GORDON PARSONS is bowled over by a skilfully stripped down and powerfully relevant production of Hamlet
Chinese contemporary art
SIMON DUFF walks us through a fascinating display that is bold, optimistic and spiritual
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Atlas: Harmony in Diversity
Chinese pavilion, Venice Bienale
VENICE, in all its majesty and cultural splendor, is a city that needs a Biennale more than ever. As the population continues to decline and many buildings lie empty a new focus and cultural re-awakening is vital.
The 60th Biennale, entitled Foreigners Everywhere, is designed to showcase art from around the world and runs from April to November in venues across the city. There are many highlights: painting in the Venice pavilion, the extraordinary film and sonic work about the Ukraine war in the Polish exhibition, the ambition of hyper-historical migrant themes in the Spanish Pavilion.
But the work that perhaps best demonstrates the tightrope balancing act of looking both to the past and future is highlighted at the China Pavilion.
More from this author
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SIMON DUFF immerses himself in the Kings Place D&B soundscape to relish a contemporary string quartet
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SIMON DUFF applauds a highly important album from a band who relate their music directly to the war in Gaza
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New releases from The The, Memo Comma and Anna Gourari/Orchestra della Svizzera italiana
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SIMON DUFF revels in a performance by up and coming concert pianist Aidan Chan
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MARJORIE MAYO recommends an exhibition that asserts Palestinian history, culture and creativity in the face of strategies to erase them
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LYNNE WALSH applauds a show of paintings that demonstrates the forward strides made by women over four centuries
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HENRY BELL steps warily through the collection of a Glaswegian war profiteer to experience his collection of Degas’ remarkable images of working people
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ANGUS REID welcomes the retrospective of a unique photographic artist for its demonstration of new avenues in British art, and the human insight it delivers