cockatoo island, sydney biennale

Last weekend I escaped to Sydney for the weekend and managed to visit Cockatoo Island for the Biennale. Setting off from the wharf at Circular Quay, the ferry ride marked a distinct severance from Sydney CBD and a passage into a new world.

Set within the context of a pre-settlement convict base and shipyard, the Biennale imaginatively uses the site to create an exciting cultural playground. You can probably tell from a few of my art-free photos that I was quite enamoured by the site itself. From the sound installation occupying the low, cylindrical bunker, to the giant waterfall projection in the cavernous warehouse, the site’s qualities are fully exploited.

Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger‘s installation was particularly memorable. The interactive installation uses low-tech methods attached to gym equipment to delight the visitor. Bubbles, flailing coloured flowers, dancing skeletons and clanging symbols are activated as the equipment is used. With some of the reactions occurring on the opposite side of the room, I became hyper aware of my movement and the movement of others in the room.

I only had a couple of hours to explore so I’m sure I missed out on seeing it all. However, I saw enough to be convinced that travelling to Sydney for the Biennale is well and truly worth it. I’m half tempted to fly back and check out the other Biennale sites…