Witnesses (2008)

Taking as reference Richard Serra’s methods for capturing the content of processes in his Casting/Splashing sculptural pieces, the project Witnesses aimed to function as a merging process-base element, proposed as a contribution to the Read Me exhibition at Röda Sten Konsthall. 

During the months of July and August 2008, four fiberglass Castings were performed at different points in the city of Gothenburg. No permits granted for these actions, the layers of resin were added after midnight time on a frequency of two layers per week. The pieces were progressively appearing at the exhibition.

Witnesses addresses issues of temporality, coexistence, adaptation, and processual essence. By attempting a here and now and the capturing of the truly essence of a moment of specific time frame and place, the piece questions the competence of communicating processes by the means of the artistic form. 

Read me – An interactive exhibition project by the Valand Independent Study Fellows:

Amanda Herman, artist
Oscar Lara, sculptor
Josefina Posch, visual artist 
Adnan Yıldız, curator

Continuing on their desire for alternative solutions to traditional forms, explored in their Eat me, Drink me seminar and their publication Read me (Face me, Follow me, Steal me, Curate me), the fellows conceived an exhibition of the same name in the Cathedral at Röda Sten Konsthall. Shifting the focus from object oriented formats the exhibition is centered around publications chosen by the fellows because of their influences on their practice. Visitors are invited to part take in the creative process of the fellows by reading or looking through the materials as well as being offered the option to free of charge photocopy any interesting passages. Large hanging prints from the fellows individual practice during the year will surround the central point of the exhibition the documents placed on a large table with comfortable seating around.  This arrangement allows the visitor to switch their attention between the publications at hand and the large printed works on display, encouraging a deeper understanding of the creative process and the meaning of independent study.

Works might be added or deducted, sounds might be discovered, screenings, lectures, food prepared or served, performances might take place. All this may happen announced or unannounced and be collectively or independently conceived. When the exhibition closes the space will not have the same presence as it did when it opened. Some of it you might be able to see some of it might just like during a study course take place within. This, is up to you to explore.

Swedish version 

READ ME – Ett interaktivt utställningsprojekt av Valand Independent Study Fellows

Kom och upptäck hur READ ME-utställningen har utvecklats under de gångna veckorna. Nya verk inkluderar Josefina Poschs videodokumentation från hennes Big brother-installation som var del av Intrude 366 utställningen vid Zendai Museum of Contemporay Art Shanghai, Kina i februari i år och Oscar Laras platsspecifika skulpturer Witnesses och mycket mer.”

Det interaktiva utställningsprojektet READ ME, av tre konstnärer och en curator som deltagit i konsthögskolan Valands Independent Study Program, är både en dokumentation av den årslånga kursen, samt en introduktion till det pågående programmet.