The Tank Saga: Part 2

The story continues, but its not a happy scene.

When the tank was cleaned out this week by Filippo, two fish were discovered. One (named Gilbert the Gobi, top) is in perfect health. We had previously thought he was a catfish, but in the intervening two weeks he has grown significantly and seems to be thriving in his recreated saltmarsh environment at the British Pavilion. The other fish, which we have been observing with concern for some time, is a passerin and is being nibbled alive by the crabs who also share this ecosystem - Ruskin and his comrades. (We aren't sure of the translation of passerin in English) Crabs seemingly become more territorial and  often turn cannibalistic when placed within an enclosed environment, regardless of how healthy the system is. Patsy the Passerin's tail is now a raw pink in colour, and is almost completely gone, ruining her sandy camouflage and compromising her swimming capabilities. Sadly it looks like her days are numbered. If she does make it to the end of the Biennale then she will probably form some other creature's dinner when returned to the lagoon.

We also found our pregnant crab dead, lying beside the outlet tank beneath the lagoon. We think she may have been a victim of the drain/pump/filtration process - or an unhappy case of suicide. It was a sad moment to realise that the Legacy of the Lagoon would not be through its crablets. 

On the front desk.

blog sign, 'done.book', lagoon flowers

We thought we would share some of the many funny comments that are written in the visitors book. 

1. (three stars)

2. 'keep it real, keep it simple, cause' its worth it'

3. (sad face + sad face = crying face)

4. 'very boring indeed'

5. 'not bad'

6. ' The girl who's eyes met me on the 'Apple' I can not look at- I have left a little bit of my heart here' - 

7. ' At last something serious and interesting.'

8. 'Bloody lovely stuff.'

9. 'Yes we can.' - Not sure when Obama visited the British Pavilion?

Things are heating up in the pavilion, with the Biennale closing on Sunday. We are all getting prepared for a grand send off... [watch this space]

Alison Crawshaw: muf Architect

Also on Saturday, Alison Crawshaw from muf gave a talk on the stadium and the other projects surrounding muf Architecture / Art with relation to the 2012 Olympics.

London Met: David Kohn's unit

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On Saturday we welcomed a Part 2 group from London Met. They had previously visited Spazio Legno - a Gondola building company based in Giudecca; who created the 1:10 scale Stadium of Close Looking.

A big part of their trip was an in-depth sketching study and tour following Ruskin's Stone's of Venice. 

Due to the mist over Venice, we heard they had some problems flying home. We hope you're all back safe.

Looking closely at the Close Lookers

The Stadium of Close Looking is a 1:10 model of the 2012 London Olympic Stadium refashioned as a drawing salon, similar to that of The Slade Drawing Room at the Royal College of Art. Its plywood timber structure has been constructed locally by Spazio Legno on the island of Giudecca, and its legacy will see it reinstalled in a school or another creative space in Venice. This mirrors the intended Legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, which promises to provide opportunities and facilities for five east London boroughs after the Games are over.

The rungs of our Stadium of Close Looking hold objects salvaged from building sites in London - bits of brick, stone and ceramic - as well as natural materials collected in Venice, such as leaves, seeds and shells. Drawing boards, paper and pencils are scattered throughout, encouraging the visitors to look in detail at their enviroment in much the same way that Ruskin obsessively observed, sketched, drew and re-drew, the stones of Venice's architectural fabric.

Each day we collect a vast number of sketches; some are technically excellent, others are less successful but nonetheless energetically attempted. Others still are fantastical renderings of some dream world or visions of Venice outside the Giardini, to accompany the many philosophical musings, cartoons, signatures, scribbles and amusingly detailed anatomical diagrams.

Here is a collection of our recent finds (censored!)

[The Penguin Pool at London Zoo by Tecton/Lubetkin must not be inappropriately altered in any way. It is a unique sculptural achievement of reinforced concrete and it does not matter if the penguins refuse to mate]