Sydney's Biennale
August 1st 2008 03:15
I am not in a position to comment on the utility or interest of this event from an artistic point of view. I don’t understand the aims, techniques and concepts behind the works. Apparently with contemporary art that’s not supposed to matter. What’s supposed to matter is provocation of particular – perhaps any – emotions. But it doesn’t provoke in me any particular emotions precisely because I don’t understand the aims, techniques and concepts behind the works. Emotions are elicited because of the background or an event or in raw random situations when there is no understanding of the reasoning behind it, yet when the situation is confected, when the situation isn’t raw or random because its been constructed sole to elicit an emotion, how can you have that emotion with an understanding of its aims, techniques and concepts?
I don’t know. So I can’t comment on whether the art at the Biennale is any good or worthwhile seeing.
That doesn’t matter though, because setting is more than enough reason to attend.
Cockatoo Island is at the junction where Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers meet the harbour. It was the jail for Sydney during the convict period; the prison’s prison. Later it became a ship yard and a naval base.
In its current state as Biennale venue, it looks like an occupational safety nightmare. All manner of dangerous bits and pieces are lying around. There’s tunnels and abandoned buildings and at any minute it looks like the full range of limb trauma from stubbed toe to amputated arm are on offer. It’s pretty cool.
Grab a picnic basket of goodies, make use of the free ferry, and spend the day having a look around the prisons, the tunnels, and the abandoned shipping yards. Also have a look at Mike Parr's work. The only exhibition I saw that made use the island.
Parr's work is iIn an abandoned barracks that stinks of urine and bird poo. Small windowless rooms have television screens showing various kinds of mutilation usually carried out by the artist on himself. Without the setting, the videos are shocks for shocks sake. The very epitome of the problems I have appreciating contemporary art.
So while I don't know whether it functions from an artistic point of view, the barracks, with its small rooms, suffocating smell, and peeling boxed walls, makes the experience confusing and claustrophobic. I wanted to leave but I also want to see what happened when he sewed his lips together – disgusted but intrigued at the same time. If that’s not a comment on contemporary culture I don’t know what is.
Free ferries leave from outside the MCA on Circular Quay every hour at quarter to and from Walsh Bay about 5 minutes later on weekdays at on the half hour at quarter past and quarter to on the weekends.
www.bos2008.com
I don’t know. So I can’t comment on whether the art at the Biennale is any good or worthwhile seeing.
That doesn’t matter though, because setting is more than enough reason to attend.
Cockatoo Island is at the junction where Lane Cove and Parramatta rivers meet the harbour. It was the jail for Sydney during the convict period; the prison’s prison. Later it became a ship yard and a naval base.
In its current state as Biennale venue, it looks like an occupational safety nightmare. All manner of dangerous bits and pieces are lying around. There’s tunnels and abandoned buildings and at any minute it looks like the full range of limb trauma from stubbed toe to amputated arm are on offer. It’s pretty cool.
Grab a picnic basket of goodies, make use of the free ferry, and spend the day having a look around the prisons, the tunnels, and the abandoned shipping yards. Also have a look at Mike Parr's work. The only exhibition I saw that made use the island.
Parr's work is iIn an abandoned barracks that stinks of urine and bird poo. Small windowless rooms have television screens showing various kinds of mutilation usually carried out by the artist on himself. Without the setting, the videos are shocks for shocks sake. The very epitome of the problems I have appreciating contemporary art.
So while I don't know whether it functions from an artistic point of view, the barracks, with its small rooms, suffocating smell, and peeling boxed walls, makes the experience confusing and claustrophobic. I wanted to leave but I also want to see what happened when he sewed his lips together – disgusted but intrigued at the same time. If that’s not a comment on contemporary culture I don’t know what is.
Free ferries leave from outside the MCA on Circular Quay every hour at quarter to and from Walsh Bay about 5 minutes later on weekdays at on the half hour at quarter past and quarter to on the weekends.
www.bos2008.com
| 44 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Subscribe to this blog
