Since 1998, the Venice Biennale of Art and Architecture is no longer a traditional exhibition of national artists, but is instead a real international showcase where the single invited countries…
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Greek mythology is the inspiration for the Russian Pavilion at this year’s 55th Venice Art Biennale, which is seen in “Danaë”—a provocative installation conceived by conceptual artist …
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Three nations exemplify a “Common Ground” at the Biennale Architettura 2012 in Venice
“Common Ground”—the theme this year for Venice’s Biennale Architettura 2012—covers all exhibition spaces from Giardini to Arsenale, as well as the vast range of venues spread out all over town. Fitting into this larger concept while presenting their own respective themes were a number of national participants. Here are…
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The Czech design competition revamps its approach in an anniversary year
by Adam Štěch
In its 25th edition, the Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno, Czech Republic, takes a radical turn in its new organizational team, exhibition concept, and a more curated approach to the selection of artworks and accompanying exhibitions.
The Biennial of Graphic Design in Brno is one of the oldest events of its kind in the world. Biennials of art, sculpture, architecture or product design aren’t new, but few know that this particular exhibition has hosted some of the best international graphic designers for more than 50 years. Traditionally organized by the Moravian Gallery in Brno, the biennal is comprised of its main competition exhibition and accompanying shows, presenting old masters as well as new experimental work from burgeoning talents.
This year, the gallery asked
Adam Macháček,
Radim Pešk, and
Tomáš Celizna, acclaimed Czech graphic designers living in the US and the Netherlands, to be part of the organizational and curatorial committees. All three designers work mainly in experimental graphic design and typography—as well as education—and have proposed a new, “more curated” concept for the exhibition. In the past, material selected from hundreds of international designers dictated the content of the main competition.
For the 25th anniversary the curators asked designers to participate in the biennial for a smaller, more compact collection of work, with the main competition exhibit focusing primarily on younger and non-commercial trends in contemporary graphic design. The main prize was awarded to the Mevis & Van Deursen studio for its visual style in the
Stedelijk Temporary Museum in Amsterdam. Other prizes were awarded to
Manuel Raeder,
Linked by Air and the Czech graphic design master Zdeněk Ziegler, who received the prize for Outstanding Contribution to Graphic Design. The international jury included Andrew Blauvelt,
Zak Kyes,
Robert V. Novák and
Sulki & Min Choi.
The main exhibit contains work by Swiss, Dutch, American, Czech and Japanese designers, while the accompanying shows include
“Two or Three Things I know about Provo ” by Dutch designers Experimental Jetset, “Work from California” showcasing contemporary graphic design from the Sunshine state, “Květa Pacovská – Ad Infinitum” celebrating the work of the legendary illustrator, and
Khhhhhhh by the Slavs and Tatars studio.
Accompanying the main exhibit is an installation created in collaboration with designers Jerry Koza and Anička Kozová of
Atelier SAD. They used raw wooden materials originally designed for producing chairs in the
Ton factory where the wood had to be dried for long periods of time to attain the perfect malleability to craft a chair. Thus, the installation pieces are currently drying in the gallery in geometric frames to support posters, books and other exhibits. After the exhibition, the pieces will return to fulfill their purpose in the production of chairs at the factory once again.
The visual style of the exhibition is the work of graphic designers
Adéla Svobodová, Tereza Hejmová and Pauline Kerleroux. The pictures for the catalogue were shot by artist and photographer
Jiří Thýn.
The 25th Biennial of Graphic Design Brno will be open until 28 October 2012 at the Moravian Gallery, Brno, Czech Republic.
Contemporary art takes over the Harbor City
by Alex Vitlin
Since 1973 the Biennale of Sydney has presented an exciting three-month program of contemporary visual arts throughout the city. This year’s 18th Biennale of Sydney is built around the theme, “All Our Relations,” a deliberately rich phrase—does it refer to family? Diplomacy? Proximity of concept?
The Biennale runs through three main venues—the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of NSW, and Cockatoo Island, as well as at satellite sites in the inner city. More than 100 works are on show, curated by co-artistic directors Gerald McMaster and Catherine de Zegher.
More than 50 works have been installed on Cockatoo Island, a former naval yard, and the artists exhibiting on the island have consciously made use of the leftover buildings and equipment. Fujiko Nakaya‘s “Living Chasm” fills the space between a former turbine hall and cliff face with fog, creating a 150-foot-high misted abyss.
Tiffany Singh‘s work is almost inaudible behind a wall, but stepping through a low opening reveals 1,000 wind chimes playing to the changing character of the wind at the island’s westernmost tip.
NYC-based artist Alan Michelson finds a tangible correspondence between the mire of Newtown Creek, located between Brooklyn and Queens, and the forlorn industrial majesty of Cockatoo Island in “Mespat.” Housed in an abandoned crane house,the work comprises a video projected onto stained-white turkey feathers.
Other works are installed in early settlement convict buildings, painted onto the launching slips of the island, and Iris Häussler works within an old residence that still holds the bizarre beeswax sculpting of a wayward city ranger who worked on the island.
Off the island, Postcommodity has installed their work “Do You Remember When” in the Art Gallery of NSW. Previously installed at ASU’s Ceramic Art Research Center, the work cuts out a slab of the Art Gallery of NSW‘s 1874 marble floor to reveal the earth below. Especially in Sydney, where British settlement first occurred in Australia, it is a poignant consideration of the touch points between indigenous Australian and later cultures.
In the former working wharves of Pier 2/3, Tiffany Singh presents more wind chimes, in this case to be taken home, painted and returned to the island. Further into the space Honore d’O‘s paper forms fill the old wooden space with an organic continuity.
The 18th Biennale of Sydney runs until 16 September 2012. Free ferries to Cockatoo Island run 10am-6pm every day.
Please see the slideshow for photo credit information.
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