La Biennale di Venezia in 100 pictures // A Unique and Illuminating Experience

photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

In the middle of October 2011, Yatzer was part of a meeting amongst four international designers (Luca Nichetto, Ionna Vautrin, Vicente Garcia Jimenez, and Jozeph Forakis) and seven international design bloggers (Dailytonic, Designerblog, Designboom, Design Milk, Freshome, Muuuz, studio5555). Organized by the famous Italian brand FOSCARINI, the meeting took place at their Headquarters in Marcon in the province of Venice, Italy. The Subject of our discussion was none other, naturally than DESIGN, and after a long inspiring brain-storming session, we had the chance to discover the secrets of this innovative internationally recognized company that cordially follows its vision to ''conceive, develop and produce not just lamps but pure emotions, in collaboration with many other designers from around the world''. Truth be told, I was excited to learn that the HAVANA lamp by Jozeph Forakis designed in 1993 for FOSCARINI was the first lamp made of a material other than glass which has managed to become a part of the permanent collection at New York's MOMA. As part of an ongoing project, after the meeting itself, the company invites anyone interested in participating in their design manifesto to follow their facebook page, posting comments on what design means to them, in other words how they define it. The question is, will you take part in it?

Designers and bloggers during the meeting
ALLEGRO by Atelier Oï for FOSCARINI, 2007
HAVANA by JOZEPH FORAKIS for FOSCARINI, 1993
LIGHTWEIGHT by TOM DIXON for FOSCARINI, 1995
photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

(detail) CABOCHE by PATRICIA URQUIOLA + ELIANA GEROTTO for FOSCARINI, 2006
photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

Inside the HQ of FOSCARINI
photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

Obviously the relationship between FOSCARINI, ART & DESIGN is identified not only through their inspired initiatives and collaborations but also through their ''one year old baby'' which was born on 26 August 2010 and named 'INVENTARIO-Everything is a project'. The publication promoted and supported by FOSCARINI which is edited by Italian author-architect Beppe Finessi, art directed by Artemio Croatto/Designwork and published by Corraini Edizioni and its aim is to put ideas into order! Nonetheless, one of the inspired collaborations is definitely the collaboration with La Biennale di Venezia. FOSCARINI is the official sponsor of the Art & Architecture Biennales for the 4th consecutive year and we didn't miss the chance to jump onto a traditional gondola to discover the artists' creations and the curators' work for the 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia.

ALLEGRO by Atelier Oï for FOSCARINI, 2007, at Le Bombarde restaurant, Arsenale (Venice, Italy)

photo © Costas Voyatzis for Yatzer.com

This year's theme was ''ILLUMInazioni - ILLUMInations'' and the references are, as its director Bice Curiger states:

>>derived from the theme of Light to the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, from the writings of Walter Benjamin to the Biennale's very structure composed of national pavilions, but this title also wishes to emphasize one of art's intrinsic characteristics: it is a unique and illuminating experience<<.

If you missed the chance to get lost in the 10,000 square meters between the Giadrini della Biennale and the Arsenale and discover over 83 international artists as well as FOSCARINI's dazzling installations between the 4th of June and 27th of November 2011, or even if you did but forgot the credit of an artwork, take a deep breath and start scrolling down to re-discover or simply discover a selection of pieces that we will never forget from this year's Art Biennale through the 100 pictures that follow!

BEST OF by Yatzer // La Biennale di Venezia in 100 pictures

ARGENTINA // Adrián Villar Rojas
Pavilion of Argentina, 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
photo © Oliver Haas

AUSTRALIA // Hany Armanious
The Golden Thread
Installation view
Courtesy of the artist and Australia Council for the Arts
Photo © Foto Studio Comin

AUSTRIA // Markus Schinwald
Installationsansicht österreichischer Pavillon, 2011 © VBK, Wien 2011 54. Internationale Kunstausstellung – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Andreas Balon

AUSTRIA // Markus Schinwald
Orient, 2011 © VBK, Wien 2011
HD 9 min, Loop
Filmstill: Courtesy of the artist

CHILE // Fernando Prats
Gran Sur, 2011
Pavilion of Chile at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia

CHILE // Fernando Prats
Gran Sur, 2011
Arturo Prat Antarctic base, Greenwich Island
Pavilion of Chile at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia

CHILE // Fernando Prats
Gran Sur, 2011 (detail)
Arturo Prat Antarctic base, Greenwich Island
Pavilion of Chile at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia

CHINA //
Pervasion, 2011
Installation View: Pavilion of the People’s Republic of China, 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

CYPRUS // Marianna Christofides, Elizabeth Hoak-Doering
Temporal Taxonomy
Pavilion of the Republic of Cyprus at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Andreas G. Coutas

