Fifth series of exhibitions
Kristoffer Ardeña
assume vivid astro focus
Eduardo Balanza
Aïda Ruilova
16 July – 24 October 2010
Contemporary Art Center
Avenida de Lorquí, s/n.
30562, Ceutí (Murcia)
Spain
T. (+34) 868923132
These four artists share common concerns and interests, including music as a central theme, in its most “performative” aspect, its importance within collective memory and as a vehicle for cultural identity. At the same time, all of them redefine the exhibition space as a place of social activation, a collective meeting space. The exhibitions operate like four musical scores using disparate “instruments” and formats, ranging from video and performance to installation, sculpture and sound.
All works in these exhibitions have been produced by La Conservera.
Kristoffer Ardeña (Philippines -1976)
Homage: Murcia
Is a discourse centred on the concepts of politics and memory, traced through music — specifically through the use of the Philippine national anthem — with the aim of highlighting non-visible forms of transmission and cultural translation.
In this connection, Ardeña has enlisted the collaboration of thirteen local musicians who have reinterpreted the Philippine anthem with the intention of decontextualising and deconstructing the residue of cultural identity. The participants, from their different perspectives, styles and genres, have created an evolutionary process, taking the anthem as their starting reference, in terms of both the content and the actual sound of the words in Tagalog, never making a copy or a version of the original but presenting a personal, private vision of the subject.
The videos recording this developmental phase are the nub, the nucleus that shapes Ardeña’s expository discourse.
On another note, we gratefully acknowledge the collaboration of residents of Ceutí who have temporarily lent chairs, sofas and all sorts of other seating so that visitors can make themselves comfortable in the room to watch the screening.
Aïda Ruilova (USA -1974)
For her first exhibition in Spain space 2A offers a screening of Goner, her latest film — shot in 35 mm — featuring the actress Sonja Kinski as its only character. The filming is divided into two scenes showing the before and after of an act of extreme. Her films are generally inspired by B-movies, specifically from the horror genre. Her most notable influences are filmmakers like Jean Rollin and Roman Polanski. In the case of Goner the narrative is not fully resolved, leaving us constantly waiting for something more to happen.
Space 2B is showing The Singles 1999-Now, in which Aïda Ruilova creates a dark narrative through eleven synchronised single-channel videos, which interact to generate a crazy cacophony in the exhibition space. They present cryptic characters and actions with horror film aesthetics. Ruilova uses classical, jarring cinematic devices and low-tech sensibility. The audio portion of her videos has an essential function in her work, structured around the muttering of evocative or repetitive phrases, heavy breathing, scrunching electric guitar strings or vinyl LPs being scraped across cement.
assume vivid astro focus (Nomads)
aquí vivimos atisbando fantasmas
For their first solo exhibition in Spain they have created one of their most spectacular installations, including many of the features that are typical of their work. The viewer is invited down a long tunnel into an installation/construction in the form of an enormous pyramid. Visitors can get up to the top, 7,5m high. The pyramid is clad with panels covered with a selection of their wallpapers or decals, full of explosive colour and shapes.
The installation also includes four giant inflatable figures called Skydancers, which rise up like huge phantoms of carnivalesque sensuality, moving capriciously to the rhythm of imaginary music. In this way, avaf reinterprets place and proposes a new reading of the exhibition space.
Eduardo Balanza (Spain -1971)
Remixes. Archaeology of the Dance Floor
This is a project which highlights the impact of discotheques on the trends, representations and spaces in which those complex tribal languages are articulated. To achieve this he relies on appropriation, manipulation, versions, mutation, disguise as a tool for visual transformation and the reinterpretation of music, songs, stars and objects.
The work is articulated on several platforms: luminous signs; objects such as cardboard shoes; audio installation; photographs; sculpture; a huge pile of 600 unpainted and untreated original vinyl LPs, with a luminous sign above them reading The record is not over yet; and a reconstructed interior consisting of a full-scale cardboard mini-discotheque, with two turntables and some photos, which aims to simulate Cookies, a famous Berlin club of the nineties.
In addition to all this there is a public initiative, the placing of an advertising hoarding on the motorway bearing the words electronic music does not have a monopoly on dance floors, attributed by the artist to J. Sebastian Bach.
La Conservera
Contemporary Art Center
Avenida de Lorquí, s/n.
30562, Ceutí (Murcia).
Tel.: (+34) 868923132
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