What are we looking at? Michael Parekowhai at the 2011 Venice Biennale. (original) (raw)
With the announcement, national pride and enthusiasm gained momentum. Parekowhai’s credentials confirm him as one of Aotearoa’s (New Zealand's) most accomplished contemporary artists. He is a popular choice. Given it’s destination the decision to go for scale and grandeur may have been an astute call. If they pull it off this could be a career-defining move for the artist. The stakes are high “- Venice remains a high pressure engagement”. But has the artist and his team pulled it off? With the emphasis on ‘installation’, does it work as the catalogue and reviews claim it does? Mindful of Parekowhai’s past achievements how does this collection of sculptures compare to previous work? The decision to send Parekowhai has taken ten years. Has this belated decision compromised his installation? In the past Parekowhai has made it look easy. His has the ability to see what we can all see but can’t express. Unlike anyone else he wraps it up in smart, chic, intelligent and heart-warming art. Like Cosmio, 2006 his sculptures can make you smile. The idea of music sculpting a space and the performance with its openness to public interaction seemed a highlight of his Venice entry. The downside was a certain awkwardness about the objects themselves that didn’t allow them to work well as sculptures, and didn’t draw a smile. If this is art as narrative for the sake of narrative - and which needs 'insider' explanations - why wrap it up in sculptures? With this one the artist wasn’t so lucky. Neither are we.
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