Critical Mass: how's everything started?

Måndag, 18 April 2011 08:26

Photo: From left to right: Kalle Purhonen, Laura Feldberga, Lars Ramberg and Christina Ciupke in a shop of the former  factory  'Krasnoe Znamya‘ in St Petersburg.



The development of ‘Critical Mass’ started in 2009 from a research. The research part of the project was based on my trip to Nordic countries in winter 2009.

During my trip I was visiting Nordic art institutions like FRAME, OCA, Center of Icelandic Art and other, worked with artist archives of these institutions. I was also meeting local curators, visited artists studios and galleries. My research trip was followed by short residencies of 5 selected artists (Kalle Purhonen, Kaarina Kaikkonen/ Finland, Laura Feldberga /Latvia, Lars Ramberg/Norway and Hrafnkell Sigurgsson/ Iceland) in St Petersburg in summer 2009. During their residency, artists visited several problematic locations in town. Most of the existing problems that artists studied during their research trips have been widely discussed within the local community for the last few years. The nature of problems that artists were exploring is based on land control, corruption, relational problems between local government and the citizens, disrespect and ignorance of public spaces and opinions. Ideas developed during the summer residency form the main content of 'Critical Mass'.

During the residency artists developed ideas for future projects based on research material. Being back home they had some time to develop their ideas into a concrete projects for the future exhibition. The final exhibition of site specific projects will take place in different city locations of St. Petersburg in on 2-26 of June, 2011.

An important component of the project is reflection and follow-up process of its outcome. In order to do that, the project catalogue will be published and rotatable based on project results will be organized in September, 2011 where the exhibition catalogue will be presented.

At the moment the exhibition preparation is in its full swing. I'll keep you posted further on details!!