
Mark Wallinger (Didžioji Britanija). Esu žmogus.
Marmuras, sakai, auksuotas medis, spygliuota viela. 1999 |

Šiaurės šalių pavilijonas. 2001 |

Sergej Šutov (Rusija). Instaliacija Vienuoliai. 2001 |

Sergej
Šutov (Rusija). Instaliacija Vienuoliai. 2001 |

Leon
Tarasewicz (Lenkija). Instaliacija Be pavadinimo.
Akrilas, tinkas, 800 x 800. 2000 |
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The Venice Ferry
by Birutė
Pankūnaitė
This year Lithuania
took part in one of the most renowned forums of contemporary art Venice
Biennial for the second time. In 1999 the committee of Lithuanias
participation in the Biennial (the project coordinator Lolita Jablonskienė)
delegated Mindaugas Navakas and Eglė Rakauskaitė to the 48th Venice
Biennial. The 49th Venice Biennial took place in June 8th November
4th 2001. Lithuanian artists were selected by the Contemporary Art Centre
(curator Jonas Valatkevičius). Deimantas Narkevičius with his works
Legend Coming True (1999), Lithuanian Energy (2000) and Festival-Failure
(2001) represented Lithuania. This presentation raised some doubts regarding
the ways of selection of works to world exhibitions and lack of open
competitions.
In the Venice
Biennial of 2001 the duel between national pavilions and an international
exhibition seems to have been won
by the national part of the Biennial, as the most interesting works
were presented there. True, there are quite different opinions to this
point: some critics assert that the Venice Biennial, having tried all
means of work selection, has finally returned
to the Olympic principle, while others openly disdain the
restrained activity of the national pavilions, overt political
games and manifestations of art tautology.
The 49th Venice Biennial with its rather boring form once again brought
forth the sour questions of the biennial culture. Is it possible to
actualize these giants ruling the art world in an attractive and interesting
way (at the present time more than 40 biennials and triennials are held
each year)? Is it possible to successfully curate such a large international
group exhibition, in which you always choose the most attractive among
several works, i.e. you unwillingly put artworks to an excessive competition?
The whole always balances between anything/everything and the curators
conception. Perhaps it is better to renounce biennials altogether and
use the accumulated money and infrastructure for something entirely
different, having nothing in common with the traditional means of art
presentation?
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