Virgin Garden

Virgin Garden: Emersion and exhibiting artists explored notions of spirituality and essence, while recognizing the inherent challenges in articulating such intangible life forces with visual art, by employing elements of Chinese philosophy and culture to frame the dialogue. The inaugural China pavilion consisted of two spaces, adjacent interior and exterior venues.

　　The interior, a former naval oil storage facility, was in the Arsenale complex near the ferry shuttle dock and featured a video installation by Xu Zhen and a light installation by Liu Wei. The outdoor, adjacent site, Vergini Garden, was connected to the enclosed gallery by a doorway and was bridged to the interior by architect Yung Ho Chang's open bamboo canopy. The skeletal shelter was fabricated by traditional Chinese bamboo artisans and designed as a refuge for visitors after extended Arsenale viewing. Also in the courtyard was artist team Sun Yuan and Peng Yu's sculptural installation and a fengshui project for Venice by Wang Qiheng.