"The metaphor follows the myth of Danaë, who was locked up in a cave by her father, King Acrisius of Argos, to prevent her from bearing children. A prophecy stated that the King would be killed by Danaë's son. Zeus, however, came to her in the form of golden rain and impregnated her. Soon after, their child Perseus was born, who would later fulfill the dark prophecy. This piece, called Danae, is a modern take on the myth and is also a statement on the greed, cynicism, wastefulness and gluttony of the 21st century."
- http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/vadim-zakharov-russian-pavilion-venice-biennale
Definitely one of my favorites! This pavilion was thought provoking and an interesting concept. The fact that men were only allowed to participate in part of the exhibit, keeps with the story of Zeus coming to Danae in the form of golden rain, as the women were the only ones allowed under the gold coin rain. The golden rain is a cycle that the women have to keep going, by bringing a handful of coins back to a bucket that would then be cycled back to be showered on future guests. Overall the concept of greed, wastefulness, and gluttony are all represented well, from the quotes on the wall, to the active participation in the exhibit itself. I think it was my favorite of them all, I think because it was interactive, and very memorable.
"Curator Udo Kittelmann says: “The Greek myth of the impregnation of Danaë is subjected to numerous readings: a falling shower of gold makes reference to the seduction of Danaë as an allegory for human desire and greed, but also to the corrupting influence of money. Through his artistic staging, Zakharov allows this ancient myth to find a contemporary temporal dimension. Philosophical, sexual, psychological, and cultural fragments become concentrated into a theater-like overall composition throughout the Pavilion rooms. The project has sculptural and pictorial elements and invites active participation by visitors to guarantee the flow of material goods (coins, peanuts, rose petals, people) as an ongoing process.”"
- http://vernissage.tv/blog/2013/06/14/vadim-zakharov-danae-russian-pavilion-at-the-venice-biennale-2013/
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