Close Watch
April 23–November 27, 2022
Pilvi Takala’s new video installation Close Watch premieres at the Pavilion of Finland at the 59th International Venice Biennale. The exhibition is curated by Christina Li.
Close Watch is a multi-channel installation based on Pilvi Takala’s experience as an undercover artist working as a fully qualified security guard for global company Securitas. The piece centres on workshops Takala developed afterward that respond to issues encountered during her six-month post at one of Finland’s largest shopping malls.
Working covertly, staging social situations and infiltrating communities, Takala exposes the invisible boundaries of acceptable conduct and norms in the public and private spheres. In Close Watch the artist explores security both as a concept and an industry to consider how it defines public space and the behaviour tolerated within it.
The video work presents scenes from workshops in which the artist and five of her ex-colleagues—and three actors—re-enact case studies extracted from Takala’s field research. Using the participatory technique of Forum Theatre, which focuses on power dynamics and social injustice, participants test out alternative strategies in situations come across on the job that involved excessive use of force, racist language or toxic behaviour. The artist’s former co-workers reflect on their roles and responsibilities as security personnel who exert power to maintain order.
At the biennale the multi-channel video installation is displayed within site-specific exhibition architecture by Studio L A that divides the Pavilion of Finland into two interrelated presentations via a one-way police mirror. Societal power dynamics between the watchers and watched are called into question in this active, physical field of spatial politics.
Close Watch is inspired by Takala’s interactions with security guards in past work and sheds light on an underpaid, undervalued and underregulated workforce who must navigate their influence in society. The ethical dilemmas of their profession are the focus here, informing an exhibition that reflects on how control is enforced within the security sector, and ultimately how we govern each other’s behaviour.
Publication and website
The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue published by Mousse Publishing. The publication presents Pilvi Takala’s research for the work, including interviews with her former colleagues and field notes from the time of her employment, as well as a curatorial essay by Christina Li. Further digital material can be found on closewatch.site.
Artist and curator
Pilvi Takala is an artist who lives and works in Berlin and Helsinki. Her video works are based on performative interventions in which she researches specific communities to question social structures. The resulting projects have been on view at venues including Seoul Mediacity Biennale; Manifesta 11, Zurich; Centre Pompidou, Paris; New Museum, New York and Kunsthalle Basel.
Christina Li is a curator and writer who works between Hong Kong and Amsterdam. Her upcoming and recent shows include Xinyi Cheng’s solo presentation Seen Through Others, Lafayette Anticipations, Paris and the 2nd edition of Ghost—a triennial series of moving image and performance in Bangkok. Li has contributed to publications including Artforum, Art Review Asia and Parkett.
Commissioner
The exhibition in the Pavilion of Finland is commissioned and produced by Frame Contemporary Art Finland. Frame, an advocate for Finnish contemporary art, supports international initiatives, facilitates professional partnerships and encourages critical development of the field through grants, visitor programme, residencies, exhibition collaborations and network platforms.
Partners and supporters
Saastamoinen Foundation is the main partner for Close Watch. The main supporter of Close Watch is the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland, together with EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art; AVEK The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture; the Finnish Cultural Foundation; Arts Promotion Centre Finland; Helsinki Contemporary; Carlos/Ishikawa; Stigter van Doesburg and Embassy of Finland in Rome.
Press inquiries
Milly Carter Hepplewhite and Yaz Ozkan, Pelham Communications, milly@pelhamcommunications.com, yaz@pelhamcommunications.com / T +44 20 8969 3959
Rosa Kuosmanen, Head of Communications, Frame Contemporary Art Finland, rosa.kuosmanen@frame-finland.fi / T +358 50 465 3462
The Media brunch has limited capacity. Please contact rsvp@frame-finland.fi.
