Sandra Norrbin exhibition
Och livet stod bredvid
And life stood at the side
12.02. - 12.03.2010
A long time before Fjodor Dostojevski wrote the magnificent phrase "The beauty will save the world" word "salvation" has been related to art and artists - from one and one repetition of salvation in medieval paintings to romanticists desire for breaking out of rationalized world created by the enlightenment. Similarly with other contexts - even when nobody speaks about the beauty.
Salvation from discursive guard that characterizes the spectator more than the artwork has became a constant unit in contemporary art. It is embodied in Sandra Norrbin's breathing rescue-boat in gallery 'Supernova'. It is literally a metaphor for art role in nowadays society or situation of today's human where survival menaces to replace living.
The rescue-boat that almost full-fills the space of gallery can be also interpreted as philosophical allusion of discourse of management of catastrophes and crises that rages in mass media (mostly dedicated to practical issues) and in cinematography (it is not a coincidence that film 2012 is one of the top films of last year). Does salvation that has gain independence keep space for those who must be saved?
In project Och livet stod bredvid/And life stood at the side Sandra Norrbin processes the idea of development in limited space which is accompanied with sensation of claustrophobia which is caused by custody and exclusion of life. Sandra Norrbin says: "You have no choice but to accept the situation and the life you yearn for exists only in dreams and parallel lives." Who will save us from yielding state or failed life? Maybe it will be the beauty.
The theme of Sandra Norrbin's artwork as well relates with "Survival Kit" - the international contemporary art project very well known by inhabitants of Riga where artists were invited to reflect about different strategies of surviving in today's world. Survival, help and salvation are terms that mark precisely the point of intersection of discussion of art and political economy of late years,
commented by philosopher Toms Kjencis
Exhibition is supported by: Royal Embassy of Norway in Riga, OCA, KKNORD, Reval Hotel Elizabete, Sia Park MV, Rigas Laiks, Foto Kvartals.
Attached image from previous realisation of the project in gallery Lautom Contemporary, Oslo, 2009.
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