1) Lawrence Weiner - The Grace of a Gesture 


This is vinyl lettering installation on a blue wall. Its position is somewhat taller than a human so you are having to look up at the work. The elements have you follow the line under the text to read the message but then lead you down to your eye level. Then you catch the read of the circle around the A, cause you to focus on that letter. The phrase itself is the message but more than that it causes you to reflect onto your self. The blue wall is almost like water pushing your mind inward. To me, I do not find it effective or like it.

2) Carol Rama 


Multicolored inks on different valued parchment paper, all in different frames. The subject matter is defiantly not cool. I am taking it as sexual child abuse for sure. The elements point to a child doing these, perhaps trying to describe something that happened to them, or something they saw. All of these are in different frames like these things can happen in many different contexts or homes. It really moved me and scared the poop outta me.

3) Mark Manders - Room with Broken Sentence 


Clay and furniture sculpture with wood slabs. Focusing on the one with the full figure and the table, it’s a life size piece with a lot of room to walk around it. For me, it shows a woman pushing away from a table like she's rejecting it. But, she's being held there by wire attached to the head seat. Perhaps it signifies the Patriarchy holding her in place. All in all I really like this piece and think it does a great job getting a message across.

4) De Cordier Paintings 


Large paintings of rough seas dominated this room. They were actually very over whelming and interesting to look at. From standing far back they looked just like the sea, but up close it transformed into paint splats and brush strokes and you didn’t see the water anymore. It was a great display of that talent. I feel that the intent of the piece could be that troubled waters always have many parts that make it up. If isolated, they are easier to deal with. 

5) Antti Laitinen - Falling Trees 


Photographs of something large, Large squares cut into a forest. I really wish I could be standing in that space, I'm sure wound be much more impactful if that were the case. But the idea is something so geometric on something so organic is beautiful. The artist made something put of pure negative space. Nothing is still something. I love it and I think its very effective. 

6) Hans Josephsohn 


These were large concrete sculptures that resemble old statues that had been worn down by time. Some where tall and large while others where smaller. For me I think of how fragile humanity, or even more so society, is. How all things break down in time, even something as strong as stone can crumble under the pressure of time and forces like rain. The sculptures themselves don’t look pretty but their jarring shapes among all the art around it really made you think about when those will crumble too.

7) Danh Vo 


This installation was huge! You could walk through it and touch the old wood if you wanted too. Coupled with the cloth on the wall you could almost feel the place they came from. But the objects felt out of place, like they where torn ok somewhere and they didn’t belong. Then, looking closer you see the shadows of the objects in the cloth, like burn shadows. It went from interesting to creepy and unsettling very fast.

8) Geta Brătescu 


Smallish cloth works what have bits of metal. The colors and stitching on these are really well done. the use of line and shape move your eye around the piece nicely so you can see the layers and little lines between colors where they are sewn together. The texture change from metal to fabric is a very nice focal point in the center of the cloth, though not all of the pieces had this. 

9) Yüksel Arslan 


This artist had several small to medium sized works with ink. There are many components to these, but this one has lots of chaos about it. There is a mans face on a mountain filled with insects. Perhaps the mountain represents mankind, standing tall, but really just full if mosty creepy crawlies that are trying to dig themselves to the top. I think the art is interesting and there are lots of details so you can study it for a long time.

10) Daniel Hesidence 


These large blue paintings have some really beautiful brushwork on them. The color makes you think of clear blue waters you can swim in off a beach somewhere. But the figures in the painting look almost like they are trapped and drowning. Maybe something that seems so safe and fun can secretly be deadly is the message the artist is trying to get across. It was quite clear to me and I really like these.

I'll probably have to do Venice in parts cause hot damn it was unlike anything before it. But first, getting there. There was a little mishap and the group got off one stop too early, meaning we had to take a trolly train the rest of the way. But as it turns out, we all got passes for the water buses! Which was really cool cause We could go anywhere in Venice anytime. It also made it hard to get lost.

It was a blur after that. Good food, good wine, good art! I think the islands were my favorite, they had some awesome loot. Got a glass balloon and little baby glass sheep!

And then there was the Beinale. It was HUGE! I mean it took me 2 whole days to get through it and I had to whiz my way.

Train Ride!!! Man I've always wanted to go on a train and finally I can! and what a view. The landscape of Italy is just amazing. It wasn't a long ride and we were in Florence in a right jiffy where it was... raining! Aye and the sidewalk was very slippery. But maybe that was just my shoes. 

The hotel was very nice (tiny elevator!) and square it opened out to had an amazing church on it. This place had an entire different feel than Rome, better, I think. It was smalltownish and easier to just wander. First after settling in we went to the Duomo and DANG! It was just.. amazing. What they said about being able to see the Dome from anywhere was 100% true. 

In the evening we walked around and got dinner and went to the bridge. Amazing sunset over the water there and I got some really nice pictures. The next day I went shopping at the little markets with Sandy and got new purses then went to a gallery that afternoon. Saw some great art! Then after we went to an old art shop that was incredible! Dinner that evening was the best of the whole trip. We sat down family style we were served in courses. Each better than the last. My favorite was the gnocchi. So. Good.

