Plenty of craftsmanship at the Biennale di Venezia

Besides the documenta in Kassel, Biennale di Venezia is one of the most important international exhibitions of contemporary art, attracting art lovers, artisans and gallery owners from all over the world every two years. The 57th International Art Exhibition, is open to the public to Sunday 26 November 2017 at the Giardini and Arsenale venues.

Olafur Eliasson: Green light, Thyssen-Bomemisza Art Contemporary, Biennale di Venezia

Olafur Eliasson: Green light – An artistic workshop. Wood, recycled yogurt cups (PLA), used plastic bags, recycled Nylon, LED (green). Photo Damir Zizic © Olafur Eliasson

Most remarkable in this year’s exhibition is the increase of work from the area of arts and crafts and design. Presentation platforms for applied art are showing works from craftsmen alongside aritsts exhibitions. Therefore a visit to Venice is most recommendable this year. Christine Macel, chief curator at the Musée National d’Art Moderne at Center Pompidou and curator of the Biennial, gave the event the motto “Long live art”. Or to quote Joseph Beuys: “art is life” – in the spirit of globalization. Artistic interventions invite to participate, in projects such as “Green Light Project” by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson. Here, visitors work with refugees on illuminated wooden crystals, which are then sold for the financing of NGOs. The event is part of the main exhibition “Viva Arte Viva”, and one of the hot spots of the event.

Glass art at the Biennale

On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007), co-founder of the anti-design movement Memphis, the Le Stanze del Vetro museum on the Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore shows his glass designs from more than 60 years of creation. Works of Murano glassblowing Vistosi, Toso Vetri d’Arte, Cenedese or Venini produced since the 1940’s were made accessible to the public..

Ettore Sottsass, Biennale di Venezia 2017, Ausstellung, Glaskunst, Glasobjekte, Glas

Glass objects Kachina 5 and Kachina 10, 2006. The Gallery Mourmans. Photo Jean Bernard © Ettore Sottsass by SIAE 2017

Allodola, 2003. Photo Riccardo Bianchi © Ettore Sottsass by SIAE 2017

Also worth seeing is the exhibition “Gaetano Pesce: five techniques of glass making” in the Glass Museum Murano. With a special passion for glass manufacture the Italian designer and architect Gaetano Pesce started to experiment with new, self-developed techniques. The original glass objects show numerous modern interpretations of old techniques like Pastis, Joliette, Vieux Port, Pâte de Verre and Plage. Also the original designs and sketches of the objects can be seen.