19th Biennale of Sydney: You Imagine What You Desire
fluoro takes you to the 19th Biennale of Sydney.
We began our journey at the Museum of Contemporary Art greeted by the Biennale’s title You Imagine What You Desire, replicated in a text-based installation by Scottish artist Nathan Coley. Inspired by the title of the Biennale, Coley has created a series of installations that tie together the Biennale’s various locations. The illuminated artworks are both stunningly thought provoking and along with the title include a further two phrases: You Will What You Imagine and You Create What You Will.
Text works are found throughout the Biennale in various forms from Coley’s illuminated works to neon pieces by Polish artist Hubert Czerepok and a film by Ignas Krunglevicius. Krunglevicius’ 2009 work Interrogation is particularly poignant as it utilises a police transcript from a US murder investigation when Mary Kovic allegedly killed her husband with his gun. The piece challenges the notion of the seen/unseen and draws on Krunglevicius’ background as a composer.
It is not only the art that causes contemplation at the Biennale, but also the various venues and the way they encourage viewers to interact with the artworks. The venue of Cockatoo Island is particularly notable as it establishes a dialogue between the art pieces and their surrounds. Accessed only by ferry, the island holds large warehouse spaces that house the selection of sculptures, interactive artworks and video installations, set against a backdrop of rusting machinery. The darkness of the space contrasts a traditional gallery and in some instances sets a serious tone for viewers, while encouraging other to interact.
The Carriageworks venue – previously a film studio – also presents art in a non-traditional manner in a large dark space. With emphasis on video and digital art the space allows viewers to immerse and lose themselves in the artworks, removed from their surrounds. The lighting also allows digital works to float, as their physical structure is lost into the darkness.
With an emphasis on the digital, this instalment of the Biennale speaks of an increased use of technology as a medium in the wider art community. Viewers are able to experience the variety of applications within this genre.
The Biennale of Sydney takes place in five venues across Sydney, Australia. It concludes on Monday 9 June 2014.
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