The last morning there Joe and the Slagles and I got up at the crack of butt to climb the dome. The rest of the group had already went and told well.. horror stories about the climb, though I didn't really find it that bad. It was an AMAZING view and I'm glad we went in the morning when it was cooler. Plus there was morning fog over part of the town and it looked so cool!

---(pictures to come! I still havent located them :( )----

---------(Um, well... it seems I may have misplaced my Rome pictures... and part of my Florence ones too... so pictures incoming if I can find them!)------

Well there is sort of a break here. Now I'm home because the rest of the trip was god awful about internet. But I can still remember! Oh yes. So we went to the Vatican, and yes, it was AMAZING. Unfortunately our little beta group got there a few train rides after the main one so I was only able to look around the St. Peters for like 15 minutes. Defiantly a reason to go back right?! For sure. It really was a LOT bigger than I expected, and even though there were tons of people in there (TONS), I still felt singled out some how. Mmm I don't know.. rambles.

On the flip side, the square outside seemed.. less impressive. I mean it was still amazing, but a large sign on one side made it seem smaller than it should.

After that, we went to the Vatican Museum. And yes, the Sistine Chapel WAS neck-painfully amazing. The pictures really don't give it justice. There are so many more colors and details and the bigness of it really adds. I could have chilled out in there for a long time, but alas, it was the last thing I saw in there. Seemed we went the long way round, but I did see lots of other stuff like Raphael's School of Athens.

Then we took a stroll in big 'ol park (lost some people but it was fine, totally fine, I wasn't worried, no way) and headed over to the Borghese Gallery. My favorite David was there! Bernini's defiantly has a wonderful expression on his face, which I tried to sketch but it ended up looking like Lion-O from the Thunder Cats. >.<

Freetime after, and the Waldreps and I went back through the park to check out another church and the People's Square, the hi-tailed it to the Spanish Steps! Man that's a lot of steps.. gah. But defiantly worth the climb. Thought I was going to chill when I finally got back, but went for a nice dinner and a night stroll! Then I fell into bed, ready for Florence the next day.

Hooooooly crud. I'm tired. And I'm pretty sure my feet are bruised. Just had the best shower of my entire life I think. As well as the best pizza. Aye.

Plane was uneventful, watched Gane of Thrones with my brother.

We got off the plane at 9am Rome time with very little sleep. Then, we hit the ground running, stopping to drop our bags at a gorgeous hotel and grabbing a light lunch.

After that we went and saw the sights! Took the Metro to the Colosseum then walked up a hill then down a hill then up another hill, saw an amazing church, then up a hill then saw the Forum, then up a hill and some steps to see Michelangelo's Captioline Hill and the Romulus and Remus Statue. What a walk for the first day! At least I was able to get a little sketching in. :)

But that's not all. Then, we walked all the way to the Pantheon, which was breathtaking. Then on to Contarelli Chapel to see Caravaggio's Saint Matthew paintings. I have no words for this church or these paintings. They were just too amazing.

Last stop was Piazza Navona and the Fountian of the Four Rivers. I freaking love this fountain, got to see as I was eating a wonderful pizza with my brother, Denise, and Brain.

Well I'm beat. Going to do some sketching and thinking on what I saw today. Maybe will make another post tonight, maybe in the morning. Will have to see if I pass out first.

Amazing first day!

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye
My favorite of all the exhibits was Lynette¹s with the The Encyclopedic
Palace. These paintings are very dark in value with muted, earth colors
and painterly texture. There is lots of harmony between pieces and
balance too. They are so dark that when when i first saw them on the
screen I assumed they were just black canvases. But then I was like, no
way someone got just a bunch of black canvases in this show... Only to
look close to see they were paintings of people! All in different, in
different poses and all dark skinned. How interesting. Some have little
splashes of bright color, like blue or gold, while most do not. Its the
quality of line here that makes the people so fleshed and real seeming,
even though the style is obviously painted. It got me thinking as to why
they were do dark. Maybe its a comment on dark skinned people in general.
Perhaps they¹re overlooked and not coming to the front of things.
Blending Into the background so to speak. But about what? Politics?
Workplaces? World Stage?

Marisa Merz at The Central Pavilion

1) Most of these works look like paint, with some mixed media thrown in there, as well as a 3D piece. 2) I’m not sure I’m digging these actually. They feel sort of disjointed and give me the feeling that there is a meaning that I am just beyond grasping, though maybe that was the intention.


Walter De Maria at The Arsenale

1) An installation, using big metal bars. I wonder if they are attached to the floor... 2) Seems interesting, though I feel it’s missing something by just looking at a picture of it. Perhaps if I was standing right there. Ooh, maybe it’s an optical illusion?


Varda Caivano at The Central Pavilion

1) Looks like paint to me, can’t say what kind though. 2) Not sure what to say on these. I like them, they are fuzzy and blurry, like waking up to a scene that hasn't come into focus yet.


“Kamikaze Loggia” at The Georgian Pavilion

1) It’s a... building! I think? Looks like there will be shows and stuff in there maybe? 2) Another one where is hard to judge based on pictures, because I imagine you have to actually be in the space to get a feel for it. I will reserve my opinion until then.


