Florentina Holzinger's Nude Bell-Ringer Performance Goes Viral at Venice Biennale

At the Venice Biennale, the Austrian Pavilion has become the most photographed and discussed attraction due to Florentina Holzinger's provocative performance. Every hour, a naked woman climbs a rope and hangs upside down inside a large metal bell, swinging like a clapper as the bell rings. The scene, which lasts about a minute, has gone viral on social media, drawing long queues at the Giardini. Inside the pavilion, titled "Seaworld Venice," additional performances include a woman submerged in a tank filled with filtered urine from nearby chemical toilets, a woman driving a motorboat in a pool, and performers staging a "Deposition of Christ" on a giant weather vane. Holzinger, a 40-year-old Austrian artist known for shock tactics, addresses themes of female bodies, water, and religion, critiquing the Church's authority and patriarchy. The installation also comments on Venice's environmental issues, such as rising sea levels and overtourism. Holzinger, primarily a choreographer, has been called "the most radical artist in Europe" by Die Zeit. Curator Nora-Swantje Almes describes her work as using shock as an entry point to deeper themes.