florence biennale 07

[underfoot]

Yep, I'm one of the elite few (thousands) to get an invite to the FB this year, expensive little excercise aint it, especially from Australia.
I've read all the previous posts and still decided to go.
had a few good sales and a bit of sponsorship and if I don't spend it in
Italy I'll just blow it on sculpture and beer.
Is anyone else going???
cheers underfoot

[evaldart]

Well I didn't even get the invite. Too bad. Sounds important enough that the wife might have approved the funding for what could turn out to be a real Chevy Chase style European family Vacation. They got buffets in Florence? Taco Bell?

[Merlion]

Evaldart: This Biennale seems to welcome more artists. If you are really interested, they may send you an invitation after you make contact with them.

[ironman]

TACO BELL IN FLORENCE???? MY GOD, I HOPE NOT!!!!

[underfoot]

Merlion is correct Evaldart,ask nicely and give them some money and
your application will most likely be looked apon favorably.
besides, I think they like sculptors because it's mostly flat art,
I'm mainly going because its in Florence and I may get hit by a
truck tomorrow.
What's a taco bell??
cheers underfoot

[Merlion]

In case some of you do not know, this forum had earlier discussions on this Florence Biennale after Blake took part in 2005. There are pros and cons about this biennale. The link to the thread is below.

Florence Biennale 2005 (http://www.sculpture.net/community/showthread.php?t=2262&highlight=florence+biennale)

Blake do not post often now, but still pops in from time to time. Another forum member Stevem also took part.

[Blake]

Hello Gang
Sorry that I am not here as much these days, I have been preparing a show in London which is all about landmines and has now expanded to three shows so I am very busy but I do certainly enjoy watching what is going on in this wonderful community of artists.

The Florence show was fun, as I said before it is a Vanity Show and you should go to meet other artists and have fun, not to sell your work or meet industry people. Although there was rumoured to be some industry people there, I never saw them, met them or heard from them. There were rumoured to be some buyers there as well, but again I was unaware of them, perhaps they were avoiding me.

The quality of the art runs from the worst you can imagine to very good so everyone will fit in.
Two years after the event I would say that it brought me in contact with some great artists and Florence was wonderful to see, but it did nothing to advance my career and I do not include it on my CV.

Good luck and have fun
Blake

Underfoot
I think it is an odd shaped bell held to a wall with a tack.... oh!

[ironman]

Hi Underfoot, "What's a taco bell?", God bless you!
Hi Blake, You are correct, "it's an odd shaped bell held to the wall with a tack.....oh."
You two are the co-winners of the "CHIMICHANGA OF THE YEAR" AWARD.
Enjoy!
Have a great day,
Jeff

[Merlion]

Hi Underfoot, "What's a taco bell?", God bless you!
Looks like it has not reached Australia. Nor Singapore.

[Blake]

Ironman
I am so pleased to have won a prize. Thank you.
However, I am not sure that I know what a CHIMICHANGA is

Give me a clue, does it hang from a wall?
Are tacks in anyway involved?
Once I receive it do I have to feed it?

Merlion perhaps you can help me.
Have CHIMICHANGA’s made it to Australia or Singapore?

Blake

[Merlion]

Merlion perhaps you can help me.
Have CHIMICHANGA’s made it to Australia or Singapore? I have not heard of this long name, and not even sure if Ironman is joking. Let me Wiki to see if it exists. It does.

The Chimichanga, or chivichanga, (pronounced chimmy·CHAHN·guh /tʃɪmiˈtʃɑŋə/ in English and /tʃimiˈtʃaŋga/ in Spanish)
is a deep-fried burrito that originated in Sonora, Mexico. Flour tortillas are folded into rectangular packages and filled with a wide range of ingredients, most commonly beans, rice, cheese and shredded meat. They are then deep-fried and usually served without a sauce, but may be accompanied with salsa, guacamole, sour cream or cheese.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f9/Chimichanga.jpg

I don't think it has really come to Singapore, except through cyberspace. But I am not adventurous in terms of eating outside.

[ironman]

DAMN THAT WIKIPEDIA, DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[evaldart]

MEXICAN FOOD IS THE BEST FOOD ON EARTH! But I live in %#$@* Massa&%$#chusetts. Taco Bell will have to do. I too-often dream about the Machaca burritos and Tacos al Carbon and Chile Rellenos that I took for granted when I lived in Texas, Arizona and southern California. A half a dozen eggs smothered in La Victoria red suffices for breakfast those mornings.
Oh yeah, Florence...I love spaghetti in meatsauce, especially if its all-you-can-eat like the thursday dinner special at Cracker Barrell. Art and food are my two favorite things.

[Merlion]

DAMN THAT WIKIPEDIA, DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cool down Ironman. Why are you so upset about it? It is the everyman's source of information, isn't it?

[Merlion]

The performance art pair G & G will be the Biennale's draw card. This link below is a Press Release.

Gilbert & George to be awarded at the Florence Biennale (http://www.mediasyndicate.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6930)

July 2, 2007, The acclaimed artists Gilbert & George will be awarded the Lorenzo il Magnifico prize at the Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art in December 2007 Florence, Italy - The sixth edition of the Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art will take place at the historic Fortezza da Basso from 1st - 9th December, 2007. This year's edition will include, as honoured guests, the acclaimed artists Gilbert & George and from the White Cube Gallery London, Tim Marlow. ....

[underfoot]

[QUOTE=Merlion]The performance art pair G & G will be the Biennale's draw card.

I think I've just changed my mind.

underfoot

[Blake]

I have received an email that I thought was a good question from a member of our artistic community and I thought that I would post it for others. I hope the original writer does not mind.

Hello Blake, I am a fellow sculptor and 'am planning on participating in Florence this year. Could you answer/confirm some info for me? It sounds like they (The Organisers) set up, take down and ship your work back to you, is all that correct? Essentially, the artists show up for the show, and can leave right after it's over? I've had to put this together in my own mind, as there is no place on their site that actually states all that.
Thanks, (name withheld)

In my opinion, if you do not go to the show and promote yourself you will waste your time and money. The organizers will put your work up in some corner of the show and there will be no one else around and nothing will come of it if you are not there to promote your work. You need to be there for the 10 days or most of it.
It is a Vanity Show and the best thing that is going to happen is you will meet some very nice artists. The show is of little value to the industry and the little chance that you have to sell will be lost if you are not there the whole time to direct the traffic.
That's my take on it. Plus you will miss out on the other artists and Florence.
Blake

[engelstudios]

Hi Blake

I am also attending the Biennale 2007 (from Australia) visual art not sculpture though. Having read a lot about the Biennale over some 4 years or so, I see that a lot of artists don't always understand the differentiation between Arts Fairs and Biennales and they get awfully grumpy when they don't sell etc etc.

I have priced attending an art fair (Shanghai as its closer to home) and it was going to cost me more for the space than Florence as well as being only part of a gallery or country....not as myself.......

I think (as an artist) anyway, I like the idea of going as myself and not as part of some larger entity......the Florence Biennale is the only one that seems to allow this.....it's seems more democratic to me.

The perhaps it is up to us what we make of it........we get to meet contacts in person, do face to face business or promotion, and hey where-else can we meet so many other artists with so many variations all in one place......

It's the largest democratic and artist supported biennale in the world.......

Love the idea......see you there mebe?

[engelstudios]

Hi 'gain

With the packing, shipping and setting up......if you use the freight forwarder suggested by the committee, they will pack, send and deliver to the biennale. Your work will be in front of your allocated section and it's up to you to set it up as you want it displayed......they will do it if you're not there.

Hope this helps. Instructions should have been sent to the invited artist by now.