Venice Architecture Biennale

peter

<div class="f16 ar enf red"><b>Biennale Architecture, Venezia, Italia</b></div>
<div class="f11 ar enf"><a href="http://www.labiennale.org/en/news/architecture/en/78786.html">

</a></div>
<div class="f11 ar pdl"><strong>Aaron Betsky</strong>, former director for six years of the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) of Rotterdam, one of the most important architecture museums and centres in the world, and since last year Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum, is to be the curator of the <strong>11th International Architecture Exhibition</strong>: <span style="color: maroon;"><strong>Out There. Architecture Beyond Building</strong></span>, which will open to the public on Sunday 14th September and close on 23rd November 2008.</div>
<div class="f11 ar pdl"> </div>
<div class="f11 ar pdl">http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/</div>
<p>TAGS [Venice] [Italy]</p>

k.rudd

What relevance is Australia's RAIA contribution (again)?

ABUNDANCE - ????
Its beginnings were undignified, and therefore its endings will presumably be so.
Feeling sorry for the practices who have decided it a contribution worth making.
Am sure the RAIA will pat themselves and their numerous logos on the back and pretend (again) it was a classy submission worthy of the International Stage.
It is yet another failure in the making - the responsibility lies directly with the RAIA Venice Biennale Committee.
Hopefully, Tzannes/Lyons etc will apologise to the Venetians at some point - at least throw in a few one liners to keep the comical mood.

hairdresser

flop.

the sometimes bitter E F's condemnation in SMH (17-09-08) sounds reasonable.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/aussie-architects-need-to-quit-playing-cute/2008/09/16/1221330832347.html

dulux made the only architectural contribution to the Australian Pavilion.

Wallpaper mistakenly identified a photo of green rope bound trees as the Japanese Pavilion.
honest error or sharp criticism of lame Sejima rip-off by curator/exhibitor/architects Thompson, Durbach and Lewin.

lesson for australia. don't bother your out of your depth.

lesson for the rest of the world.
ban the parvenu morons - under the 3 strikes rule.
Give the pavilion to New Zealand Architects to share with Australian Artists.

sod

<p>the Merrima Design & tUG workshop curatorship proposal for the Venice seemed to offer more promise.</p>
<p>follow the link for details. click on Archive to see correspondence relating to the selection process.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.findingcountry.com">www.findingcountry.com</a></p>

hairdresser

the Australian. 04.10.08 Concrete Solutions - Rosemary Sorenson

"Its not entirely satisfying to be pricked rather than needled."


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24435145-16947,00.html

info

The real Australian contribution to Venice this year was not Dulux
Nor obviously the (R)AIA
It was in fact a quiet individual who all forms of media managed to miss
Thank you Patrick Keane (of Enter Architecture) was selected to exhibit his Invisible House in the Arsenale

http://www.frptoday.in/Application.html

Of note is the absence of Sponsor logos - and the presence of an uncontaminated Idea

pk

Attached some inspiration:

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/reviews/exhibitionreviews/2008/09/venice_architecture_biennale_is_like_nerds_talking_about_sex.html

pk

Out There: Architecture Beyond Building
Patrick Keane explores the current Venice Architecture Biennale

Architecture that is not building, that has no function, that does not endure and … is about something completely silent, something that we experience as part and parcel of that which surrounds us everyday”…. Aaron Betsky Director 11th International Architecture Exhibition.

Wednesday 8 October 6 for 6.30pm
Introduction Dean Economou, D_City Network Technology Strategist

d_city Network 2008 @ NICTA
13 Garden Street
Australian Technology Park
Eveleigh

hairdresser

good info - info.
p. keane, a young architect, in the arsenale is a major achievement.

still wondering about aus pavilion.
odd.
good curators should be almost invisible?

hairdresser

from the Japan Times.

"Venice Biennale's theme won't stop the rain."
Julian Worrall.

"Others, misguidedly, attempt comprehensiveness but succeed only in generating noise, as in the 300 models of the Australian pavilion"

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fa20081009a1.html

info

The Victorian/WA government architect was recently on RRR claiming responsibility for the resultof the (R)AIA contribution to Venice. After visiting SOD's link it seems unfair that London is being lined up as the fall guy for 2008. In looking into the past three dismissed contributions, three (R)AIA personalities surface - Carey Lyons, Ross Clark and (introducing) Shahana McKenzie.

