The Giardini

The national pavilions this year at the Giardini have been uninspiring - in fact most of the Biennale is - so I'm only going to cover the ones I have found interesting.

Roman Ondak, one of my favourites, was again in a thoughtful mood opening the Czech and Solvak Republic's pavilion at both ends and carrying the Giardini garden through the building with fully grown trees, a pathway and shrubs inside. Called Loop, it mirrored the exact planting of Giardini area, so much so that people missed his work. It is right next to the Australian Pavilion - and we are forever explaining the work to viewers and redirecting them.

The Loop by Roman Ondak

Russia had a feast of about seven artists of which, Pavel Pepperstien and Irina Korina, were standouts.
Pepperstien presented a series of 30 or so watercolours each posing futuristic, apocalyptic scenarios and individually lit in a darkened room. Under each was written a year (2241, 3466 etc) in what looked like neon, but was actually numbers formed by white painted tubing, similar to neon, and highlighted with a UV light.

Pavel Pepperstien (Russia)

Pavel Pepperstien (Russia)

This work below was by Irina Korina who, also in a darkened room, painted the walls with what looked like a crowd at football match, floor to ceiling. When the roar of the crowd slowly reaches a climax and the lights come on, and the wall are completely white. She used special UV paint -invisible to the naked eye.... These works were a refreshing diversion from the ho hum of neon.

Irina Korina (Russia)

Fiona Tan, who was born in Indonesia, and has spent some time in Australia, is representing the Netherlands. She was a standout. Well presented and very considered work. http://www.fionatanvenice.nl/disorient/

Fiona Tan (Netherlands)