DENMARK // Stelios Faitakis
Danish Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennale
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

FRANCE // Christian Boltanski « CHANCE »
French Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennale
Commissioned by Jean-Hubert Martin
Photo © Didier Plowy

GOLDEN LION for BEST NATIONAL PARTICIPATION
GERMANY // Christoph Schlingensief
Eine Kirche der Angst vor dem Fremden in mir, 2011.
German Pavilion, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

GREAT BRITAIN // Mike Nelson
Pavilion of Great Britain at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

GREECE // Diohandi ''Βeyond Reform''
Pavilion of Greece at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Courtesy Kalfayan Galleries, Athens - Thessaloniki
Photo © Panos Kokkinias

IRELAND // Corban Walker
Irish Pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia
All artwork: © Corban Walker, courtesy The Pace Gallery
photo © Giovanni Pancino
photo credit: On windows, Modular, 2011 , vinyl, Installation dimensions variable

ITALY //
Installation view: Italian Pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

ITALY //
Installation view: Italian Pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiattii
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

JAPAN // Tabaimo, "teleco-soup", 2011
Installation view at 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia 
© Tabaimo / Courtesy of Gallery Koyanagi and James Cohan Gallery 
Photo © Ufer!

KOREA // Lee Yong-Baek
Broken Mirror (Classic), 2008, LCD monitor, Mac mini, mirror, speakers, 146x129cm
Installation view at 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia 
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

LUXEMBOURG // Martine Feipel & Jean Bechameil << Le Cercle Fermé >>
Installation view at 54th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia 
Photo © Joseph Tomassini

@ Padiglione Venezia
Fabrizio Plessi, Mariverticali, 2011.
Venice Pavilion, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

SAUDI ARABIA //
Raja and Shadia Alem, The Black Arch, 2011.
Stainless steel, cast iron, fabric and stone with projected photographs and sound installation 700 × 20 × 350 cm.
Pavilion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

TURKEY // Ayse Erkmen
Plan B, 2011.
Installation: water cleaning units, additional pipes.
Pavilion of Turkey, 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

USA // Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (Delta), 2011
Performance by gymnast Rachel Salzman at the U.S. Pavillion, 54th International Art Exhibition, presented by Indianapolis Museum of Art
photo © Andrew Bordwin

USA // Allora & Calzadilla, Body in Flight (American), 2011
Performance by gymnast Mike Moran at the U.S. Pavillion, 54th International Art Exhibition, presented by Indianapolis Museum of Art
photo © Andrew Bordwin

USA // Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, Gloria, 2011
Pavilion of the United States of America, 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

CENTRAL PAVILLION // Josh Smith, ILLUMInations
54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

GOLDEN LION for BEST ARTIST at the ILLUMInations Exhibition
Christian Marclay , The Clock, 2010.
Edition of 6 Single-channel video.
Duration 24 hours.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

SILVER LION for a promising young ARTIST at the ILLUMInations Exhibition
Haaron Mirza, The national apavilion of then and now, 2011.
Installation (3 sided triangle structure, each side length 809) - Anechoic chamber, LED’s amp, speakers, electronic circuit.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

SILVER LION for a promising young ARTIST at the ILLUMInations Exhibition
Haaron Mirza, The national apavilion of then and now, 2011.
Installation (3 sided triangle structure, each side length 809) - Anechoic chamber, LED’s amp, speakers, electronic circuit.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Gianni Colombo, Spazio elastico, 1967.
Fluorescent elastic bands, electric motors, Wood’s light, 400 × 400 × 400 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Maurizio Cattelan , Others, 2011.
Taxidermized pigeons
54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Monika Sosnowska, Antechamber, 2011.
Para-Pavilion – projections -irregular room covered with wallpaper, finished with skirting board, some stuccos, doors, lamps.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Monica Bonvicini, 15 Steps to the Virgin, 2011
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie MAX HETZLER, Berlin
Photo © Jan Ralske

Song Dong, Parapavilion, 2011.
Three-story structure.
Yto Barrada, The Telephone Books (or the Recipe Books), 2011
8 phtographs: 1 C-print and 7 silver gelatin print, 120 × 150 cm
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Song Dong, Enclosure Movement, 2011.
100 wardrobe doors.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Trisha Donnelly
Site-specific installation with sound and projection at Giardini delle Vergini, 2011.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Urs Fischer, Untitled, 2011
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo: Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Llyn Foulkes, Mr. President - © Kent Gallery New York
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Cyprien Gaillard, Floods of the Old and New World 2011
Collage
15,2 x 18,7 cm (unframed)
Courtesy of the artist

