Venice Is Sinking, but Slowly

Venice, October 10 - 13th, 2007

Venice is a dizzying maze of 118 islands joined by about 400 bridges, where your sense of direction is guided more by quantum theory principles than standard compass-logic. While it is usually possible to find your end destination, the journey from point A to point B refuses to allow you to navigate the same way twice... even following supposedly the exact same directional signs. This makes it particularly difficult, if not impossible, as a wanna-be-photographer to later return to an obscure place of interest found along the way.

As luck would have it, the Biennale di Venezia, a famous arts festival, was showing the works from questionably talented artists from many countries. The Yeti-/crystal-/taxidermy-obsessed LSD-inspired Canadian artist failed miserably to make me a proud Canadian. The Russian exhibition was particularly intelligent, with the highlight being the media shower, where live television literally cascaded down and around the viewer and showered them with media overload. By turning the shower knob, the viewer could immerse themselves in different themes ranging from news, sports, nature, soaps, and pornography. Also of obsessive interest, a French exhibit by Sophie portrayed video and/or critique from 107 ladies on the email breakup letter offered by her last (ever?) boyfriend. Critiques were offered by psychologists, actresses, linguists, a parrot, comedians, and other media names such as Feist and Miss Kitten. This exhibit was really bizarre and obsessive and left me laughing, crying, and running for cover all at the same time. I will add the name 'Sophie' to the list of girls never to date...

For the record - Venice is in fact sinking, and the merchants of Venice have been replaced by illegal immigrant hawkers selling fake purses...


Venice, Italy. The Grand Canal, the main highway.


Venice, Italy. A minor canal full of tourist gondolas.


Venice, Italy. A quiet and lonely gondola in the supposed off-season.


Venice, Italy. Night shot along a casually curving canal.


Venice, Italy. Under the bridge(s).


Venice, Italy. Biennale Art Festival. A Russian exhibit, a literal construction of being showered by media, as 400 live-feed channels cascade down and around. Turn the shower knob, and the channels change by categories including news, sports, nature, soaps, and pornography.


Venice, Italy. Biennale Art Festival. A French exhibit by Sophie, with videos of 107 ladies commenting and/or critiquing the email break up letter offered by her last (ever??) boyfriend. Critiques were offered by psychologists, actresses, linguists, a parrot, comedians, and other media names such as Feist and Miss Kitten.