No Exit

At the 61^st Venice Biennale, performance is not secondary. It shapes the rush through the Giardini. Conceived by the late curator Koyo Kouoh, In Minor Keys suggests a more introspective, emotional register. Yet during the preview, its strongest moments are anything but quiet.

I arrive early, before official hours, and the queue stretches along the promenade. Past the gate, many visitors head at once to the Austrian Pavilion. Images of Florentina Holzinger’s Seaworld Venice had already spread online, and the crowd moves as if summoned. A large bell hangs above the entrance. A notice warns against filming. Holzinger appears naked and climbs into the bell. Suspended upside down, she serves as its living clapper. Each strike sends a tremor through her body. The action is simple and brutal. It ...