The (R)AIA is carrying infection.

info

PS Sod

The Merrima/tUG thing would have failed
Too many rednecks in the profession
200 went to Venice without thinking
3 held one end of the rope

hairdresser

@ info
- MERRIMA/tUG was completely unrealistic, not doable.
group curators too.

maybe those 200 deserved a hanging, maybe not?
I can't work out who was in the aus show and if anyone did anything.
just blah blah blah about the 5 curators and more blah about yellow.
AIA needs to attract a straight up intelligent architect
who will let some work do the talking.
not presidents or ex presidents group-stooges.

sod

<p>Relative to what went up in Venice I thought the MERRIMA/tUG proposal had merit - who knows what the outcome would have been. I'd prefer to see a failed attempt at the 'not doable' than a lazy survey of Kirsten and freinds hit picks.</p>
<p>Not sure what Info's redneck comment means. I'm not a fanboy of Merrima or tUG's work but it probably has more worth than the buildings produced by more aspirational practitioners.</p>
<p>A little of topic but the RRR Architects radio show coverage of Venice reflects the flacid state of mainstream architectural culture in this town. The commentator on location in Venice was little more than an embedded journalist - crtitically brain dead and just happy to be there I imagine. Fcuken useless.</p>

hairdresser

the problem for MERRIMA/tUG would have been getting it done intelligently.
mighta worked if it had some hard arsed thinkers engaging.
your right - you never know SOD.

@ INFO
I just listened to London podcast.
dunno about the idea he is a fall guy.
he sure claims the show.
and says at least 3 times he is a man of gravitas.
- a kook?

AA (media partner) and AR (?) have still got to pump the yellow cake up and ice it.
it ain't a failure yet.

info

When the Commissioner, Lucy Turnbull speaks more about the Qld Placemakers exhibition than Abundance, I think it would be safe to assume that it was a failure ... from her perspective anyway. Going by the AA editor's recent trips abroad courtesy of the Victorian conga line - it would also be safe to assume that there will be more than enough icing.

Sorry SOD/Haridresser - I sometimes tend to confuse rednecks with lack of intelligence - my mistake.

info

Well look who's on the AA advisory panel - Lyons and London. SO presumably the editor, Clarke, will tow the line. So there will be an icing overload despite Kipnes/Sorenson/Farrelly/Worrall's definitive and independent comments describing failure. Maybe AR/McKenzie might have the mettle to say something ...

I am not that taken by Merrima or tUG's iwork either - just not my thing - but agree there was something in their idea there that would have turned the Euro's on their heads. Can't see how it would have been pulled off though. I guess QANTAS have been painting their planes for some time, and even Lyons was tripping over himself to get photos with aboriginal folk in Alice Springs last October - so something marketable is obviously lurking there. Now Baz Lurhmann is at it with the new tourism Australia add.

RRR - short leash or genuinely dopey? Harrison sounded clueless.

And towards 2010 we go - given the Vic's and NSW have stuffed it 3 and 1 respectively- who's next?

hairdresser

don't know anything about tuG
isn't that an ex field guy. they sank without a trace.
don't mind merrima's work - they got a spread in a recent DOMUS I have thats interesting.

AR and McKenzie have no mettle - there is 6 years of the obvious on that.
(the imbedded RRR talking head is a house writer.)
Ruth Sorenson wasn't independent. Virgin Airlines a supporter of the yellowcake show flew her over.
She disclosed that. But disclosure does makes her ethical.
@SOD - it was a Durbach and Lewin hit parade.
(I'm splitting hairs sure.)
Thompson has a rep. as a delegator in this town and her town.

Yellowcake was a groovy gift shop fitout selling home decor bric a brac.
every significant bric a brac designer in the nation was in the window.
I thought that was interesting, it wrapped up the noughties? -
AIA selection panel is 100% responsible. they chose it.
One thing will be different for 2010 - no money for it after this meltdown. ha.

info

Lemoncake is a more apt description.

miles

oh come on. the word on the street was that tug got the gig but had an unfortunate lunch at verge (average mel restaurant curated by son of denton) where then raia pres lyon informed tug of win suggested a few alterations to proposal and tug spat it and threw glass/bottle/bucket of champers over the pres and told him to fck off. pres then called durbach/thommo/mrs murcutt as replacement....also in venice disgruntled portly unsuccessful sydney curatorial team AND disgruntled unsuccessful melbourne team were sure that they had been ripped off. ie the board put together the best ideas and ran it up a pole with the mrs murcutt dream team. abundant? bollocks!

