Annika Ström
29 Oct - 19 Nov 2005
Annika Ström
The missed concert and the kindest artist in the world
October 29 – November 19, 2005
Opening reception and concert:
October 29, 2005, 6 p.m.
c/o – Atle Gerhardsen is happy to announce the fourth solo exhibition with Annika Ström. Under the title “The missed concert and the kindest artist in the world” the artist will exhibit two new videos as well as new drawings and photographs. Annika Ström will perform a concert during the opening reception.
“I finally found him...he is the kindest artist in the world!” writes Annika Ström to her fictitious friend Anna and describes her long and tedious search for the person, whose existence she was beginning to doubt. The typewritten text exhibited in the gallery permits the viewer to participate in the private conversation of the two friends about a man, whose face we are able to see in the video of the same title. Flattered by the distinction of the confirmation, he looks towards the camera, which shows his face in close-up. His timid look seems set to attempt evasion of the camera and we are confronted with a shy smile.
Annika Ström observes and questions her fellow human beings, friends and relatives as well as casual acquaintances in order to investigate interpersonal and social relationships. In her videos she shows excerpts of her conversations in combination with brief sequences of commonplace observations. In the background she sings simple, repetitive phrases to the accompaniment of stereotype tunes of a synthesizer in her light voice.
The artist also performs these melancholic, tawdry pop songs live in
her concerts. The second video ‘The missed concert’ shows disappointed “fans”, recounting with exaggerated sadness the circumstances, which caused them to miss a performance of their friend. A little misfortune turned out to be a personal tragedy for the people concerned, a personal matter of fact Annika Ström is interested in.
Annika Ström, born 1964 in Helsingborg, lives and works in London and Berlin.
The missed concert and the kindest artist in the world
October 29 – November 19, 2005
Opening reception and concert:
October 29, 2005, 6 p.m.
c/o – Atle Gerhardsen is happy to announce the fourth solo exhibition with Annika Ström. Under the title “The missed concert and the kindest artist in the world” the artist will exhibit two new videos as well as new drawings and photographs. Annika Ström will perform a concert during the opening reception.
“I finally found him...he is the kindest artist in the world!” writes Annika Ström to her fictitious friend Anna and describes her long and tedious search for the person, whose existence she was beginning to doubt. The typewritten text exhibited in the gallery permits the viewer to participate in the private conversation of the two friends about a man, whose face we are able to see in the video of the same title. Flattered by the distinction of the confirmation, he looks towards the camera, which shows his face in close-up. His timid look seems set to attempt evasion of the camera and we are confronted with a shy smile.
Annika Ström observes and questions her fellow human beings, friends and relatives as well as casual acquaintances in order to investigate interpersonal and social relationships. In her videos she shows excerpts of her conversations in combination with brief sequences of commonplace observations. In the background she sings simple, repetitive phrases to the accompaniment of stereotype tunes of a synthesizer in her light voice.
The artist also performs these melancholic, tawdry pop songs live in
her concerts. The second video ‘The missed concert’ shows disappointed “fans”, recounting with exaggerated sadness the circumstances, which caused them to miss a performance of their friend. A little misfortune turned out to be a personal tragedy for the people concerned, a personal matter of fact Annika Ström is interested in.
Annika Ström, born 1964 in Helsingborg, lives and works in London and Berlin.