Speed of Darkness and Other Stories, exhibition at KUMU art museum in Tallinn, Estonia
From KUMUs website:
"Works by Finnish, Latvian and Estonian contemporary artists are
represented in the project. Jaakko Niemelä is the curator and author of
the concept for Speed of Darkness, an exhibition that closed in Finland
in May and has now arrived in Estonia. This is supplemented by Other
Stories, an exhibition that interprets the same subject, which was
initiated by Eha Komissarov.
The selected art projects deal with the creation of the material base of darkness and search for a means to allow darkness to be transformed into material for an installation, by activating darkness," Eha Komissarov, one of the curators of the exhibition said. "Darkness becomes functional when we decipher it as separate phenomena, between which the artists create significant connections and points of contact, by using metaphysical opportunities and experiences from everyday life."
The selected art projects deal with the creation of the material base of darkness and search for a means to allow darkness to be transformed into material for an installation, by activating darkness," Eha Komissarov, one of the curators of the exhibition said. "Darkness becomes functional when we decipher it as separate phenomena, between which the artists create significant connections and points of contact, by using metaphysical opportunities and experiences from everyday life."
Whilst I think many of the works were good or even really good, I feel like the conceptual framework around "darkness" was a bit insufficient. I would really have liked to hear more of the curators thoughts and considerations - especially since a large part of the exhibit was installed in dark spaces which wasn't neccessary in all cases. How do we use the word "darkness", the idea of darkness, the idea of the void? We can understand this as many different things, and each suggest a different function. What is the function of the image of dark desolation, the creeping feeling of absence and presence at the same time, ghostlike as in Patrik Söderberg and(?) Visa Suonpää's piece "A view from the other side"? http://www.socialtoolbox.com/ I have noted a similar sentiment in other works, and I am drawn to it. And I dont think I am alone in this. Why?
The same sentiment comes back in Karel Koplimets "Suburbs of fear". All in all I think the film was really beautiful - with exception of the strange freezeframes. When I went beyond the projection room and saw the model where the film was made (live I guess) I felt that I would have wanted these two parts entirely separated (seeing them in different exhibitions perhaps). I would never have wanted to see how the film was made, or in case of the model, what happened with the photage of the constantly shifting cameras and blinking lights. I'd rather it hadnt been explained, but that the source/ purpose remain unknown. It would have left a deeper feeling in me (one that I had before I went from one room to the other) of the works inherent mysteriousness and beauty. Also here it is desolation that resonates through the work, that makes it strong and gives it an almost gravitational pull. It is the desolation that causes the sense of fear. And I guess it is in that fear I see beauty?
Paula Lehtonens work "Multiverse Now!" reminded me of screensavers and some space-race- computorgame that I have seen at some point. In this way it doesnt seem very "new", but whatever charm previous similar works that I have seen or screensavers have had on me, whatever it might be - it still works. What strikes me though is the feeling that its about standing on the edge to the other dimension - rather than entering. It is as if the mere notion of this "other place" is enough.
From Lehtonens site:
"The installation creates illusions of gateways to other dimension. The
work is inspired by theories about the possibilites of such other
universes."
Tallinn
12/09/11
