lebanon Pavilion, Mounira Al Solh
Mythology and current affairs intertwine like warp and woof to give shape to a narrative fabric punctuated by a polyphonic series of works, including videos, paintings, drawings and sculptures that totalize the space of the Lebanon Pavilion. Edited by Nada Ghandourwith Dance with her Myth Mounira Al Solh proposes a complete story, ironic but also delicate, which addresses the theme of imposed and suffered destiny, starting from the myth of Europa, the Phoenician princess seduced by Zeus in the guise of a white bull, so similar to the experience of many Middle Eastern women. Proposing a variation of the mythological ending, the artist born in 1978 in Beirut shifts the balance of the narrative with airy poetry, pushing
its female character, whose gaze it allows us to assume, to make autonomous choices that are not without difficulties. Here, power and the desire for freedom, prevarication and self-determinism face each other gently, underlining a very evident correspondence with the evocative setting of the beautiful Egypt Pavilion designed by Wael Shawky.
Singapore Pavilion, Robert Zhao Renhui
Is titled Seing Forest the installation created for the Singapore Pavilion, in the Arsenale, was created by Robert Zhao Renhui and edited by Haeju Kim. The subject: a crumbling wardrobe composed of stacked wooden boxes that defies colonial approaches of collection and mere categorization. Inside this structure, 12 screens – interspersed with objects that act as traces, as echoes of human history – show various creatures visiting a watering hole made from an abandoned bin. The meaning: the objects and shots, now deeply integrated with each other, speak of the transformations of a place over time and of the endless regeneration of the forest. And of the inevitably profound connections between man and nature.
«I have dedicated almost a decade to the study of secondary forests, and for me they are a source of continuous discoveries, surprises and meanings. These environments exist on the edges of the city, often ignored and neglected, but they represent spaces where there is a sense of the wild, a balance of forces that do not derive from control but simply from being there. Here, rich stratifications of past and present, nature and culture, native and invasive species intertwine, creating radically hospitable and free environments. With Seeing ForestI hope to offer a rich and ambiguous space in which an imaginary forest comes to life through hypnotic images and sounds, evoking a sense of community, wonder and mystery thanks to the myriad beings that populate it.”
Uzbekistan Pavilion, Aziza Kadyri
Don’t Miss the Cue. An order, a suggestion: this is the title of the Uzbekistan Pavilion, in the Arsenale. It is edited for the first time by Center for Contemporary Art Tashkentpresents the artist Aziza Kadyri and addresses questions of identity through the experiences of Central Asian women. The theatrical setting comes to life through sculptures created from sketches of traditional costumes, integrated with audiovisual materials from the group of artists Qizlar Collective. Not only that – here is the contemporary thrust: the exhibition also explores the interaction between technology and tradition, with the characteristic Uzbek hand embroidery suzani which is reinterpreted through artificial intelligence.
«I have dedicated my whole life to the concept of ‘female collectivity’», explains the embroiderer Madina Kasimbaeva. «Embroidery is a task that cannot be tackled alone. It requires a team and, in our case, a team of women. Even in ancient times, when every girl embroidered her dowry, her relatives and friends helped her. The work of a master is a continuous search. Aziza Kadyri and I embody the idea of female collectivity through embroidery. This is an extremely immersive experience, which I am sure will captivate visitors to the pavilion.”
Tags: Pavilions missed Arsenale
