LIVE! From the 2019 Venice Art Biennale - May You Live in Interesting Times

Robert Henry Lawrance Jr. by Tavares Strachan (2018) Photo: Cat Bauer

(Venice, Italy) I love the way Ralph Rugoff's mind works. He has tamed the humongous Biennale beast by reducing the number of artists and organizing the vast Arsenale space into smaller compartments.

Even though Rugoff says that this year there is no theme, the artists he invited to participate have captured the essence of the title, "May You Live in Interesting Times." That "ancient Chinese curse" seems particularly pertinent today, and has been cited over the past 80 years by authors and politicians ranging from Arthur C. Clarke to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Only one problem: the curse was utter fiction presumably fabricated by a British diplomat -- there was never any such curse in China.

The curator of the 58th Venice Art Biennale is an American who grew up in Greenwich Village, and whose father was a film distributor. Rugoff studied semiotics(!) at Brown University, then moved to Los Angeles to give screenwriting a shot. He switched to journalism and art critcism, then segued into curating, and has been the Director of the Hayward Gallery of London since 2006. According to an April 10, 2019 article in The New York Times "A Playful Curator Takes on a Tough Gig at the Venice Biennale" by Farah Nayeri, "He recalled watching lots of movies as a boy, and being dragged to art galleries by his parents." That colorful background is reflected in the layout of Arsenale and the artists he has chosen. There are signs, symbols and lots of video and film installations, so be prepared to spend time watching a story play out.

No history in a room filled with people with funny names 5 2018, Korakrit Arunanondchai & Alex Gvojic

After making a surprisingly emotional journey from the entrance at Arsenale -- a bombardment of the senses -- until arriving at the press room, one installation completely captivated me: a 31-minute 2018 short film on three screens entitled No history in a room filled with people with funny names 5 by Korakrit Arunanondchai in collaboration with Alex Gvojic, which I think is a masterpiece. There are women playing light beams like strings on a harp... Remember the dramatic Thai Cave Rescue with the soccer boys and their coach trapped in a cave? That has something to do with it, too. And the mesmerizing movements of the performance artist, Boychild... I don't have enough time to adequately describe it, so here is a summary from the International Film Festival Rotterdam:

Opening with the myth of spirits summoning projectionists to initiate an outdoor film projection, artist Korakrit Arunanondchai’s dynamic film is charged with the idea of community – among humans and non-humans – in Thailand’s contemporary moment of instability. Boys trapped in a cave trigger a reflection on the geopolitics of the region and the fragility of its history.

Arunanondchai was born in Thailand in 1986 and lives and works in New York and Bangkok; Alex Gvojic was born in 1984 in the USA and lives and works in New York. Although you can enter in the middle of the film, it is much better to watch it from the beginning. There are plenty of cushions so you can relax in the same "outdoor setting" as the audience seen in the film, but I was so riveted by Boychild's dancing that I stood the entire time. 

48 War Movies by Christian Marclay (2019) Photo: Cat Bauer

From what I've seen so far, this year's Biennale is one of the most accessible and enjoyable that I can remember, and other attendees I've spoken to share my view. At this morning's press conference, President Paolo Baratta spoke about "the visitor as a partner" and said "It's work to encounter a work of art." 

It may be work, but it's also fun. Tomorrow, Giardini!

Ciao from the Venice Art Festival,
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog