Venice Biennale

Rachel, Mel & Missy - Lorenzo Quinn's Incredible The Hands behind us

We began Rachel's fall break with a long weekend for the Venice Biennale. Rachel is a higher IB art student and I really wanted her to experience this. My sister, the most excellent art professor, arranged her complicated schedule to spend the weekend with us. It was absolutely fabulous to have her with us as our personal guide. I am not going to share all our photos or thoughts, just the highlights.

Rachel and I arrived via overnight train. Another European experience we wanted to try. It was an easy way to get to Venice and it was nice to arrive ready to go at 8am! We also were most likely influenced by the movie "White Christmas", it makes overnight train travel seem so glamourous.

Our overnight compartment

 We found our apartment, explored and had a lovely lunch while we waited for Mel. Once Mel arrived we did some shopping and visited the school Mel did her artist residency at last year. We had all wanted to see The Hands pictured in photo at the top, it was a bonus that our apartment was just across the canal from it! And, it was warm enough before dinner to enjoy a spritz by the canal - an absolute must in Venice!

 We started the next day with the Giardini part of the Biennale. This is where the different countries have their exhibits. We visited as many exhibits as we could during a very full day. We all had some similar and some differing opinions but when we ranked the day Hungary came out as our number one! We all really liked it's theme of peace and Utopia. It was so uplifting.

This rainbow is made completely of lapel pins

 Our other favorites included Greece, Austria, Korea, Russia and Serbia. Rachel really liked France.It was all about musical instruments, Rachel felt like she was IN a guitar.

Austria had a random travel items all around a gallery for you to pose with.  You've got to love Mel on the portable toilet!

Rachel

Mel

These photos are from Japan. You could become part of the exhibit. Rachel was too speedy for me, but I caught Melanie and she LOVED popping up and being right in the middle of the exhibit.

Melanie in the exhibit

Rachel below the exhibit

Our next stop was the Damian Hirst Exhibit at the Palazzo Grassi. This exhibit received a fair amount of negative press.  The sheer size of the pieces is amazing but what Rachel explained to me is that it wasn't as creative or impressive because he just copied things that had been found in the ocean and made them huge.  

We had dinner at Spaghetteria, a restaurant Mel and her husband Doug had found on their last trip to Venice. I am always hesitant to recommend a restaurant, but this one I whole heartedly do, It was incredibly delicious, but you must absolutely make a reservation!

We finished our night at the oldest cafe on San Marco square, Cafe Florian. We enjoyed the band and our coffee and cake. An elegant dessert.

We spent the next day at the Arsenale. This part of the Biennale houses several artists throughout the exhibit. Melanie and Rachel both enjoyed the Huni Kuta by Erneto Neto. They both sketched and reflected while we sat inside. It was a lovely place for contemplation.

We all really enjoyed an exhibit of mirrors and metal. I will not be able to describe it well but it was a little like a funhouse as you walked around and thought you were right next to someone but instead it was a reflection. Some of the metal frames were open which created a more confusing effect.

One of the pavilions I had really been looking forward to was Argentina and The Horse Problem. It did not disappoint, the sculptures were just so moving and amazing.

Teenager on a cell phone?

After we finished with the rest of the artist pavilion we headed out to San Marco square to watch the end of the marathon. Our favorite finisher was the guy clocking in right around 6 hours chatting away on his cell phone. 

The weather then drastically changed so we found a cozy restaurant near our apartment and had another yummy meal.

Sunday morning was the prettiest day of our weekend, finally some blue skies. We had a little breakfast and then Melanie caught her bus to her airport. 

View from the Rialto Bridge

Rachel and I had a little time before our train so we fulfilled her last Venice wish. Across from the train station is a Magnum ice cream parlor, she remembered it from our first trip to Venice five years ago. She was right, it was worth it.