Good word is out at Venice biennale

Creative New Zealand is making optimistic noises about the value of its high cost ($1.5 million for three appearances) and high-profile first showing at the Venice biennale.

Specialist art criticism has not yet started to appear but Penelope Borland of Creative New Zealand says the initial reactions have been very favourable, with the dawn ceremony by Pounamu Kai Tahu in Piazza San Marco attracting media attention.

On the second day of the exhibition, entitled Bipolar, the San Francisco Chronicle reporter arrived saying that he had heard the New Zealand show was not to be missed and the New York Times and Art in America appeared together, similarly quoting good word-of-mouth reports.

The president of the biennale, Paolo Barratta, spoke to the New Zealand commissioner, Jenny Gibbs at the opening ceremony and said: "You have been a big hit. We do hope that you are coming back."

The novelty of New Zealand making its debut has caused comment but the work itself, Peter Robinson's installation Divine Comedy and Jacqueline Fraser's A Demure Portrait of the Artist Strip Searched - with 11 details of bi-polar disorder, has been described as one of the stronger shows.

Borland says, "Top curators have admired the work and the way we have used our space and we've been told that this is the best exhibition there's been in this venue, which is often used for this purpose.

"Quite spontaneously, many people have commented we should be really pleased with the reaction we've had."