Enrico David at The Central Pavilion

1) Lots of different things! Weaved colored wool, sculpture, maybe some special drawings too. 2) I like the patterns, well the blue one at least. the red one makes me feel creepy. The other stuff i'm on the fence about though. But I do like that one with all the stuff coming out of it like a fountain.


Henrik Olesen at The Central Pavilion

1) Looks like some photocopies of things and papers, as well as a couple boxes. 2) It’s definitely saying something about sex. Perhaps about the kinds of sex you have though your life, as though it was a screenplay or something.


Sarah Lucas at The Central Pavilion

1) Looks like metal cast party balloons. 2) They all sort of pussy and icky to me. Maybe has something to do with a state of being? Fragile and drippy.. with reflections, oh joy.


James Lee Byars at The Central Pavilion

1) Gold! with engravings. 2) Simple and clean, which I really like. The letters engraved on the gold might be initials of someone important.


Mark Manders at The Dutch Pavilion

1) Clay and wood and all sorts of other things is what I’m seeing here. 2) I like and don’t like this at the same time. It like, I like how hes doing all this but not what he’s doing? I’m not sure if that makes any sense. Enjoying the clay and wood I guess, but the subject creeps me out.


Carol Rama at The Arsenale

1) Ink in all very different frames, interesting. 2) All the drawings are sexual, very so. But they all have different, ornate frames around them. Seems like sex can become presentable if you put a nice bow on it.


John Bock at The Arsenale

1) Installation, a building.. 2) So wait it’s a box with a live maggot on the inside? And such a narrow door... Squeezing through into that dark space will probably make you feel like a maggot. I feel bad for that little guy, wonder if he’ll be dead by the time we get there.


Hans Josephsohn at The Arsenale

1) Concrete statues. 2) Whoa these are cool! They look like old ruins that have been sitting out in acid rain.


Danh Vo at The Arsenale

1) Installation; cloth and wood and bricks 2) I like the feel of this one, like an old marketplace or something I wonder if he found all this stuff or crafted it himself?


James Richards at The Arsenale

1) Those eyes look like charcoal, and some pictures in there as well. 2) I like these, black and white is my favorite. I really like the extreme close up of water. Gives a whole new perspective.


Daniel Hesidence at The Arsenale

1) Looks like ink or paint maybe? 2) They’re very calming, like water. Makes me want go swimming. But yes I do like how the lights and darks are formed different for each one.


Geta Brătescu at The Central Pavilion

1) Different dyed linen? 2) It looks like all of these have the same central shape, but are all definitely different. Really liking how some are really light and some are dark. Hard to discern a meaning though.


Harun Farocki at The Arsenale

1) It’s a video! 2) Looks to be about watching people at famous landmarks around the world. I love people watching so it was very cool to see.


Simon Denny at The Arsenale

1) Installation made with household objects it seems. Is probably saying something about  consumerism or materials we use.Though with installations its hard to tell unless you're standing there.


Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at The Central Pavilion

1) Paintings! 2) Dark, dark, and more dark. I love it! the lack of light in the paintings really makes you look hard at them, and at first to probably think theres nothing there at all! There’s definatly a lot more to say about these.


Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys at The Arsenale

1) Video. 2) Dang thats scary the little bit i saw of it. Makes me feel uncomfortable. I don;t want to watch too much if it cause I can’t see the whole thing in one go though.


Pamela Rosenkranz at The Arsenale

1) Paint 2) Ok I’m not sure what that video was about but the paintings themselves I really like. The extremely subtle shifts in the blue are very elegant.


Trisha Donnelly at The Arsenale

1) Installation. 2) Looks like a shiny new piece of granite or soap in a dingy building. Not sure what else there is to say. Doesn't wow me thats for sure.


Rudolf Stingel at Palazzo Grassi

1) Installation, pictures and woven carpet perhaps? 2) Wow! this looks like it will be a fun space to be in! All the pattern and the placement of the pictures on the walls! I’m excited for this one.


Yüksel Arslan at The Arsenale

1) Mixed media maybe? 2) I’m digging this art style a lot. Everything looks old and darkened and quite fantastic! Has to be saying something about anatomy, though not sure what.


Christopher Williams at The Arsenale

1) Black and White photos, except that one. 2) Theres so many! Again with the close up of object so they become shapes, not objects is a really idea that I enjoy.


Katrín Sigurdardóttir at The Icelandic Pavilion

1) Mosaics 2) Mmmmmm tile work! I love it! This is a thing I’ve always wanted to learn how to do but couldn’t afford! It’s so clean and rustic at the same time! Amazing.


Lawrence Weiner at Palazzo Bembo

1) Graphic Typography 2) Now here’s my cup of tea! The word spacing on these are beautiful and the typeface really works as well as the nice lines as spacers and boxes for emphasis.


Mathias Poledna at The Austrian Pavilion

1)Video plus stills and sketches? 2) Oh! this looks like its going to be good. The artmanship already looks great. I wonder if they drew it all out by hand or used a computer to help them.