The Austrian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale has become the talk of the art world thanks to Florentina Holzinger's provocative performance installation, 'Seaworld Venice'. The piece features naked performers riding jetskis, a woman ringing a bell with her body, and another immersed in the audience's urine. Holzinger, known for pushing boundaries, expressed surprise at the strong reactions, asking: 'How can nudity be so provocative?'
In one striking scene, a naked woman was hoisted upside down inside a cast-iron bell suspended from a crane over the Venice lagoon. The performer slammed her body against the bell to create a ringing sound. Another part of the installation involves a performer diving into a pool filled with urine collected from visitors. The eight-hour daily performance also includes contortion acts and climbing stunts.
Holzinger's work often blends circus, opera, and performance art. Her previous piece, 'Sancta', featured a climbing wall, a pregnant pope on a robot arm, and nuns on roller skates. She describes 'Seaworld Venice' as part temple, part theme park, and part sewage plant. The artist noted that Venice is the birthplace of the reclining nude in art, questioning why real nudity remains controversial.