Gedewon, Untitled 17 1996
Ink on paper
75.6 x 54 cm
Recto: Signed and dated top and bottom;
Verso: Label Copy Sticker from Cavin-Morris,
Two Xeroxes - Second one 'Rab Ragib…’
Location: NY Stairwell connecting 905 to 1005
Courtesy of the artist

Luigi Ghirri, Various works.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Loris Gréaud, The Geppetto Pavilion 2011
Resin, berglass, metal, electric system, neon, wood
17 x 3 x 2 m
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Nicholas Hlobo, Iimpundulu Zonke Ziyandilandela, 2011.
Suspended sculpture.
Rubber, ribbon and mixedmedia. Wall mounted painting dimension 5 units. Stretched Canvas
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Karl Holmqvist, Untitled (Memorial), 2011.
Classic roman travertine (marble), 150 × 100 × 100 cm.
Installation view: 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Karl Holmqvist,
Untitled (Memorial), 2011
Classic roman travertine (marble), 150 × 100 × 100 cm.
and Education Is a Right, 2011
magic marker on wall, variable dimensions
Installation view: 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Bruno Jakob
Weisses Lächeln (Invisible painting), 2010 – 2011.
Jacopo Robusti detto Tintoretto
The Creation of the Animals, 1550-1553.
Oil on canvas, 150 × 258 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Annette Kelm
Untitled, 2011. (various works)
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Franziska Bodmer e Bruno Mancia - FBM Studio
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Gabriel Kuri, Three arrested clouds
© Kurimanzutto Gallery
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Nathaniel Mellors, Hippy Dialectics (Ourhouse), 2010.
Animatronic sculpture with sound 112 × 40 × 40 cm
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Asier Mendizabal
Hard Edge, 2011.
MDF. 40 × 40 × 366 cm. Three units.
Amalia Pica
Strangers, 2008.
Tableau Vivant performed by two actors that never met before holding a string of bunting for hours at a time.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Norma Jeane
The final title is #Jan25 (#Sidibouzid, #Feb12, #Feb14, #Feb17, …), 2011.
The parallelepiped with a squared base of 1,5 metres high made in colored plasticine, is composed of three layers (black, white and red). The 4 lateral sides result, for color and proportion, exactly as the Egyptian flag (pan-Arab flag), while the top is red.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Norma Jeane
(detail) The final title is #Jan25 (#Sidibouzid, #Feb12, #Feb14, #Feb17, …), 2011.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Navid Nuur, Hivewise, 2007 – 2011.
Chroma key paint on plywood.
Light box with neon sticking out scattered in metal frame
170 × 125 × 2 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Roman Ondák, Time Capsule, 2011.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Philippe Parreno, Marquee, 2011.
Perspex, neons, light bulbs, transformers.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Mai-Thu Perret, Flow my Tears I, 2011.
Mannequin, Approx. 175 × 70 × 70 cm.
Flow my Tears II, 2011.
Neon, 500 × 500 × 15 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Sigmar Polke, Polizeischwein, 1986.
Acrylic mousseline (Nessel)
300 × 225 cm.
Installation view: 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Cindy Sherman, Untitled, 2010
Pigment print on PhotoTex adhesive fabric, variable dimensions.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Giorgio Zucchiatti
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Dayanita Singh, Dream Villa Slideshow, 2010.
Digital slideshow installation of 38 images from the Dream Villa series, variable dimensions.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Birdhead, Welcome to birdhead world again at Venice, 2011
Site specific installation
196 prints not framed, 50 × 60 cm each; 4 framed prints 30 × 188 cm each; 2 framed prints 30 × 200 cm each.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Andro Wekua, Pink Wave Hunter, 2010-2011 (detail)
Installation consisting of 15 sculptures on a pedal/ stage, ca.
220 × 2000 × 250 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Andro Wekua, Pink Wave Hunter, 2010-2011.
Installation consisting of 15 sculptures on a pedal/ stage, ca.
220 × 2000 × 250 cm.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © IRondinella
Courtesy of la Biennale di Venezia

Carol Bove, The Foamy Saliva of a Horse, 2011.
Mixed media, dimensions variable.
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo: Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

Mariana Castillo Deball,
1 leporello 12 metres long; 2 metal show cases with glasses 5 m × 1 m × 40 cm;
1 table with rear-projection screen 1m × 70 cm × 90
cm; 1 projector; 1 mirror (60 × 40 cm, it depends on the projector’s lens)
Installation view: ILLUMInations, 54. Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte - la Biennale di Venezia
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia

James Turrell, Ganzfeld APANI, 2011.
Approx. 2000 × 1120 ×660 cm.
Courtesy of Häusler Contemporary Munich / Zurich
Photo © Francesco Galli
Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia