Biennale18

buttons & cups

art ... everywhere

middle of the room art

closeup

arches & color

Alright... now that I got all that art photos outta the way.  These are some of the art exhibitions of the Biennale (an art show that comes to Sydney every 2 years).  All the exhibits above were located on Cockatoo Island, just a little island in the bay.  Note: the island used to be a prison, then a shipyard, and now  it's just a bunch of abandoned buildings (with campgrounds).  Anywho, the art show is free and I had time, so off I went!
So a lot of this is exhibition art which varied on different scales and media.  From the complex strings and colors to a video of 4 people laughing for an hour (yes, this was an actual exhibit.. 4 people, in colored suits... just laughing... for an hour).
Well describing the art work will take rather long, and i'd probably bore you to death, so i'll describe the experience and such.

To get to this island, there was a (free) shuttle, which ran from the city.  Getting around the island, though pretty small, took a couple hours.  Mostly cause we tried to inspect and see every corner of the exhibits.  Some of the art were located in a main industrial warehouse,.. others were in the old living quarters or tunnels.  To make the point short.. it was a good trek outside the city.

The great thing about the Biennale, is there are multiple venues.  Right down the street from my crib, there was the performing arts exhibition.  We checked it about, but there were no performances.. so we headed to the pub (a very Australian thing to do.. i assume).

The other venues were at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and a set of old piers (wharfs).  Again, I won't go into detail about how 'deep and meaningful' the art was, but the amount of exhibits were just too much to count.   Going to each venue, I felt more and more confused.. When I though I was getting to understand some of the art (or at least appreciate it), ther'd be something outta left field and BAM... mind blank.

I've taken a couple art classes before and have a basic understanding of 'introduction to contemporary visual art'.  Since then, I 've been trying to understand the 'soulful expression' of artists and their 'struggle to define art'.. but usually end up calling SHENANIGANS!! and realize why they usually have to make frappaccinos to supplement their income.  Though this art show was pretty amazing.. I think I was just awed with the size of the art works and use of space to display their talent. .... Yes. talent.  I haven't been to many art shows.. (usually just art and wine festivals), but here, I really felt that there was a variety of talent used to imagine and materialize thoughts and ideas.

I was a pretty good experience to see all the Art throughout Sydney and, dare I say, I even felt a little more 'cultured'.  Who knows, perhaps I may even trade in my laptop for one of those apple computers and write this blog at a cafe that only serves fair trade coffee while eating organic radishes and sport a hemp scarf, fedora and skinny jeans....  nah....