Thomas Hirschhorn Archives

Liverpool Biennial 2012

2-5 November 2012

The Liverpool Biennial 2012 is the UK’s largest festival of contemporary art. Sally Tallant, who was previously Director of the Serpentine Gallery, was appointed Artistic Director and Chief Executive in November 2011.

Liverpool Biennial is presented free to the public every two years over a ten-week period. Alongside the Biennial exhibition, the festival includes the John Moores Painting Prize, Bloomberg New Contemporaries and City States, as well as additional exhibitions presented through a thriving independent scene.

Liverpool Biennial 2012 considers the question of ‘hospitality’ as its starting point under the name of The Unexpected Guest. It brings together the work of 60 artists in venues across the city. Leading and emerging artists have been commissioned to make permanent and temporary public artworks as well as long-term community based project.

For the first time, the iconic Cunard Building – one of Liverpool’s Three Graces sited between the Port of Liverpool Building and the Royal Liver Building – will be used to exhibit contemporary art. The building was once the headquarters and main passenger terminal for the world’s most famous shipping company, the Cunard Steamship Company.

Other venues include Bluecoat, FACT, Open Eye Gallery, Walker Gallery and Tate Liverpool as well as Liverpool One, The Monro and publically sited artworks across the city.

We discussed the work of the following artists: Andrea Bowers, Mona Hatoum, Pamela Rosenkranz, Superflex, Christodoulous Panayioutou, Runo Lagomarsino, Sylvie Blocher, Ahmet Öğűt, Kohei Yoshiyuki, Mark Morrisroe, Sinta Tanra, Keith Arnatt, Gilbert & George, Layla Curtis, Simryn Gill, Sophie Calle, Pak Sheung Chuen, Yael Bartana, Thomas Hirschhorn, Elmgreen & Dragset, Oded Hirsh, Dan Graham, John Akomfrah, Ming Wong, Akram Zaatair, Janine Antoni, Dane Mitchell and Dane Mitchell.

Our weekend trip for members took place from 2-5 November 2012.

Spin-Off Trip to the Venice Biennale 2011

20-24 October 2011

We are organising another trip to the Venice Biennale for Spin members following on from our successful visits in 2005, 2007 and 2009. The Venice Biennale is the oldest and most prestigious contemporary art festivals in the world and was established in 1895. Held every two years, the Biennale is an excellent opportunity to see works by leading, international and up-and-coming artists. Over 70 countries are taking part including first-time participations from Saudia Arabia, Bangladesh, Republic of Rwanda, as well as Congo and India which last participated respectively in 1968 and 1980.

There are two main strands to the Venice Biennale: the Giardini which houses 30 permanent national pavilions and a curated exhibition by the Biennales appointed director. Bice Curiger has been appointed this year, only the second time that a woman has been at the directorial helm. Curiger is an art historian, critic and curator and has been curator at the Zurich Kunsthaus since 1993. The title for her curated exhibition is ILLUMinations (ILLUMinazioni) and will be presented in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni (formerly known as the Italian Pavilion) in the Giardini and the Arsenale – the buildings of the adjacent formal naval dockyard.

Artist Mike Nelson has been chosen to represent Great Britain in the Giardini. Nelson is best known for his atmospheric, installations. He has been shortlisted twice for the Turner Prize and in 2008, the Tate acquired one of his largest pieces, The Coral Reef. France will showing the work of Christian Boltanski known for his haunting, dimly-lit installations; Egypt-born sculptor Hany Amanious represents Australia and Tabaimo known for his vast projects shows work in the Japanese Pavilion.

Collateral exhibitions take place in venues spreading across the city of Venice. Scotland will be presenting the work of Karla Black in the Palazzo Pisani Santa Marina. Glasgow-based artist Black creates sculpural installations using materials like sugar, paper, chalk, powder, paint and make up. We are currently showing one of her works at the Gallery of Modern Art. Ireland are showing work by sculptor Corban Walker who creates large-scale sculptures and installations often involving sheets of glass and flying the flag for Wales is Tim Davies, a multimedia artist whose work addresses political subjects.

We will be devising an itinerary which will select and showcase the very best of this years Biennale. The dates of the tour are 20-24 October 2011 and places are limited.

Our group discussed the following artists: Mike Nelson, Christian Boltanski, Christoph Schlingensief, Tabaimo, Thomas Hirschhorn, Karla Black, TRA, Francisco Tropa, Liina Siib, Anish Kapoor, Roman Ondak, Rebecca Warren, James Turrell, Urs Fischer, Rosemarie Trockel, Christian Marclay and Haroon Mirza among others.