Andrew Frost is someone I can really agree with. And frankly what more can we wish for in an art critic to confirm what we already think about works of art? Case in point was the art life special on the Biennale of Sydney on ABC1 last night.

Of course the challenge of contemporary art is that it assumed that there should be strong reactions to works and a feeling of confrontation. The joy in Frost’s style of writing and presenting is one of a Richard Attenborough look at the art world – even though you might not know exactly what he is on about it sure sounds interesting.

The joy and wonder of art is much more thoughtfully expressed here and moves away from the typically cynical look at art. The style of presentation was also quite silly and not the typical stuffy art TV with a historical focus on the past. The running gag of Yoko Ono’s phone at the Art Gallery of NSW is amusing as it rings in the background while Andrew swans through parties and visits exhibitions.

The mention of these art parties, benefactors and the Sydney upper-class social scene and this obvious conflict with revolution was put to the Chairman of the Biennale board, Luca Belgiorno-Nettis. Although Mr. Belgiorno-Nettis points out this kind of patronage has been going on for a long time and to fund even more confronting works.  The patronage through galleries and cultural bodies is probably just as equally present and neither seemed to have affected the choices of works shown.

The interview with Pierre Huyghe is also an illuminating one. ‘A Forest of Lines’ 2008 in which a forest was created in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House for 24 hrs is beautifully explained by Huyghe as a work in which “everyone can find their own path”. Andrew Frost’s special presentation was a great guide to finding a way through this year’s Biennale of Sydney.

Edith Moss is young Sydney writer and has written articles for a number of national and local arts publications. Edith’s main area of interest is contemporary art, design and architecture, she seeks to write about these areas for a broad audience and make contemporary art more open to the public.