Today was the last day of the Venice Biennale. With this picture I wish to say goodbye. I had such a great time in Venice – I could not imagine any better start of the summer this year. See you next time!

After a hard day at the Biennale. With a group of art lovers and young curators
from Hungary. Venice, 2011

These are the top five books in my collection. They are neither limited editions nor signed copies – but I still love them for a reason:

1.       Annie Leibovitz: At work

As I do this photography course right now this must be the number one on the list. And just opening the book I found a couple black and white pictures I took in London last Christmas– what a surprise! The book is full of great pictures and her stories about them. A lot of personal and technical information about the making of. Beautiful pictures of wars, celebrities, family members and the last picture of John Lennon.

2.       Hans Ulrich Obrist: Marina Abramovic – The Conversation Series

Marina is my old time favorite and I just love this book. I read it a few times before went to Manchester this year to see her theatre play The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic. I mean I read it a few times since I have the book. It was sort of easy to read these conversations but I had to stop time to time as I felt a little dizzy just event thinking of her performances and how she tested her physical and mental limits. She is truly amazing.

3.       ILLUMINATIONS

Illuminations is the catalogue of the 54^th International Art Exhibition, the Venice Biennale. I selected the book as this was my very first visit to the Biennale. Flicking through the pages brings back all the great memories of the press days. The 10 hours bus drive to Venice, the heat, the excitement of the very first time of entering Giardini and the mosquito bites on my arms and feet.

4.       Crossing the Channel – Friendships an Connections in Paris and London 1946-1965; Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Alberto Giacometti

However I missed the show in the Gagosian in London I decided to buy the exhibition catalogue. The book is a little treasure itself as you look at it. The vintage looking cover, the binding is so unique – and the paper inside! I couldn’t resist.

5.       Tracey Emin: those who suffer love

Messy handwritten poems and a collection of her beautiful monoprints. Not even a proper book more like an exercise-book I guess. You can get it from the White Cube.

Completed in 1909 the Hungarian Pavilion was the third to be erected after the
Italian and Holland pavilions in Venice. The architect, Geza Maroti was one
of the most important artist of the Hungarian secessionist movement. 
The Hungarian Pavilion, Venice, Giardini. photo by Török Viktória

Detail of the Hungarian Pavilion, Venice, Giardini. photo by Török Viktória

Katharina Fritsch: Stilleben, Arsenale, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

Some serious collectors...Mr Roman Abramovic with his glamorous art dealer wife,
Dasha Zhukova and the famous boat, Luna (pictured)  that blocked the view and made
Venetians upset in Venice. Right in front of the entrance of the Giardini.
(Not to mention the parties on the boat. Oh well.)
54th Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória 



The Pavilion of Ukraine I found (again) by accident. This was the last work I
saw before we left Venice. I still had half a day to enjoy the city before we
departed for Budapest and I wanted to have a walk and a nice meal in Venice.
And got lost again... and found this church with the work of Oksana Mas.
Venice Biennale, Pavilion of Ukraine, photo by Török Viktória

Oksana Mas: Post-vs-Proto Renaissance, Pavilion of Ukraine, Venice Biennale,
photo by Török Viktória

Detail of the installation - the complete piece was made of 3 640 000 wooden eggs.
Pavilion of Ukraine, Oksana Mas, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo. Built in the 15th century - the Contarini Mansion.
In Venetian dialect bovolo means external spiral staircase. Felt dizzy even just
looking at it. Taking a break from art at the Venice Biennale. photo by me.

Finally a sign - it wasn't easy to find it. Well, I never made friend with the map
of Venice. Nor the GPS of my Blackberry. photo by Török Viktória

On the way to the Palazzo Giustinian to watch Christian Marclay's work.
54th Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

His 24-hour piece was on for 2 days while the press days. The work is 24 hours
of film moments in which characters interact with timepieces (just like looking
at their watches or just saying the time). Each moment is placed to correspond
with the real time. Once you sit down cannot finish watching it.
photo by Török Viktória

When I saw the work in London at the White Cube gallery they had confortable
sofas to sit on, here you had massive chairs in a charming room. Stylish.
Christian Marclay: The Clock,  Palazzo Giustinian, Venice Biennale,
photo by Török Viktória



Morteza Darehbaghi: Illumination and Peace.
The Pavilion of  I. R. of Iran, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória



In Venice Morteza Darehbaghi's work is inspired by the 240 000 Iranian martyrs who lost their lives in the war between Iran and Iraq. The work also includes photos of parents and children who were killed during bombing of cities. The images are printed on mirrors and installed at different levels depending on the age - a child visitor will see the face of a child. While looking at the images visitors can see their own faces, too. In the instillation due to limited space only 2000 images were used. Still, it was very moving.

