Entering the former army camp, you see the tree with a "white shadow". Going closer to the tree, you get this lovely fragrance from the bars of soap that were scattered there. On the first day of the Biennale, there was actually someone seated right in the middle, washing himself with the soap and just a basin of water. Guess the person was really dirty if so much soap was used. :p
Soap Tree?
Soap & Leaves
Other than the soap, the only other display out front was a wall with the words "100 Years Of Solitude". Not finding any written information on the wall, we decided to head in to the nearest building.
The first room we headed to looked like an exhibit out of the Science Centre. It had items on display, strange equipment to explore, and even operating instructions. After looking through the room, you realise that the artist seems to make it as though the viewer's mind has "been damaged by art" - on display are things that you might actually find in your home, tuning forks don't make sounds when hit, 'listening to your brain' ends up with jibberish in your ears. Overall, it ends up as a rather funny experience.
In the next few rooms, we just entered into room after room featuring some video. One had a nice couch right in front of the tv, while others just had benches for us to watch the show that was projected on the wall of a room.
We then moved on to the first level of the block and was greeted with black pieces of some sort of material scattered all over the floor of a few rooms. Each room also had a different design on the walls and had something to do with the solitary wall outside. Maybe we need to read the book to understand what is going on, but for now, people are making their own art on the floor.
Expecting to walk into another room with a black floor, we were surprised to see a room out of an art gallery. The focus was quite obviously on the two tiny sculptures on display, with photographs of the sculptures from different angles hanging on the walls. Since I was chewing a wad of my own, I decided to take a picture of my own tiny sculpture.
Can You See My Tonsils?
Almost There...
Following that was another exhibition which also played with food, but this time, it was the use of leftovers.
Landscapes Made With Leftover Food
Following the rather cute works, we came to a rather dark room, that had a ring of sand right in the centre of the room. Once you realise that there was sand on the floor, your eyes come to look at a strange video playing in the centre of the ring that showed a guy digging out of the soil and then burning back to the ground. The guy actually looked really creepy and I think a few students got a bit freaked out and were scurrying out of the room before we entered.
Once you get out, you notice a lighted swing, just swinging on it's own. Don't know how they do it, but my eyes started to hurt before I could figure out where the lights were connected to.
We then head to the next building, and out of curiosity, actually went up stairs that were not meant to be used. That didn't stop us from getting to the next installation which could have been an operational barber shop by the way it was so accurately done. Entering the place, you realise your reflection through the mirrors are not what you'd expect for the small space, and that was when I saw Shirley on the other side of the room. Best thing about this one was that the artist actually took the time to make mirror images of the items on the tables, and even the artist information was mirrored.
Hole In The Wall
Mirror
Just next to the salon was a movie that took religious scripture into view. It questioned the acts of human beings that went against their beliefs and the destruction they caused through the years. I actually liked this particular film, but was annoyed by the students and teachers that just couldn't wait to discuss the show while it was playing.
Timer Counting Up The Years On The Side
After the short break for our legs from watching the show, we continued walking around the building to check out more installations when I spotted a crescent stuck to teh middle of the tree. I didn't realise its significance until I turned back to find pictures of the glowing crescent in different spaces, and in one picture, it was in the middle of a block of flats.
The subject in the following picture is still making me wonder if it had something to do with the Biennale. It looked as though it was just coat hooks on a wall but with the addition of the spotlights, I don't know if there was actually something there on the first day.
The next room somehow didn't sit well with me and I'm not sure if it was the light or heat in the room, but I just could not stand being in the room long enough to take better photos. The art piece was actually quite an interesting sight to me, looking like muscles that have been stretched, and some even torn, to get a beautiful pose for dance.
Around the corner was the assembly hall that was nice and airy, much to my relief. This area held a big painting as if of some burst of sunlight. However, entering the hall, you'll see that it was all broken up, and only at a certain angle would you see one smooth picture.
Looking out one of the doors of the hall, we spotted a helicopter and some white mass in the area behind the buildings. So we headed down to check them out and also find out if the final block held anything for us to ogle at.
Once on the ground, I realise it was the life-sized helicopter that a Vietnamese guy created out of scrap metal. Earlier, we had watch the film about how it all came about and its relation to the Vietnam war. An inspiring story even though it was a little confusing to watch.
Before we got to the helicopter, the few rooms below the hall held a few more installations. One was a room that 'breathed' and it expanded and contracted as though you were standing in the 'lungs' of a room. It was followed by a room that has charcoal drawings all around, creating doors and staircases where there weren't any. Then we got a look at how you can build a fortress using the things we amass throughout our lifetime. I'm still admiring the packing skills! Finally before we left the second building, we were hypnotised, or were attempted to be, by a shiny, rotating blob.
Turning the corner towards the helicopter, we almost did not see this cute installation. I think it would look really lovely at night, like the crescent moon.
Next installation was a huge drawing done with a single line that covered a space that was probably a canteen in the past. The line, broken up with messages to make certain milestones of the artist's time while creating the piece, as well as marking the times when he had to change pens, had formed some interesting images. Though it looked like one big scribble, following the lines and reading the milestones were actually quite fun to do.
The last installation we saw at this location probably would've been beautiful if the weather didn't take its toll on it. Even when half of it has dissolved and crumbled, you can still see parts of it's original structure still holding on. I'm glad that I wasn't here on a day where the bees would've been buzzing around it like it was their nest though.
A sweet end to the visit to South Beach Development.
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