“Next To Nothing” at CAME
Group exhibition “Next To Nothing”, which opened July 23rd, presents works by famous names of contemporary Estonian art scene, not to mention some well-known guests from Europe.
Perhaps the most known artist taking part of the exhibition is British artist Martin Creed – a Turner Prize winner in 2001 for his light switching on and off. This time there’s an opportunity to see two of his films – Work No. 503 and Work No. 730. Looking at both for the first time it’s easy to find them quite provocative. Work No. 503 shows a girl compulsively vomiting and Work No. 730 is his most sexually explicit film and features a close up of the sex act between a male and female. Both works are from 2006/2007, when Creed became exploring the human body and focus on its processes of movement and repetition. As an example 730 shows non-stop thrusting in slow motion without the climax – in a way the sex act becomes repetitive and a clinical process, instead of a pornographical one. Both works are in a way voyeuristic – artist lets us watch acts that are considered as very private. Bodily functions become bizarre attractions for the audience, though their first reaction may very well be the urge to leave the room instead.
The exhibition also includes new paintings by talented contemporary painters Kaido Ole and Tõnis Saadoja. Ole and Saadoja have had exhibitions together before as they both are combined by photorealism and perfect technical painting skills (and Ole used to be Saadoja’s teacher!). Saadoja’s works mostly concentrate on detail and techniques combining with analytical approach. Works on display include wall size canvas with detailed paintings of timber and one of room and space. Ole has always had slightly ironic approach to himself and society. This time his work can be found painted on an old museum wall.
Jaanus Kivaste alias Kiwa is probably one of the most popular contemporary artist in Estonia for two decades now. He works can include paintings, videos, but also experimental electronic music and sounds, texts, sculptures and performances which can be regarded as “neopop” and “transpop”. Basically being anything he wants to be his works are also placed in different rooms, for example humanoid like creature sits on a couch (‘n0n0naut’) of the first floor waiting to greet the visitors.
Estonian – Hungarian artist Dénes Farkas seems the most outstanding of all. With roots from Hungary, Farkas lives and works in Tallinn for years now. His installation is called ‘Closing up’ and consists of eight light boxes containing photos of little maquettes made by the artist himself. Those who are familiar with his earlier work should find something familiar to see – the time has passed and now there’s a new way of looking at things. Farkas’s earlier works include minimalistic photography of white paper maquettes holding in them a secret of silence and sadness, as well as violence and cruelty. It’s interesting to see how an artist plays with the idea of private/public space becoming a shape or a sign. Showing 1x1m photographs of tiny maquettes makes them become alive, every detail becomes important. And some of them are viewed from the new aspect. One of Farkas’s early works “Enne veel kui takso peatus, jõudis K tagaistmelt küsida, et mis siis saab kui Tuvikesi enam ei näidata” (‘Before the taxi stopped, K got to ask from the backseat, what will happen if the Married with Children won’t be on any more?’ – an American sitcom that Estonian channels used to show almost every year during midnight) displaying a picture of a couch that has been reviewed and became ‘Ja mis siis saab?’ (‘And what will happen then?’). Scheisse, das ist mein Lehrer has also had its sequence – an experience the artist had in Germany while waiting for a train in the middle of night, when a young girl being out with a friend confused him for someone else, her teacher). It’s also possible to find mirror-like reference to the film Taxi Driver, a piece called ‘Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?’ and a quote ‘Passiert ist passiert’ from German TV show Derrick.
Museum for Contemporary Art of Estonia is located close to sea and Linnahall (City Hall), so if you go looking for it – look for a house that might seem part of the old factory building, with rusted stairs and small holes in the wall – that’s where Estonian contemporary art lives!
The exhibition will remain open to the public until August 22nd.
Artists: Ēriks Božis (LAT), Martin Creed (GBR), Dénes Farkas, Kiwa, Fred Kotkas, Neeme Külm, Kaido Ole, Taavi Piibemann, Johanna Reich (GER), Tõnis Saadoja, Tarmo Salin, Hanno Soans, Triin Tamm, Toomas Thetloff, Laura Toots
Curator: Anders Härm
Põhja pst 35, Tallinn
Wed – Sun 13.00-19.00
Eesti Kaasaegse Kunsti Muuseum / Museum for Contemporary Art of Estonia
Tags: came, Dénes Farkas, ekkm, Martin Creed, next to nothing
[...] admin пишет: Both works are in a way voyeuristic – artist lets us watch acts that are considered as very private. Bodily functions become bizarre attractions for the audience, though their first reaction may very well be the urge to leave the room instead. … Farkas’s earlier works include minimalistic photography of white paper maquettes holding in them a secret of silence and sadness, as well as violence and cruelty. It’s interesting to see how an artist plays with the idea of … [...]