LABoral photo report

“Para-Sites features a series of subtle interventions conceived for interstitial spaces, locations and human-scale architectural elements at Laboral. By means of projections, a parallel reality is superimposed on that of the space itself. The interventions work as parasites, disturbing and altering our perceptions of an already familiar place.

Last week I took a trip to Gijon, in order to attend the opening of Para-sites, an exhibition by Pablo Valbuena at LABoral. I also visited the other two shows currently on view in the museum: Habitar and Process as paradigm, which include lots of interesting projects. As usual, here’s my photoreport.

David Byrne on Italy

david byrne's blog

Here‘s a funny (but also depressing for us to read) report written by David Byrne after his trip to Rome. Featuring Radisson Hotel, the Vatican (with all the kitschy souvenirs), Renzo Piano’s Auditorium, Altare della Patria and much more… He seemes to understand very clearly what’s wrong with Italy’s sense of history:

“Do we have to respect every piece of rubble? What can we really hope to learn from these pathetic foundations and remaining stumpy bits of wall? Have the Italians sacrificed some part of their future in honoring and maintaining their glorious past? Am I being cynical? (I would certainly rather see ruins than block after block of ugly, concrete apartments!) The Italians must, I imagine, feel hamstrung by their past, which must justify in their minds the escape from the past represented by the ugly apartment and office buildings that fill these cities outside their historic zones.”

[read more]

Also on Internazionale this week (in italian)

Post-Venice-Post

I’m back from Venice. This year’s Biennale is very light and easy to watch. I guess also easy to forget. Anyway, this is my “best of”:

Denmark + Nordic Countries Pavillion
Mexican Pavillion
Distortion exhibition
Catalunya Pavillion
Embassy of Piracy at Magazzini del Sale
Cile Pavillion
Austrian Pavillion
Mapping the Studio at Punta della Dogana
Unconditional Love (AES+F video)
Miranda July, Ceal Floyer, Lara Favaretto, Chu Yun, and a few other works I can’t remember at Arsenale

the official review is under construction but the photo-collection is already here

Back from Venice

Tornata dal girone infernale biennalesco. Piedi gonfi, testa piena di immagini, tartine e pezzi di pizza ancora da digerire. In generale, una biennale molto cupa, piena di armi, teschi, morti, feriti e guerre. Un gigantesco memento mori. Al via una sfilza di post sulle cose che mi sono piaciute. Parto con il numero uno: Dread, il video di Joshua Mosley (mostra di Storr ai Giardini)…

“During a nature walk, Pascal meets J.J. Rousseau in the forest. In their encounter they are not able to resolve their perspectives on the nature of things. They continue into darker territories where they meet a difficult reality that sets them apart…”

Deambulatorios de una jornada

La scorsa settimana sono stata a Fuerteventura per seguire l’inaugurazione del progetto
Deambulatorios de una jornada, en el principio y el proyecto Tindaya, prodotto dal
Centro de Arte Juan Ismael e curato dal mitico Nilo Casares. Oltre alla mostra presso il centro, che documenta alcuni lavori storici di Land Art e il progetto di Eduardo Chillida per la montagna Tindaya, Deambulatorios comprende un gruppo di spettacolari installazioni sparse per tutta l’isola, visibili, appunto, in una giornata di viaggio.

Qui c’è il set di foto che ho fatto. Prestissimo una recensione su Exibart.