sod

<p>we cop a dog show because the president can't tolerate a tantrum - hope the bottle hit the target</p>
<p>the ripped off teams (who are they miles?) sound at fault if they generated the crap ideas - they deserve a bottle in the head too</p>

hairdresser

ha ha ha

different streets here. different stories. nearly as good.

the tanty was a blonde and did a screaming runner.
tug boy called her an idiot.
(different versions depending on the party you went to)
hick, hill billy, dumb b.... etc etc.

A version that did the rounds of the wrinkle crowd had ex pres blowing an o ring and locking himself in the toilet with the hand dryer going.

One I'd believe had tug boy, merrima man and the rubber pool company rep sitting around throwing back drinks for a couple of hours on AIA plastic into the late evening thinking it wasn't a bad idea to throw the gig - lot of work, not enough money.

if their show was half as fun as that evening sounded it might have been good.

info

Nice one Miles - looks like the Vics/Syds/Conga Line have begun to implode - all ripping each other off - and telling some cracking stories. Ripping what off exactly?

Only one story going on up here in Queensland - probably because the local Merrima bloke is in this town and, well, we don't really trust anyone south of Sunnybank anyway. Found this link to a horse's mouth report:

http://arkatekcha.net/2007/10/03/more-venice-shenanigans/#comments

But who knows ....... the one with flying wine bottles sounds pretty good

In any case, anyone looking for a classy architectural exhibition, by a diligent curator, one benefactor's logo (the sponsor kept their mits out of the curation), interesting work, and a beautiful Idea - come to GOMA.
Lucy Turnbull loved it and so will you - and its a fraction of an airfare to Venice.

http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/current/place_makers_contemporary_queensland_architects

b_n

Shame about the tUG/Merrima miss, agree hairdresser some people with intelligent and provocative curation would have been good, after all we are known for it. Australia that is, not the RAIA.

An aside, don't shoot the son for the father's sins... Simon is an excellent restaurateur and verge a very good restaurant.

b_n

A (late night) thought: Abundance. it's an odd word, it projects, possibly, the Australian psyche well; there is in it, or so it seems to me, the belief that there is stuff, good stuff (in this context) and lots of it. Though, and this is where I falter, does it resound with the implication of pride or earnestness?

info

Stupidity is what it implies.

info

On a grand scale.

hairdresser

@ b_n. pride I think.
to begin with.
@ info.
then stupidity - when they had it all in hand and kept going.
the earnest show was in 2006.

I got into the German pavilion - not that I went to Venice.
It was a bit quiet visually and I had to find some good descriptions to understand what went down.
i mcdougal (arm) thought it was doom and gloom on RRR.

info

SOD - Word is the unsuccessful melbourne team was the one with Mark Burry (CAD man) in it.

He was part of an effort that was looking at taking a survey of models to Venice - but here is the difference - his team was actually intent on explaining the purpose of the models in the making of architecture. And presumably identifying the authors.

Maybe a little prosaic - but on the scale of what went instead - it is positively lively.

info

Hairdresser - the Scottish pavilion is the one to aspire to
Sweet idea - sweet timber work

The japanese pavilion was apparently overlooked for a Golden Lion Award due to being 'too beautiful'

Which suggests that ( like the film industry) perhaps there should be a Golden Raspberry Award for the worst pavilion. If this thread is anything to go by, the Australian effort would be pretty hard to beat. I was thinking Phil Rahms' pseudo art installation (the one with the nudists) would give us a good run for our money - if only there was a steel pole there.

hairdresser

I'd say the french one was worse.
you didn't get a giveaway handbag.

I couldn't see australia winning anything. except a free tip truck to the nearest landfill, where it would get rejected at the gate under EU regulations.
some of those models would have to be returned to their place of manufacture.
legacy issues.

the germans screwed around with night time lighting on monuments in berlin to offset exactly energy demands of their hair and skin frying heat lamps in the entrance to their pavilion.
gear like that was going down. you had to look twice - from here anyway.
thinking persons ESD I suppose.
yeah that scottish thing looked alright in the pictures. (bit queensland! - given your enthusiasm for placemakers info) you couldn't accuse them of avoiding architecture.