In 2017 an exhibition seires Links to the World consisting of three displays will take place at the Tartmus’ Project Space. The series introduces internationally renowned artists’ video works and places them into a dialogue with personal exhibitions of Estonian artists. The first exhibition shows a video Two Cover Studies (1970) by the acclaimed American artist Vito Acconci (b 1940) which is in dialogue with Anna-Stina Treumund’s personal exhibition M’s Wet Dream.
In the 1970s Acconci created a vast number of performance-based conceptual videos. Thanks to his radical and consistent approach, these works have had a strong impact on the development of video art world wide. Acconci captured simplified and often repetitive actions, which were partly influenced by ideas of minimalism that rose to prominence in the 1960s. However, his approach differs from many other artists related to minimalism as he placed himself in the middle of his works, shifting the focus from the art object to the process of making art and its physical source – the body. Acconci’s videos from from the 1970s also reveal the influences of feminist ideas that gathered momentum at the same time. He often refers to the tensions and power struggles between men and women caused by restricting social norms. To convey his ideas Acconci staged conflict situations that are often amplified to absurdity. These works are still relevant today, posing questions about accepted and unaccepted behaviour. The exhibited work Two Cover Studies (1970) is a characteristic example of Acconci’s practice at that time and provides an additional viewpoint to the topics of gender equality and power raised by Treumund’s exhibition.
The exhibitions Links to the World: Vito Acconci and M’s Wet Dream can be viewed together until 26 February 2017. Acconci’s exhibition is open one week longer – until 5 March.
The exhibition is accompanied by tours, booking: kristel@tartmus.ee.
Curator: Hanna-Liis Kont
Graphic design: Viktor Gurov
Exhibition team: Eva Mahhov, Julia Polujanenkova, Urmo Teekivi
Thanks: Rael Artel, Joanna Hoffmann, Sten Ojavee, Peeter Talvistu
The work belongs to the collection of Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York.
The exhibition series Links to the World has been supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.
Additional information:
Hanna-Liis Kont
Manager of the Exhibitions Department
Phone: 58817801
Email: hannaliis@tartmus.ee
