Sinking in the Venice bienale

-- There was a sun set party at the asrenale, lots of pretty girls in dresses and high heels, curators and galerists in smart suits and those Prada black spectacles thirstily attacked the automated waiters who could not even get half way into the crowd before all the champagne flutes they had just brought out would be replaced with empty ones.

I had a painting in the Arsenale nuovo exhibition which was located exactly across the canal to the party, and having set up my work earlier that day was ready to celebrate and dressed up for the occasion, joining in the clinking of flutes.

The Austrian artists Gelitin also showing their work at the arsenale nuovo had for the purpose of quick transport from our exhibition in the arsenal nuovo across 200 meters of canal to the old arsenal created a wooden vessel.This vessel did not resemble a boat, really, it was more like a shack on water, with some sort of sail attached which fooled a bunch of people into daring to mount it and try prove the rest of the party how this art piece can be used to cross the water. No girls wanted to attempt this obvious folly, so Elena the curator of our show pestered me, until I consented to engage along side her in the maiden voyage of the rickety raft.

Six of us set sail into the sun set. People on the shore gooed and oohed at us for a moment, and than returned to hunting down waiters. As we where 40 meters from the shore the raft began to sink. Yes the wood soaked up the water and withing seconds our ankles and pretty leather shoes where in water. Soon we where in water up to the knees. Than we started to holler for help. At this point the party suddenly did find it interesting to watch, point, stare, laugh at and probably make bets on how fast we shall sink .

In that moment, whilst sinking, on the shore, I saw him. The pilote-boy I had fallen head ower heels in Mexico city who was coming to meet me in Venice and who I had been dying to see for weeks. I was too embarrassed even to wave. I hoped he did not see me. The boat did not stop sinking. Elena screamed down a speed boat which picked us up out of them miserious situation and returned us to shore with our cameras and phones intact. By than the pilote boy had left. The raft had sunk.