Every two years, Venice is taken over by the international art world for the Biennale. The event runs from May to November, and involves hundreds of countries curating exhibitions of contemporary art in their own 'pavilions'. The key sites are the Giardini and the Arsenale (historic naval warehouses and dockyard) but there are other pavilions and 'collatarol' exhibitions across the city. One could spend weeks and not see everything, so a plan of attack is necessary if you don't want to miss something wonderful.
To be honest, this year the Biennale was pretty disappointing, full of mediocre and instantly forgettable art. The standout pieces for me were:
- an incredibly powerful video work telling refugee stories by Candice Breitz in the South African Pavilion
- a series of beautiful black and white photographs in the Australian Pavilion by Tracey Moffatt
- a beautiful diorama-style film by Lisa Reihana in the New Zealand Pavilion
Of the non-official Biennale exhibitions, I was knocked out by the Diaspora Pavilion, particularly a striking and fascinating installation by Yinka Shonibare and beautiful disquieting photographs by Khadija Saye, who tragically died in Grenfell Tower.
Damien Hirst's much-trumpeted return to sculpture dominates the city, taking over two key contemporary art spaces at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana. I was not expecting much and I think it's fair to say the exhibition lived down to my expectations. Hirst has a great concept and a few good gags, but I got the joke by the end of the second room and I really didn't need to be banged over the head with it ad infinitum.
Of course, some of the best times one can have in Venice are just wandering around and discovering little moments of magic round every corner. Support by Lorenzo Quinn is a perfect piece of public sculpture along the Grand Canal.