Biennial.

So I thought i'd write about my experience of this years Biennial, I did enjoy it this year although I think the previous biennial was more memorable for me, there are many more artists and works that I remember, and prefer, from 08 then I do this year. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it this year, I did, some works more then others to be fair. I had a different outlook on art this time around, I was a lot more cynical and dismissive. I think that's purely due to timing, I react differently to artwork depending on how I'm feeling at the time. Such as with Sachiko, the first time I went to see the performance I was pretty enthralled by the whole experience and atmosphere, it was kinda hypnotic. The sounds, the visuals it was all very alluring in a celestial kinda manner. The second time I went to see it I took my male friend and as we were both staring up at her he said to me,


'Why is she up there?'
'I don't know'
'What do I do if someone asks me a question?'
'Nobody is going to ask you anything'


And just this simple question got me thinking about the whole experience, how was I supposed to react to this? If it all? Do you have to be part of the 'art club' to participate in this performance? Would this art still work without an audience to see her? How would that affect the relationship between her and process? Almost like if a tree falls, and nobody is around to hear it, would it still make a sound? Not that I want sachiko to fall or anything. But I can't help but wonder.


These sort of questions bled into the other artworks i'd seen during the festival, if no one where to view the works, would they still be art? Does all artwork require a certain level of interaction for it to be successful?