Se puoi caminare sulle pietra? It is possible walk on the stones.

It is indeed possible to walk on the stones here at the Martin Boyce’s, No Reflections exhibition. This surprises many people as they have tried to walk round the stones, or indeed ignore the stones very existence but walking on them is best.

Walking, is a must do activity here in magical Venezia, even the most reluctant or fitness phobic cannot escape this heart rate raising activity. But I think this physical activity paves the way for a much more intimate knowledge of this strange place. For it allows you to touch the seeping grandeur that fills each corner of the city and its depleted glory becomes more tangible.

The previous team wrote about their quest to seek out and witness all the exhibitions within Venice, which I think they successfully did. So I will not further expand upon the many hours lost searching for exhibitions, or just in fact lost in general, for in Venice it seems the art of loosing your way is most perfected.

But with creativity practically oozing out of every alleyway, courtyard and church, it is the perfect place to be inspired. For I have been amazed and pleasantly surprised with how much beautiful work there is here. On many occasions I have prepared myself for the usual Biennale onslaught, of loud, bold and intense work, but have happily had my defences ripped down.

The Giardini contains some strikingly gentle and quiet works, alongside the large bold crowd pleasers. Steve McQueen’s film, Toba Khedoori’s pencil drawings, Pavel Pepperstein’s humorous futuristic works and Bruce Nauman’s dancing hand sculptures are a few that stick in my mind.

It has been a surprising time so far. From the artworks to the many people we have met and made friends with, to how inspired you can become by just an atmosphere, to how lost you can get in a day and how much pizza a person can actually eat! It seems everywhere you turn here there is something more, something a bit unexpected here in this floating city.

But after that brief reflection I return to the stones, the leaves and the abandoned garden in which we live and work. Until next time...

ciao