Venice Biennale 2013: The Encyclopaedic Palace

L' Arsenale

Altogether a disappointment, the 55th Venice Biennale, entitled The Encyclopaedic Palace, didn't fail to produce some tantalizing artworks, point us out a few weirdos and, luckily, the odd majestic masterpiece.

A few of my personal highlights, after hours of footwork taking myself from place to place and photographing, follow here:

 

Book art

 

 

It was my year at the Russian Pavilion

Vadim Zakharov graphically captures greed at the Russian Pavilion

 

Russian supremacy at its most theatrical

Top moment for music lovers: Folk collectionneur par excellence Harry Smith poses as an art maker

The Biennale cafe beat this year's artworks to the punch.

Art against the Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia, a shabby masterpiece with echoes of opera and violin.

Handicap donna di San Giorgio Maggiore

 

The controversial Kenyan Pavilion dresses the military headquarters with pink flowers.

The Netherlands Pavilion launches the work of Mark Manders.

Head heavily suppressed.

 

The Venezuela Pavilion: A hymn to street art

Text and photography by Danai Molocha

Venice: Bohemia, Academia and the Chinese Bride

 I had been there before, but the quiet, humble, sun-burned side of Venice was a revelation. I have taken nearly 2000 images - of which, it's only very few I will share, but here is a preview.
From the Biennale to the surreale and from the Venetian ghetto to the lazy vaporetto, Venice was a delight - but it really got crazy romantic and trippy when I traveled with the Chinese bride.  

Soundtrack - Take a pick:
The Way Young Lovers Do by Van Morrison (English tourist version)
Una Furtiva Lagrima by Luciano Pavarotti, music of Gaetano Donizetti (Italian romanza)

Piazza San Marco: Viva la musica, vivere pericolosamente

Dusk in Piazza San Marco

The Chinese bride

...More bride

Doorwork

A typical dusk in San Marco

Dusk motion at the Doge's Palace

Your average Venice dusk

...and one less average

Maroon gondolas

Floating fruit

Laundry's cool

...And your average canal trattoria

Antico Capon I called home for a night

Dark Academia

This is prison

Mad at the Doge

Working life in the Grand Canal

Grand Canal: Venice wakes up under the Ponte di Rialto

Inside Ponte dei Sospiri, The Bridge of Sighs: This is the prisoners last goodbye to freedom - and life

I Don't Know What That Is

Buona note San Giorgio

Doge's Palace: Window to San Marco

Torcello: The lonely Chiesa di Santa Fosca

The monk of Torcello

I was stranded one dusk in Torcello - and here's what ran with my melancholy views

Goodnight...

The back "streets" of Venice

Dawn to dusk

 

Welcome, mystery ladies and gentlemen

Ladies of the ball

By nightfall just drop your romantic strolls and go for a bite in Cannaregio

Mamma mia! Fresh gelato rolling by Lido beach!

Old music room - part of a church Verdi tribute

Worn out by a day of shooting out and about the Venetian lagoon, the Chinese bride walks off the vaporetto

Ponte di Rialto: While all the cameras aim at the "popular" side, this is what they turn their backs on..