National Pavillions at the Venice Biennial...
9:34 p.m.
22/07/19 - During thes year's 58th Venice Biennial, the French Pavillion closed down its main entrance. Visitors were told to go through a back door, then walk on tamped soil and finally climb an uncertain wooden staircase to reach the main gallery, which had its entire floor covered with light blue resin. Over it, scattered around, we could see egg shells, cigarette butts, old cellphones and all kinds of trash. The challenge of representing France was given to Laure Prouvost (France, 1978), who has been living in Belgium since her youth. She gave her artwork the name: Deep Sea Blue Surrounding You.
Deep Sea Blue Surrounding You, by Laure Prouvost
In another room, covered with sand, we saw a video of an imaginary trip between Paris' suburbs and Venice, using different and amusing means of transport. The entire Pavilion is a large-scale immersive installation, with video-projection and diverse instructions for the visitors to follow, in addition to her usual multi-breasts.
Deep Sea Blue Surrounding You, by Laure Prouvost
As an audience we become part of the surreal atmosphere created by Prouvost. By changing the point of entrance and through the materials she picked, the artist offers a journey to our subconscious, as if we would be diving into the magma of a world full of breasts and tentacles.
Nearby, USA's Pavillion summoned Martin Puryear, 77, a sculptor considered traditional because of his technique and material used, who still explores the identity of American culture.
Throughout the galleries he displays different variations of the Phrygian cap, an image deeply associated with the artist, plus found objects which, elevated to object of art, change the way we perceive them.
Big Phrygian, by Martin Puryear
Tabernacle, by Martin Puryear (2019)
Materials: steel, cedar wood, American cypress, pine, printed cotton canvas, glass, stainless steel.
Aso Oke, by Martin Puryear (2019)
Bronze
Hibernian Testosterone, by Martin Puryear (2018)
Materials: cast aluminium, American cypress
New Voortrekker, by Martin Puryear (2018)
Materials: ash, American cypress, mirror
A Column for Sally Hemings, by Martin Puryear (2019)
Materials: cast iron, poplar
The sculptures are opened wooden structures, usually with several layers, which elevates them in height, evoking a certain religious abstract configuration.
Cloister- Redoubt or Cloistered Doubt?, by Martin Puryear (2019)
Materials: American Fir tree, White pine, poplar, red cedar
However Liberty/Libertá doesn't fulfill our expectations, because we can't understand the connection between the title and the artworks on display. Nonetheless, the game of scales, in which small objects become gigantic and viseversa, is quite interesting.
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