Two weeks ago, following a successful PRP and officially progressing into the second year of my PhD, I flew out to Venice for a month-long research fellowship, funded by the British Council. Out here I’m working at the British pavilion of the architecture biennale, conducting my own site-specific research project and absorbing as much art and architecture as I can. Here’s a list of a few of my favourite exhibitions and experiences so far.

1. Paula Crown – ‘The Architecture of Memory’

Behind this doorbell at Studio Cannaregio is Paula Crown’s exhibition ‘The Architecture of Memory’. The first room is strewed with red cups, like the memory of a party the night before, though instead of plastic they are made of heavy plaster and each has been placed with purpose. Crown also produced a map of who each cup belonged to which made me think about the process of mapping and has inspired my research on the sculpture to be found in this city. I was the only visitor at the time and the exhibition felt like a hidden secret.

2. ‘Memphis: Plastic Field’ at Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti

I literally exclaimed “WOW” as I arrived at the entrance to this exhibition. The contrast of the bright, postmodern design with its sixteenth century surroundings is some very intelligent curating. I didn’t know much about the short-lived Memphis group before visiting this show, but I’m very glad I took a chance on this as it was gloriously kitsch and colourful – I now want to decorate my own home exactly like this!  Following the exhibition inside the palazzo, ticket holders could also visit Ai Wei Wei’s Gilded Cage in the courtyard and move through the turnstiles inside the sculpture itself – this was a really special experience.

3. ‘The Explorers: Part 1’ at The V-A-C Foundation

These images courtesy of V-A-C Foundation Photo: Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti

The V-A-C is free to enter, which is a big plus for me living in Venice on a PhD student budget. The current exhibition ‘The Explorers: Part 1’, curated by Whitechapel’s Iwona Blazwick, is well worth a visit. Throughout the galleries careful space and consideration has been given to each artwork on display, meaning that each room features just one or two works on a well co-ordinated colourful background, sometimes with soundscapes or an overheard film work from the next room. By far the highlight for me was the Francis Bacon painting which has been given its own soundtrack by Turner Prize nominee James Richards’ and ambient lighting, so that visitors can be fully immersed in their viewing of the work. I’ll definitely be back to visit this one again.

4. The Vatican Chapels, Holy See Pavilion

I’m trying to visit as many free satellite pavilions from the biennale as possible. A couple of days ago I made the vaporetto journey out to San Giorgio Maggiore to experience the Vatican Chapels, which had been highly recommended to me by other research fellows. And I was not disappointed! I don’t claim to know much about architecture but am learning here to think of it as another form of sculptural encounter. The woodland of San Giorgio had become a kind of sculpture garden, dotted with ten contemporary chapels constructed by different architects. Despite not following any religion myself, I do often find the experience of entering religious buildings quite profound and this was very true of the chapels on this island. The weather in Venice is just becoming autumnal as the leaves here change and a soft breeze fills the air – this seemed the perfect time to visit to capture the golden light and shadow created by these buildings.