HAVE A GOOD LIFE

NOVEMBER 2 - JANUARY 4
ANA PAVLOVIC & VLADIMIR TOMIC

The theme of the artistic praxis of Ana Pavlovic and Vladimir Tomic is clear and consistent.
We create artworks about war, about refugees, about forced migration and in that context, it is crucial to clarify: What is migration to us?
Migration is not only moving from one place to another. I believe it’s a lifelong experience, sometimes spanning over several generations.

Current and potent concepts such as alienation, culture, need and longing, create a clear political impetus and at the same time a strong general human relevance in Ana and Vladimir’s praxis. The exhibition excels at daring to ask big questions of existential character and letting the visitors wonder in the company of the art works. Who am I in relation to the others? Is it possible to belong to two cultures at the same time, or are you alienated from the both? Where is my place in the world?

The artists’ choice of method and material is just as obvious, as it is bold, radical – and for some provocative. The two artists open heartedly activate what they describe as “intimate archival material“, namely their own and other’s photos, letters and videos.

In our artistic praxis, that material (photos, letters and video) become objects and fragments – but only fragments – from a lived life. These objects possess an active and performative memory, which are connected to how we look upon the material or what has happened in the past today. So, there is a connection to an active memory – what does that material tell us today, and what can we learn from it?

The material is obviously personal, but it also questions what our common memory and history are. The material tells something about that period of time, and also tells a general story that many people in a similar situation can recognize themselves in.

The two artists’ praxis is deeply rooted in video, but in this exhibition a giant model theatre scale 1:1 takes in Kunsthal NORD.

Quotations: Ana Pavlovic from a dialogue with Kunsthal NORD Oct. 17th, 2019.

Ana Pavlovic (Born 1977) is educated from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2008-2014), and has previously exhibited amongst others in Nikolaj Kunsthal, Den Frie Udstillingsbygning and several international exhibition sites.

Vladimir Tomic (born 1980) is educated from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts (2003-2009) and has previously exhibited amongst others in Charlottenborg, Gl. Strand and several international exhibition sites.

The exhibition is supported by Statens Kunstfond, Knud Højgaards Fond and Statens Værksteder for Kunst.

For more information and interviews:
E: info@kunsthalnord.dk
T: 9982 4125