Parrot
with works by Marcel Broodthaers and Karl Larsson
1 September – 17 October 2010
Opening:
Wednesday 1 September, 2010, 5-8pm
Kungsbro strand 19, gårdshuset
11226 Stockholm Sweden
T +46850219838
Three works by Broodthaers create an associative context which is commented on by Karl Larsson, the second artist exhibiting in Parrot. Broodthaers’ La souris écrit rat (1974), ABC – ABC Image (1974), and La Pluie (Projet pour un texte) (1969), are all works where Broodthaers exercises his method of playing with the understanding of words and text references. These works are sided by Karl Larsson’s interventions in terms of spatial constructions and sculptural objects. By serving as co-curator with Index, Larsson has been part of creating the conditions for viewing the works, their compilation and how they are commented – the latter also in the format of an integrated series of lectures that put the light on Marcel Broodthaers activities as poet and visual artist.
As a part of the project Karl Larsson presents a newly written collection of poetry that carries the same title as the exhibition. A book is a form that harbour, generate, and repeat poetic statements. The perspective of the parrot that Larsson has chosen to take in his work with the exhibition is based on the idea of how the parrot’s body is inhabited by others: the bird mimics their language and creates comical and uncanny resemblances. The choice to work with the specific animal figure refers exceedingly to some of Marcel Broodthaers’ artistic and literary strategies such as the fascination for animals or the use of tautological repetition. It becomes Karl Larsson’s method of approaching the other artist’s activities. The parrot as echo, as a mediator of nonsense, or a borrower of somebody else’s language, which in this case also reflects the fact that Parrot is Larsson’s English literary debut.
Program of associated events:
1 September, 6pm
Karl Larsson reads from his book Parrot
Short introduction by editor Kim West
22 September, 6.30pm
Lecture by Olle Granath, director Moderna Museet 1980 -1989
29 September, 6.30pm
Lecture by Koen Brams, director Jan van Eyck Academie
6 October, 6.30pm
Helena Eriksson, poet, Jonas J Magnusson, editor OEI magazine and Karl Larsson
16 October, 5pm
Lecture by Sabine Folie, director Generali Foundation, Vienna
Karl Larsson has previously published FORM/FORCE (2007) and Nightsong (2009) at Oei Editör publishing house in Stockholm. Parrot is published by Paraguay Press, Paris, in co-production with Index.
Index would like to express our gratitude to the following individuals and institutions: Maria Gilissen, Marie-Puck Broodthaers, Laurence Van Kerkhoven, Groeningemuseum, Brügge, Gabrielle Claes, Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique, Bryssel, Bieke Verdonck and Dirk De Wit, BAM, Bryssel, Cecilia Widenheim, IASPIS, Cathleen Chaffee, Yale University Art Gallery, New York and artist Carl Palm.
The exhibition Parrot is Index contribution in a network project, also including Wyspa, Gdansk; Pavilion, Bukarest and tranzit, Prag. It is generously supported by the Foundation of the Culture for the Future.
For further information, please visit www.indexfoundation.se or contact Index + 46(0)8 50 21 98 38.