Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The World in a Drop of Water: Simon Ma at Palazzo Pisani


Part of the Chinese artist Simon Ma's selection of works at Palazzo Pisani--one of the "collateral events" at this year's Biennale--suffered from the success of another part of his works on display. At least for me. I found the way his six large stainless steel water drop sculptures reflected and distorted the grand (one might even say overweening) architecture of the palazzo's two large tall courtyards so compelling that I had little attention left over for his paintings displayed on the piano nobile (works on which he collaborated with Julian Lennon, whom I assume is that Julian Lennon, of the hits songs of the '80s and all the rest). Yesterday was a drizzly monochromatic kind of day whose flat light perhaps lent itself particularly well to an appreciation of the interplay between the sculptures and their architectural setting, while, inside and upstairs, the paintings seemed a bit dwarfed by their surroundings.

Of course my attention to the paintings wasn't helped by the fact that a small orchestral group of students from the Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello was running through some pieces in the palazzo's androne, complete with a conductor perched on a step-stool and the brass section (as you can see in the photo below) divided quite picturesquely between two floors--the trumpets blaring bright and potent as the sun through windows above. I showed up at the palazzo intent only on looking, but was quite happy and grateful for the chance, all unexpectedly, to give myself entirely over to listening.





7 comments:

  1. Check the very last link of this blog:
    http://venedig-ebb.blogspot.it/2013/10/giuseppe-hatte-geburtstag.html
    I think I read your blog before but didn't know of course the brass band were rehearsing for Viva Verdi...

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    1. Ah, so that's what that was all about! Thank you, Brigitte for the link. But now I don't know how I managed to miss the actual performance! I even looked through some flyers and brochures resting on a table in the androne, but somehow didn't see anything about the Viva Verdi...

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  2. Don't ask ME! I'm here a few days and fortunately got the information by mail from an ex-pat Venetian from abroad... a really discreet event. Only when entering one received a printed programme.

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    1. Well, I guess I don't feel quite so bad for missing it then, Brigitte. I manage to miss so many things! By the way, how is that book you mentioned a while back on the city that accompanied an IUAV exhibition? I've looked it up and am interested in getting it, but it's rather pricey, so I've been hesitating. Perhaps I should look in a library here.

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    2. I just checked the Venice OPAC, here are the libraries (icl. Collocazioni) where you can get the books (there are 2 volumes):

      *Migropolis : Venice, atlas of a global situation>> 1. - Ostfildern : Hatje Cantz, 2009. - 672 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.
      ASAC - La Biblioteca della Biennale di Venezia

      Inventario 0 132733
      Collocazione CONS U COL VENEZIA BEV 2009.001 1
      Note 1 v. (copia autogarfata dall'autore)

      Documento per sola consultazione interna
      IUAV Centrale

      Inventario 86170
      Collocazione DEP I 0000 4793
      Note Vol. 1

      Documento disponibile
      IUAV Dip. Progettazione Architettonica

      Inventario 22793
      Collocazione CONS 337 MIGR
      Note 1 v.

      Documento disponibile
      IUAV 'Giovanni Astengo'

      Inventario CIA 29771
      Collocazione PLANNING 337 MIG
      Note v. 1

      Documento disponibile
      Peggy Guggenheim

      Inventario --- 8827
      Collocazione ESPO VENEZIA 2009 .02.1
      Note v. 1

      Documento per sola consultazione interna

      The books are really expensive, in Germany now about 160 €, I bought my copy very short time after publication second hand (but unused) for 58 € I believe. Must have been a mistaken present ... :-)

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    3. Thank you so much, Brigitte, how very kind of you! Now I have no excuse not to get my hands on these volumes. I look forward to it.

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  3. The drops look truly amazing. Never seen before such a great piece of art.

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