Artribune's Top and Flop of the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale

The 16th Venice Architecture Biennale, titled Freespace and curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, runs until November 25, 2018. Artribune's review highlights the Vatican Chapels on San Giorgio Maggiore as a top success, drawing crowds and international press like The New York Times. The Bahrain pavilion at the Arsenale is praised for its poetic and self-critical installation Friday Sermon. Small national pavilions at the Arsenale, including Argentina, Ireland, Albania, Croatia, Indonesia, and Bahrain, are commended for high quality. The Italian pavilion, Arcipelago Italia curated by Mario Cucinella, focuses on depopulation and aging in 60% of national territory. The Catalan studio Flores & Prats impresses with Liquid Light at the Arsenale and a Vatican Chapel. Flops include the curators' excessive didacticism and lack of architectural identity, Odile Decq's unconvincing installation Phantom's Phantom at the Central Pavilion, and the overly busy pavilions of Spain, Germany, and France. Decq's participation in the Voices of Women flash mob against harassment is noted.