he Venice Biennale, established in 1895, is the oldest, most prestigious and arguably most important event on the contemporary art calendar. Every two years the event sees the who’s who of the artistic world descend on Venice.

This year the Australian Centre for Contemporary Arts (ACCA) is taking on the event – guerilla style. They don’t have a stage or a pavilion. They do have three bold artists and a mission: to promote the low-fi, DIY, performative-based trend that’s emerging in contemporary practice in Australia. A form that is often under represented in conventional international exhibition presentations.

The ACCA is unleashing what they’ve called a pop-up program from June 1-3. It’s essentially a series of unique, surprise performances around the city, sure to shock, engage and at least garner the attention of the Vernissage crowd.

The three artists taking on this audacious adventure are Anastasia Klose, Stuart Ringholt and Laresa Kosloff.

Anastasia’s work is unashamedly melodramatic. One of her recent performance pieces saw her take to the streets of Melbourne in a wedding dress with a cardboard sign reading “Nana, I’m still alone!” fastened around her neck. Embarrassment is an integral part of her art.

Stuart Ringholt works across a broad range of platforms, from performance workshops to video and sculpture. In 2008 he ran Anger Workshops for the Sydney Biennial. The 20-minute sessions involved participants screaming, yelling and acting out movie scenes to release pent up anger.

Laresa Kosloff’s work ranges from slapstick to high-end abstraction. Her latest work explores the moment when movement and gesture translate in to significance.

What these three will do in Venice is anyone’s guess. But it’s sure to be entertaining.

ACCA will be filming all the performances and key moments will be featured on the ACCA website. Juliana Engberg, ACCA Artistic Director and Charlotte Day, Associate Curator, will also post a daily blog.

accaonline.org.au