Shirin Neshat, Rapture (video still), 1999, Biennale of Sydney - The world may be fantastic, 2002
At this point of the research on the chosen topic, what is becoming increasingly evident is that the search for critique and context in relation to the large-scale contemporary international art exhibition is an enormous beast!
Web searches continue to produce what could best described as ‘bits and pieces’ of relevant and interesting information’ in relation to the topic. However in terms of producing a comprehensive argument or arguments, I do not feel that the content is there. (Though at this point it is probably wise to point out this form of research and investigation is untested waters for this author and may speak more of a lack of understanding on how to best utilise the resources of the www.)
The continuing research has provided information and sites, which include discussions and opinion on extremely specific events and exhibitions which contribute to the development of a (very) broad framework for the topic.
As with initial searches a high percentage of the information has not been produced specifically for the web, but has been sourced from written publication, conference papers and interviews for example, this information yielding the most ‘academic’ and formal sources of information. The expanded search has also uncovered a number of sites where relevant information is produced specifically for the Internet. And then there are the blogs… It would appear that every person and their dog thinks its his absolute right and indeed duty to offer up an idea, opinion or random (rambling thought), and that there are an endless number of people willing to respond!
EXPANDED URLOGRAPHY
1. http://www.govettbrewster.com
The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is a museum that fosters the development and interpretation of contemporary. Govett-Brewster is located in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
One of the key focuses of the organisations activities is in the area of publication. The organisation publishes extensively on the role of contemporary art in contemporary society. Within this section the organisation has an on-line publishing listing. Located here is the 2004 interview with Robert Storr (curator of Venice Biennale 2007) with Gregory Bourke
2. http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au
Website for the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Western Australia, contains the paper Who is in and who is out? The process of re-writing South African art history in the 1990s by Dr Sabine Marschall of University of Durban-Westville, presented at the African Studies Association of Australasia & the Pacific 22nd Annual & International Conference (Perth, 1999)
3. http://www.artthrob.co.za
ArtThrob is a South African online contemporary visual arts publication, reporting on the national arts scene and the involvement of South African artists in the international art world.
A recent posting (July 2006) Venetian Blind: A response to Malcolm Payne by Maria Passarra continues a protracted debate amongst South African academics and critics on the positing of South African artists and contemporary practice in international contexts.
4. http://www.aleksandramir.info
Reviewing the fantastic by Joan Kee. Review of the 2002 Biennale of Sydney, The World may be Fantastic located on the web site of artist Alexandra Mir.
5. http://www.telecomprospct.org.nz
Telecom Prospect is a survey of New Zealand contemporary art. The first event was held in the City of Wellington in 2001, the second in 2004. ‘… the exhibition provides an insight into some of the artists who have made, or are likely to make, a major impact on the thinking and identity of our time…”
The event includes an online catalogue and in 2004 this catalogue included the essay Quantifiably Quirky by Tobias Berger, which touched on the ideas and arguments of placing the local amongst the global.
6. http://www.web.ukonline.co.uk/n.paradoxa
n.paradoxa is an online international feminist art journal exploring feminist theory and contemporary women's art practices. An issue from 1996 contains:
Four Papers from the Joint American and Canadian Association of Aesthetics conference, Montreal October 1996. One of the papers included is Questioning stereotypes of feminism in the visual arts by Katy Deepwell and makes references to biennales in the context of feminism and internationalism in contemporary art.
7. http://www.slashseconds.org
/seconds Is an online publishing project initiated and edited by Derek Horton and Peter Lewis, designed by Graham Hibbert and supported by an international editorial and advisory board of academics, artists and curators. /seconds is published every three months and includes text, visual material (including moving image) and sound-based work.
The focus of the text of Issue 3 of /seconds is the nature of curating and curatorial practices in contemporary art
8. http://artlife.blogspot.com
Hosted by blogger.com, Artswipe is a Sydney based BLOG, located in the industry section of the Arts. The blogger does not identify him/her or themselves…
….. ‘It’s only been a couple of weeks since the Biennale of Sydney opened but already it feels as exciting as last week’s milk. Which is to say, not very exciting at all, not very interesting and possibly a bit stinky. BOS 2006 is a curious success and also a strange kind of failure….’ July 2006 posting
9. http://artswipe.blogspot.com
Hosted by blogger.com, Artswipe is a Sydney based BLOG, located in the industry section of the Arts. The blogger identifies him or herself as an artist and who’s interests are ‘self and other’
In the posting titled Docile Biennales the installation of Antony Gormley’s Asian Field is utilised in arguments surrounding the lack of representation of Australian artists in Zones of Contact, Biennale of Sydney, 2006.