Rachel Maclean presents Pinocchio-inspired film 'Spite Your Face' at Scotland's 2017 Venice Biennale pavilion

Rachel Maclean represents Scotland at the 2017 Venice Biennale with a new short film titled 'Spite Your Face' installed in Chiesa di Santa Caterina, a deconsecrated church in Cannaregio. Written following the 2016 Brexit vote and US elections, the work reinterprets Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' through contemporary themes of post-truth politics, gender, and inequality. Maclean performs all roles using green-screen technology, exaggerated makeup, prosthetics, and costumes to create grotesque characters in a dystopian setting. The artist considers the Biennale's multinational context unique, incorporating multiple languages and translations into the film. Maclean acknowledges the complexity of representing Scotland amid rising nationalism, referencing both the Scottish Independence Referendum and Brexit while celebrating the country's visual culture. Her first Biennale visit occurred in 2009 after art college graduation, staying at Camp Jolly on the mainland. The Scottish pavilion provides an international platform for artists and includes professional development opportunities for students in Venice. Maclean expresses anticipation for Jesse Jones's exhibition at the Irish pavilion. The Venice Biennale runs from 13 May to 26 November 2017.