For our first overseas trip, Spin members visited one of the most exciting, prestigious and significant contemporary art festivals in the world, the Venice Biennale.
The 51st International Art exhibition marked the 110th year of its existence, and surprisingly, the first time that two women had been at the directorial helm. Maria de Corral and Rosa Martinez, art historians, critics and independent curators from Spain, created two very different, but complementary shows that captured the spirit of the international, contemporary art scene. Universally and critically acclaimed, the 2005 Biennale was hailed as one of the most coherent, intelligent and imaginative shows in recent memory.
Held every two years, the Venice Biennale brings together over 70 nations, and among the countries exhibiting in 2005 for the first time, were Morocco, Albania, Afghanistan, China and Northern Ireland. The Giardini, house the official national pavilions (31 in total) which showcase the best of each country’s contemporary artists. In 2005, Britain was represented by the controversial duo, Gilbert and George.
One of the main highlights of the Spin trip, was a visit to the Italian Pavilion in the Giardini. Maria de Corral has curated an exhibition entitled The Experience of Art which presented the work of over 40 established and up-and-coming, international artists. Working in a variety of media, from installation and painting to sculpture and video, artists included Rachel Whiteread, Francis Bacon, Willie Doherty, William Kentridge, Barbara Kruger, Eija-Liisa Ahtila and Agnes Martin.
Members also visited Always a Little Further, curated by Rosa Martinez, housed in the Arsenale – the famous old dockyard of Venice. The work of over 40 international artists was beautifully presented in this unique environment, featuring videos, photography, painting, sculpture and installation. Louise Bourgeois, Mona Hatoum and the Guerrilla Girls feature in the line-up.
Of the 30 collateral exhibitions and events spreading across the city of Venice, Spin members visited Scotland’s second presentation at the Biennale, Selective Memory: Scotland & Venice, housed at the Scoletta, next door to the historical Scuola de San Rocco. Glasgow-based artists Cathy Wilkes, Alex Pollard and Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan created challenging new work in a visually powerful show. We also visited the Welsh and North Irish pavilions and the presentations from Lithuania, Estonia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Iran.
