ANNIKA LARSSON BLUE (2014)

Installation (Video/Mixed Media) / Image Archive / Artist Book

In the lm BLUE, 2014, the artist mainly draws inspiration from the book Blue of Noon, written by Georges Bataille in 1935, but only published in 1957. This novel, written just after the ascent to power of totalitarian governments in Europe, carries the warning signs of the advance of fascism and the imminent war: “When I read Blue of Noon for the rst time in 2010,” says Larsson, “I was stunned by the numerous parallels between history and the events of modern day Europe.” Through an in-depth re ection on Bataille’s words and inspiration from the monstrous anom- alies of our contemporary society, the artist began researching video footage posted online in the last few years. From doing Internet research of key words and situations from the book, the result is a journey through today’s Europe. The artist, with a careful selection of powerful, hypnotic, and sometimes provocative images, focuses on the very foundations of modern society, which should guarantee freedom of expression and dissent, thereby raising public awareness of the risks, con nes, and excesses of the democratic system. In the installation, various com- ponents, some even con icting, come together; components inspired entirely by the work of Bataille: captivating and unpleasant images alternate constantly, outlining an intense portrait of our contemporary history. The concepts of historical cyclicality, relativity and subjectivity of interpretation are at the core of the work on display. The viewer is therefore disoriented by a constant succession of images that accentuate the force of impact, both rational and psychological and emotional, of the entire installation.

BLUE (video) 55 minutes, loop; found footage; editor, sound, producer: Annika Larsson BLUE (Documents), 1596 Images

Preview Copy

BLUE (Books)

Exhibitions:
2017 Beckers Award 30 years, Fargfabriken, Stockholm, Sweden
2017 12x12, Berlinischer Galerie, Berlin, Germany
2016 Screens and Mirrors, Borås Konstmuseum, Borås, Sweden
2016 Double Feature, Kunsthalle Schirn, Frankfurt, Germany
2015 ABC Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
2015 Annika Larsson: BLUE, Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm, Sweden
2014 Something Beautiful, curated by Nicolas Wagner and Khary Simon, Marianne Boesky Gallery, New York, USA 2014 Annika Larsson: Introduction, curated by Benedetta Carpi De Resmini, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy 2014 Open Studios, German Academy Rome, Italy
Installation View ANNIKA LARSSON - BLUE (2014), Andréhn Schiptjenko, Stockholm, 2015