The biennial was unspeakable (a tower of babel of failed political action and no art) but thankfully found some inspiration while in Berlin this week.
1) The Big Inexplicable Paravent Illusion at Isabella Bortolozzi
Amazing group show about magic littered with images from magic circles (as above) and brilliant works by Ed Atkins, Stephen G Rhodes, Man Ray and especially Danny McDonald who I am now completely obsessed with.
2) Adrien Missika at Galerie Crone
I couldn't find a good image of the new works but they were stunning architectural structures, with video elements, and light filters. It was damn good.
3) Wolf Vostell
A little solo presentation at the Berlinishe Galerie of this 1960s Berlin artist I had never heard of blew me away. Inserting TVs into sculptural Keinholz influenced assemblages about the holocaust. Seriously jaw dropping work (the photo above from my crappy phone) Emilio Vedova installation next to below also rather amazing.
Absurd Berlin Diary '64
1964 © Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venedig
1964 © Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Venedig
And I also sang an a cappella set devoted to paintings at a new lovely editions shop UnLimited Company and went to The Paris Bar which had everyone from Doig to Kruger on the walls afterwards for the first time which I completely fell in love with.
You can hear me sing Mona Lisa here if you fancy