On the Venice Biennale in the Pavilion of Egypt you can see the works of Ahmed Basiony. Sadly the artist died this year on 28 January at the Tahrir Square in Cairo while filming the revolution. Basiony’s work for the Biennale 30 Days of Running in the Place is the play of a video documentation to a project that had taken place a year ago. The pavilion was full of people but nobody wanted to talk to each other. Watching the film of his performance and at the same time his documentation of the Tahrir Square fights made people speachless. 

This is what you see first when you enter the Pavilion of Egypt.
Venice Biennale, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Inside of the Pavilion. Basiony's works on both sides and the Tahrir Square
 film in the middle.Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

In Venice after visiting the Pavilion of Montenegro don’t leave immediately but go upstairs and visit the Pavilion of Estonia, too. Liina Siib’s project (A Woman Takes Little Place) consists of a six rooms installation in an apartment-like environment. In other rooms there are photo and video installations exploring various topics from femininity and social space to different representation of women in the contemporary society. She also examines feminine jobs and prostitution. The title work of the exhibition that is a photo installation captures women of different ages and social status at their places of work.

Recently I worked on a project – a completely different area, nothing to do with art – that made me think what women need to do in life. What are we here for? In the pavilion of Estonia those pictures show women with hard jobs, nothing feminine; a butcher shouldn’t be a woman in my opinion for instance. I can see these sorts of faces every day on the metro in Budapest. You can see on their faces that they gave up something.  Probably long time ago they all had a dream of being someone’s princess, or just to have a beautiful life and enjoy being a woman. Where are those dreams now?

Liina Siib: A Woman Takes Little Place, Pavilion of Estonia, Venice,
photo by Török Viktória

Israeli Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Giardini, this year the artist is Sigalit Landau:
One Man's Floor Is Another Man's Feelings (graved in the wall of the pavilion),
photo by Török Viktória

President Shimon Perez is leaving his boat for the opening of the Israeli Pavilion,
Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Venice Biennale, French Pavilion

The French Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

This year Christian Boltanski took over the pavilion to create his installation.
French Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Christian Boltanski: The Wheel of Fortune - long strip of photograps of
newborn babies. Once a doorbell rings one of the babies is selected and appears
on a monitor. One child is chosen by chance - his life is still a blank page - for
better or worse. French Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Christian Boltanski: Be New - faces of 60 newborn Polish and 52 deceased Swiss
are cut into 3 parts. By pressing a button visitors can form new beings.
You can also play online: http://www.boltanski-chance.com,
 French Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

To find the Pavilion of Scotland with the works of Karla Black was the most
 complicated but once I found the nearby streets there were signs everywhere.
The way up to the pavilion, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

These limited edition bags are created especially for the Biennale, you can pick
your favourite one. Karla Black, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória 

Karla Black's sculptures prioritise looking over thinking and doing over speaking.
For her sculptures she uses different materials like paint, plaster, vaseline,
 cellophane, nail varnish, body paint, lipstick, eye shadow and many more.
In the Pavilion of Scotland, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

Sometimes her sculptures look like installations and sometimes they are so flat
that they almost look like paintings. And some of them even had beautiful smell.
Pavilion of Scotland, Karla Black, Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória 

When I decided to visit Vienna I started to look for works by Markus Schinwald, too. He is representing Austria on the Venice Biennale this year and I quite liked the pavilion and his works (not the paintings, though). In Venice there is a video work by him, a 2 channelled projection (Orient) that I really liked. In his vision in the pavilion the viewer turns into a performer and the pavilion itself into a closed stage. His obsession with legs was quite obvious as he created walls in the pavilion those allowed to see one’s legs only. Also looking up you could see furniture legs on the walls.

Searching for Schinwald I found the Salvador Dali exhibition online that just opened in the Kunsthalle (Le Surrealisme, c'est moi!). His surreal works are confronted with 4 contemporary artist’s works (Louise Bourgeois, Glenn Brown, Markus Schinwald and Francesco Vezzoli – reassessing his works in the mirror of present day art. Each room is set up with relevant works from Dali and one of the contemporary artists. Worth visiting even if you think you had enough art for the day as it is a small and entertaining exhibition.  

