Biennale

Okay, here's the short version:

About 7 years ago, I got an email invite to this event. It was an art festival in Florence, Italy called Biennale. Kinda like Basel Miami I'm assuming. Anyway, I didn't think a lot of it, especially since I really couldn't afford the $3000 entry fees, not to mention the travel expenses. I requested the full package anyway and received it a few days later. It was a pretty impressive packet of info, but, still relatively broke, I put it in my files.

Flash forward a few years to 2007. I'm working for Phoenix Art Group and someone mentions Biennale and I say something about getting an invite a while back. Chick about choked on her dried vegan seaweed. Apparently it's a really, really big deal and getting invited is too. I don't think she believed me, to be honest, and I couldn't find the info pack after all that time.

So I'm watching one of my favorite films; The Big Lebowski, and at the scene where The Dude has returned to Maude's place at her request and the "video artist, Knox Harrington" (David Thewliss) is there. Eventually Maude comes home and after a bit, the phone rings. Knox calls to Maude and says, "It's Sandra, about Biennale."

Every time I hear that I cringe, thinking of the big opportunity that I missed.

Jump to yesterday. I got my second invitation to the event!



Yeah, still can't afford to go, but at least I have some time to raise the funds, right? Yeah. It's 2700 Euro to enter. That's about $3350 in real money. And again, doesn't include hotel or airfare. But still cool to get the invite!!