2007 Venice Biennial

July 20, 2007 1:33 PM

I just returned from the 2007 Venice Biennial Art Exhibition . It's considered one of the most important events in the art world, but frankly, I found it a bit boring - after all, things like this just don't do much for me - and I don't seem to be alone in that opinion. Although to be fair, the VB has a long history of criticism
posted by janetplanet (13 comments total)

Ask not what art can do for you. Ask what you can do for art.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:46 PM on July 20, 2007

Some times it sucked, some times it not. I suspect many visitors just want an excuse to go back to Venice.
posted by elpapacito at 1:51 PM on July 20, 2007

I'm going in September, thanks for this little mini guide.
posted by piratebowling at 1:59 PM on July 20, 2007

If we don't know what you know about art, we can't know if "boring" means "I was not surprised because I had already seen these artists and/or ideas" or "I didn't understand what it was about" or "I had the flu and my mind was blank" or something else entirely. In any case "I found something boring" doesn't qualifies as FPP.
posted by bru at 2:16 PM on July 20, 2007

I found it a bit boring.

I have that feeling right now.
posted by R. Mutt at 3:05 PM on July 20, 2007

I would LOVE to be able to go to the Venice Biennale. Next time you're bored of it I'll trade places with you, you can take my kids to swimming lessons or to the dentist.
Also, that leather/log piece rocked.
posted by chococat at 3:19 PM on July 20, 2007

I'd go just to be in the same room as Sigmar Polke's genius.
posted by babyblue at 3:48 PM on July 20, 2007

I'd go just to be in the same room as Sigmar Polke's genius.

So.... Polke has a studio assistant?

sorry ... heh, heh ... old studio assistant joke ...
posted by R. Mutt at 5:14 PM on July 20, 2007 [2 favorites]

I'm hoping to go in October--it's not as boring as critics say, i'm betting.
posted by amberglow at 5:39 PM on July 20, 2007

The New Yorker also found it somewhat boring.
posted by WPW at 4:35 AM on July 21, 2007

"If we don't know what you know about art, we can't know if "boring" means..." - posted by bru at 2:16 PM on July 20

Sorry bru, but I don't subscribe to the notion that one must be "qualified" in order to judge or validate their opinion of any art. Whether I have an MFA or have never been to an exhibit before, my opinion is no more or less valid than yours or anyone else's. Everyone is free to look at my links (and the many others out there) and judge for themselves. (yay democracy!!! :-)
posted by janetplanet at 6:08 AM on July 21, 2007

janetplanet, he didn't say you can't have an opinion, he said that without context (on you) your opinion is not worth sharing because it might mean anything. Like if some guy says he liked The Simpsons Movie, what's that mean for you? Nothing. But if you knew he hated all your favorite movies and liked stuff you consider trash, it'd be meaningful to you.
posted by jacalata at 6:54 AM on July 21, 2007

Thanks, jacalata, that's exactly what I meant.
posted by bru at 8:27 AM on July 21, 2007