Markus Schinwald: Orient, Pavilion of Austria, Venice Biennale,
photo by Török Viktória 

Markus Schinwald: Orient, Pavilion of Austria, Venice Biennale,
photo by Török Viktória

On the right the exhibition poster of Le Surrealisme, c'est moi, Salvador Dali,
Vienna, Kunsthalle, photo by Török Viktória

Markus Schinwald's aquarium at the Dali exhibition,
Vienna, Kusthalle, photo by Török Viktória

View at the Dali exhibition, on the right a black and white painting by Glenn Brown,
on the left the work of Salvador Dali, Vienna, Kunsthalle, photo by Török Viktória

  

Venice Biennale, Pavilion of People's Republic of China

One of my favourite places at the Biennale. It was all about flavours and smells. 

The amazing installation view at the Pavilion of People's Republic of China,

Venice Biennale, Arsenale, photo by Török Viktória

These jars have an alluring fragrance that is extracted from plants found in China,
 Southeast Asia and Europe - they all keep secrets inside from various regions.
We could take them with us and keep them forever. However keeping them
one never discovers the secret concealed inside. To find out the truth you have to
smash the jar but this way you lose it forever.I still have mine on my desk with me.
Yang Maoyuan: All Things Are Visible, People's Rebublic of China,
Venice Biennale, Arsenale, photo by Török Viktória

Work of Pan Gongkai: Snow Melting into the Lotus,
Pavilion of People's Republic of China, Venice Biennale, Arsenale,
photo by Török Viktória

The end of the queue at the British Pavilion. This morning it was 3 hours to get in.
I went back in the afternoon and I had to wait only 1,5 hours. How lucky!
Venice Biennale, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Mike Nelson created a large-scale installation for the pavilion. We had to make
sure that we open all possible doors and enter the rooms behind them.
British Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

There was a weird smell in the building. Some sort of old and misterious smell.
Mike Nelson, British Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

Magazin: Büyük Valide Han. The work in a different form first was created
for the Istanbul Biennial in 2003. With this installation the artist creates a link
between the two former mercantile centres: Venice and Istanbul.
For him it is also a personal link with the two biennials.
Mike Nelson, British Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

In this room the ceiling was full of pictures taken in a turkish city. All the
buildings,surrondings looked like the one we were just inside.
Mike Nelson, British Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

They even removed the roof of the building to complete his vision. Before
entering the pavilion we were told to make sure that we get into the middle
of the building and discover this view.
Mike Nelson, British Pavilion, Venice, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória

We arrived to the Pavilion of Luxembourg just before closing time. They were still happy to let us in and enjoy the installation of Martine Feipel and Jean Bechameil. The idea was to create completely illogical spaces. Entering the room I felt dizzy immediately. Everything was white and some of the furniture looked melted. It was a real Alice in Wonderland experience.  In one of the rooms there was a big chandelier and time to time a sound of an earthquake and the chandelier started to swing. There were other rooms with secrets, too - I won't tell you all. We had a few more moments to take pictures of ourselves in the mirrors and then left to enjoy our last night in Venice.

The pavilion has the most beautiful exhibition catalogue with amazing cover and paper. Watch out book lovers!  

Pavilion of Luxembourg, Venice,
artists: Martine Feipel and Jean Bechameil,
photo by Török Viktória

Installation view of the Pavilion of Luxembourg, Venice,
photo by Török Viktória

Installation view of the Pavilion of Luxembourg, Venice,
photo by Török Viktória

There is electric blue colour and the sound of the sea in the Venice Pavilion. All the boats are leaning at the same angle and following the semicircle shape of the pavilion. They are waiting to be discovered. Entering the room all you can see is the bottom of the boats and you can hear this very strong noise – the sound of the sea. Step forward, pass by a couple of boats and stop for a second then turn around. What you will see now is amazing. Inside of all the boats there are screens showing water – moving water. This blue colour is magical, so strong and sharp.

On your Biennale visit leave this pavilion for the afternoon when you feel tired – it is perfect for chilling. Take your time and have a rest before you move on to the next one from here.       

Installation view in the Venice Pavilion,
works of video artist Fabrizio Plessi,
Venice Biennale, Giardini,
photo by Török Viktória

The Venice pavilion restored with the support of Arzana Navi and Louis Vuitton,
Venice Biennale, Giardini, photo by Török Viktória 

The bag everybody wanted to have. Free Ai Weiwei.
Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

The Black Arch by Raja and Shadia Alem,
Saudi Pavilion, Venice Biennale,
Photo by Török Viktória

One of Urs Fischer's life size candles.
Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

Installation view in the Hungarian Pavilion, artist: Hajnal Nemeth,
Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória

Karla Black's sculptures, Scottish Pavilion,
Venice Biennale, photo by Török Viktória