Konsthall Malmö

ALEXANDER GUTKE
17 March – 10 June, 2012

Alexander Gutke (born 1971) works within the conceptual and minimalist tradition. Cameras, film- and slide projectors are some of the main components in his art practice. Gutke uses them to explore space, light, shade, darkness and the infinity of the void. He investigates these technical apparatuses as objects and mechanical devices, and uses them as tools and objects in his works and narrative – creating a visual illusionism and a poetic and mystical materialism.

The cameras, 16mm film projectors and photographic devices that interests Gutke are somewhat out of date, but Gutke insists on the value of these 20th century wonders. He both examines and literally dissects these apparatuses and through the process he brings them back to life, to a new life. In 2005 Gutke produced the poetic work Exploded View, where the viewer visually travels through the inside of a Kodak Carousel slide projector slice by slice or slide by slide – over the course of 81 slides. This inner journey is shown on the same type of Kodak Carousel, whose interior is being explored.

Another work that investigates a slide projector and what it does is Lighthouse (2006); here a rectangle of light is slowly rotated 360 degrees slide by slide. The lyricisms of light and the machines are important focal points in Gutke’s body of work. In other works like the HD video projection Cine-scope (2008) he investigates the film material itself and takes the viewer on a filmic trompe l'oeil voyage. Stripped from any image or narrative storyline this large-scale projection shows – through real and simulated animated dust, scratches and chafes – the materiality of film and the heart of celluloid; its wear, tears and flaws.

Alexander Gutke’s exhibition at Malmö Konsthall will present a selection of film, sculpture, photography and rubberstamp works dating back to 2000, side by side with new works created for the exhibition.

Alexander Gutke, born in Gothenburg, lives and works in Malmö. He graduated from Malmö Art Academy in 2001.