Ellen de Bruijne

Pilvi Takala

28 Feb - 04 Apr 2009

Pilvi Takala The Trainee video installation 2009
Imagine yourself in your (extremely) (boring) daily office job. Like you do every morning, you enter the big office (located in an area of the city which is easily reachable both by car and public transport) through the main entrance - greeting the hostess at the same time as you enter your access code to grant yourself access to the office area.

On your way to your own desk you spot a new girl. Although she wears her hair somewhat alternatively she does look quite ambitious with those neat trousers and that jacket.

On your first way (of many to come that day) to the coffee machine you see the new girl sitting at a desk. The desk has nothing on it - no computer, and not even papers or a pen. The girl is sitting behind the desk and appears to be in deep thought.

Back at your own desk you inquire about the girl with your colleagues. It turns out that her name is Johanna and that she is the new trainee. Why she doesn't have a computer is also quite a mystery to your colleagues.

On your second way to the coffee machine (or maybe it's the water cooler this time) you spot the trainee still without a computer - and still heavily contemplating. You decide to speak up to her: "What are you working on?", you ask. "I'm doing some brainwork", she answers. Flabbergasted you continue your ways.

Back at your desk you realize that it's also your responsibility to guarantee the future of the company, and therefore to make sure that the trainees from your company mirror the well being of this company in their future occupations. You decide to send an email with a complaint to your manager.

The last time you go and fetch some coffee for that day you meet up with some colleagues from Finance. They too have seen a new trainee sporting some awkward (to say the least) behaviour...

Pilvi Takala (Finland, 1981) has shown her work at the 2005 Istanbul Biennale, and more recently at Frac des Pays de La Loire in Nantes, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, and the Turku Art Museum. Some of her recent group shows include: the 5th Berlin Biennial, Kunsthalle Helsinki, and the Platform Garanti Contemporary Art Center. Currently she is a resident artist at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
 

Tags: Pilvi Takala