Screaming Sky Olga Lamaka, 2024 British contemporary artist Olga Lamaka with a different take on aliens who mimic our own ability to both scream and meditate. Equus Kostis Georgiou, 2023-2024 One of many animals installed around the world and the second we have come across at the Biennial. Woman in Bronze Sonia Payes, 2023 Keepers of the known Lauren Halsley, 2024 Lauren mixes old world and contemporary with images of people that have influenced her life in Los Angeles. Dans les rues d'Athènes Max Ernst, 1960 Max Ernst was the second husband of Peggy Guggenheim, a millionnaire heiress and socialite who set a goal of buying a painting every day. Street art is not so easy to find in Venice - and this contrasts with last year’s visit to Athens where it adorned many buildings of the ancient world. Indeed there are many signs Venetian tagging is discouraged with many ‘ghosts’ of cleaned up workings. Eutopia and Corpus Kostis Georgiou, 2023-2024 In the entrance of the European Cultural Center is a major work by renowned Greek artist. Kostis Georgiou was born in Thessalonika in 1956. His life’s work has seen two major themes with both fine art and public sculptural pieces side by side. Infanta Margarita Manolo Valdés, 2005, St Mark’s Sq. Thirteen bronzes in line at St Mark’s Square to mark the first two months of the 60th Venice Biennial. Not everyone is happy with this commercial ‘city dressing’ in St Mark’s Square, as you can read here… Bridge of Sighs c1600 Possibly named by the sighs of prisoners being led away from the Doge’s Palace to the prison to begin their sentences. Surprisingly small when you get to see it. Indeed our 1912 copy linking the original Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to the new extension is physically bigger, but not photographed so much!

Public Art in Venice

Jonathan Berg In 2024 the 60th La Biennale di Venezia brings an artistic focus to northern Italy. As well as exhibition-based art in the different country ‘pavilions’, there is plenty of public art to be seen on the streets. Lets have a look round and see what we can find.

www.birminghamspublic.art

Building Bridges Lorenzo Quinn, 2019 Each of the six sculptures represents one of the universal human values of: friendship, wisdom, help, faith, hope, and love. Originally installed for the 2019 Biennial it is now on permanent display. In Birmingham we have our own Lorenzo Quinn with his Tree of Life hands forming the memorial to those who died in Birmingham during the Blitz. You get a great view from the water bus from the airport as you past the Arsenale.
© Birmingham Picture Library, 2024
Public Art along the way On the way to the Arsenale which is a major centre for the Biennial there two municipal gardens along the waterfront provide locations for major public art exhibitions.
Between Heaven and Hell Pavel Miguel, 2023 Mary holds the fallen soldier seated on an ammunition box. The contrasting colours adds poignancy to the piece No More Time Paola Buratto Caovilla, 2022 The artist points to the need for respect for the environment if the world is to secure a future.