Part 2 Biennale Arte - Giardini

Wednesday 6 September

Well, I'm not sure how I feel about the film 'mother!'.  I was with it up until halfway through and then it just seemed to spiral in directions I couldn't follow...no recommendation from me on this one, it's all your decision to see it!

Today we spent exploring the Biennale Arte exhibits at Giardini.  Last time in Venice I remember loving the Arsenale experience, but this time I really enjoyed Giardini.  It's a leisurely setting, lots of shady garden areas and the exhibits are housed in pavilions that provide unique environments.

We loved the Venezuela exhibit with its poetic imagery on origins.
Russia's 'Scene Change' - a compression of time - was incredible, projections and forms all in white.
Japan's 'Turned upside down, it's a forest' was fun - there was a viewpoint accessed from under the floor, so visitors could climb a ladder and pop their head up through the floor to see a miniature city scape, in plain sight of visitors walking around the exhibit.
Czechoslovakia's exhibit 'Swan Song Now' was beautiful, with illuminated swans on individual islands - the swans a symbol of change.

So much to enjoy and continue to remember.  This year's Biennale Arte is inspired by humanism - a humanism in which the artistic act is an act of resistance, of liberation and of generosity.  I feel so fortunate to have shared in it.

From the Biennale we vaporetto'd to Lido to see a mid afternoon screening of the Australian film 'Sweet Country'.  Director Warwick Thornton, actors Bryan Brown, Sam Neill and Matt Day attended the screening - more red carpet action for us!  We loved the film.  It also stars some great Aboriginal talent and the cinematography in Northern Australia is a treat.  True to form, the audience responded with loud cheers and applause at the end of the screening, and I felt quite emotional that an Australian 'western', a harsh story of life in outback Australia, found such appreciation before an international audience.

Ciao, Lido...