The Venice Architecture Biennale opened last weekend. It's the first time it's been curated by a woman, Kazuyo Sejima, co-founder of the architecture firm SANAA. And because women are just so innately nurturing, the Biennale was transformed overnight into a kid heaven. Yes, I'm sure that's it.
Here is some new dad blowing some old guy's mind by changing his kid's diaper next to the Arsenale:
Here are the folks from OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen and Bas Princen, who were awarded the Silver Lion for most promising young practice. Geers and Van Severen's installation at the 2008 Bienniale was aptly titled, "After the party," and it seems Geers [with baby] took that to heart.
Here's an installation that's actually for the kids, who were coloring up a storm. I'm posting this, though, because of those sweet, kid-sized folding screens in the foreground. Nice, even if they look a little flimsy, they're a big improvement over the mean-looking panel set-up they replaced. I have no idea who did this:
All the above photos are via Milan-based photographer Bruno Cordioli. If Bruno wasn't the official Biennale photographer before, he is now; he totally owns it on flickr. [flickr]
Meanwhile, on the preview day, Panapster snapped this kid bouncing on the giant beanbag pillow in, I think, OMA's installation. Notice the black X of tape, already not holding in the little foam pellets very well:
http://images.artnet.com/artwork_images/1140/165790.jpg
Nice catch, and definitely a reference.
they filled the pavilion floor and courtyard with trampled confetti and scattered chairs and had post-party images from Thomas Demand and Hedi Slimane [?]
via archinect: More evidence of a kid (and baby) friendly Biennale