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IKON @ Brave new word - Gallery Manes, Prague, Czech. 10.4 - 4.5.2008
Show consists of big works and series of works, in which traditional
visual arts technology and digital methods have been merged together.
Artists, who are participating to the show, look at the changing world
from different perspectives. They deal with the new challenges of contemporary
art and society, such as the relationship between time, efficiency
and technology and the resulting system of controlling the world.
The following artists from Finland are participating the show:
Maija Helasvuo, Minna Jatkola, Mika Karhu, Jaana Kokko, Saara Ekström,
Teemu Mäki, Petr Rehor, Janne Virkkunen, Marcus Lerviks, Jan Kenneth
Weckman, Carita Maury, Peter Maury and Pentti Määttänen.
"The materialistic spirit of hard market economy creates pressures to individual persons. Anybody who has lost her profit making abilities or credibility may become poor without respect and appreciation. The recognition of the other, which is one of the most important elements supporting the society, withers away in the pursuit of efficiency.
When the economy takes the role of religion, fatherland and moral authority, also education has been changed to a means of economic utility. Competitiveness and efficiency are the norms that guide the conversation in our community. Future generations are trained to be super skilled persons. The educational milieu is short of traditional ethical virtues which are, above all, moderation, justice, honesty, mildness and respect.
Freedom is understood as self-realization in the market. Consumption is a symbol of the free will. The freedom to consume is presented as nonideological activity, as an apolitical alternative to earlier political culture where the basic goal was social equality.
What kind of society produces the narcistic and authoritarian type of personality typical of emphasized egoism and hatred for the weak? Contemporary society is in need of respect and appreciation of the poor."
The show is curated by artists Mika Karhu and Petr Rehor.
(Press release 4.4.2008)
