Penone, 52nd Venice Biennale

"Think With the Senses - Feel with the Mind. Art in the Present Tense." The 52nd Venice Biennale commenced last week, and everybody's talking about it.

The BBC introduces the event (with pictures), and touches very briefly on this year's big news: The brand new Roma (gypsy) and African pavilions. Representing marginalized cultures, the pavilions are seen as progress toward an expansion of our understanding of international art. However, as the BBC points out, the African pavilion leaves a lot to be desired. It's hard to imagine one space covering the full breadth of cultures on the African continent - especially when you learn that all the visual art comes from a single private collection in Luanda, the capital of Angola.

Speaking of the African pavilion - this year Paul D. Miller, aka Dj. Spooky, is providing sound for them in the form of a Digital Africa sound collage: Ghost World: A Story in Sound.

The New York Times comments on the sense of fear, sadness, and destruction that pervade the Biennale this year, in spite of its light theme. Violence and war are at the forefront of the international consciousness, and artists are responding, from Sophie Calle's very personal reflection on the death of her mother to Jenny Holzer's very political work based on military documents from places like Guantánamo Bay.
Also- check out the NY Times round up of Venice Biennal articles.

In case you couldn't make it to Venice, artForum's diary (blog) has you covered: Linda Yablonsky dishes all the artist gossip, and Sarah Thorton takes us on a tour of the national pavilions. On a more academic note, the artForum news page offers the first round of criticism on the Biennale.

And in the midst of all this Venetian fever, the International Herald Tribune reminds us that Documenta 12 is coming up. Opening June 16 in Kassel, Germany, the 100 day long festival (which happens every 5 years) has steadily gained in popularity, to take its place alongside the Biennal as one of the four major established European art events.

In some sad news, Prí¡­o Lozada, who fell from scaffolding during the installation of the Mexican Pavillion, has passed away. He and Barbara Perea were the curators who brought Mexico to the Pavillion for the first time. If you are there, please take a moment to remember him.

The computer didnt like my accent font. Priamo Lozada is the name. I should also mention that the artist is Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.

http://universes-in-universe.de/car/venezia/eng/2007/tour/mex/index.htm

Hi just to clarify: Priamo's tragic accident happened at the apartment he was sharing with other mexican colleagues in Cannareggio...he fell from their balcony. Even though the sad event did not take place at the Mexican Pavilion itself, all of us who worked there are still in shock that this happened and we mourn the loss of this dear friend.

May Priamo rest in peace.

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer