[spectre] ! WALLFLOWER by Pilvi Takala (Finland)

[Rael Artel Gallery]

WALLFLOWER by Pilvi Takala (Finland)

Rael Artel Gallery: Non-Profit Project Space
Lõuna 20, Pärnu,  Estonia
August 17st throughout 20th, 2006
www.moskva80.com

Consisting of two videos and a small installation, the project titled as
Wallflower by Pilvi Takala is based on a performance situated in
dance-events for Finnish tourists in Pärnu, Estonia. Pärnu  is very
popular tourist destination among Finnish people and events visited by the
residence artist Pilvi Takala are a version of the traditional Finnish
summer pavilion dance. Mostly older couples on their holidays come to
these events, they dance only with their partners and never ask strangers
to dance as it would be appropriate in the proper dance-events in Finland.

The performance is a subtle act: just the artist, a younger woman, going
into the dance in a shiny dress and sitting alone the whole evening
waiting for somebody to ask her to dance. Just being overdressed and
obviously expecting to get to  dance creates a very awkward situation and
pushes the boundaries of Finnish modest mentality and the Finnish idea of
politeness. Everybody is embarrassed on the lonely girls behalf, but
nobody thinks they are the man to ask her to dance. Pilvi is playing with
uncomfortable feelings generated by following/not following a set of rules
shared by a social group.

The artwork Wallflower was commissioned by Rael Artel Gallery: Non-Profit
Project Space in summer 2006.

The show is supported by Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, Finnish
Institute, Tallinn and Estonian Cultural Endowment.

A video still is visible at www.moskva80.com


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Forever Yours,
Rael Artel
+ 372 56 460 983
+ 372 56 229 213
moskva80 at moskva80.com
www.moskva80.com