Esko Mannikko
dal 27/4/2006 al 26/5/2006
Segnalato da
27/4/2006
Esko Mannikko
Galerie Nordenhake, Berlin
In his exhibition "Harmony Sisters" the Finnish artist turns his camera to different animals.The works are almost abstract but an occasional eye, a wet muzzle, or a swirl of fur give the animals away.
Harmony Sisters
In his exhibition "Harmony Sisters" the Finish artist turns his camera to
different animals. Horses, cows, chickens, and dogs are glimpsed more than seen in
intimate close-ups. The works are almost abstract but an occasional eye, a wet
muzzle, or a swirl of fur give the animals away.
His earlier photographic portraits of bachelors living in the north of his native
Finland quickly became epitomes of a stereotyped version of loneliness and
self-reliance in the 'Far North'. From these images emanated a strange kind of
respect, both to traditional portraits, such as surrounding them with objects
serving as attributes, and incorporating the frame as an integral part of the works.
The respect also extended to the persons depicted, they seem to be in control of
their own 'Lebenswelt', although deferred from the standard cosmopolitan environment
that normally constitutes the 'Kunstwelt'.
Mannikko subsequently worked in the US on a series of portraits and views from
southern Texas near the Mexican border, titled 'Mexas'. These people also stem from
a poor existence but succeed nevertheless to establish a distinct but hybrid
mythology of their own. Here the landscapes come to play an even more important role
than in the Finnish series, beautiful but barren as they were.
In his next series "Flora and Fauna" he again turned to nature with small and
intimate compositions using elements found in nature, and this has been further
developed in the works in "Harmony Sisters". If his first Finnish works were close
to classical portrait painting, here the artist is in the territory of the still
life and its symbolic meanings. All animals, dead or alive, are portrayed with great
care and dignity. In their warm eyes looking at us there seem to be something they
would like to tell us.
Esko Mannikko was born in 1959 in Pudasjarvi in the northern part of Finland. In
1995 he was recognised as the young artist of the year in Finland. The same year he
became focus of an international audience after participating in "Campo," Venice.
Other important exhibitions were the ones at Portikus, Frankfurt am Main, De Pont,
Tilburg, and at Lenbachhaus, Munchen in 1996. Since then he has taken part in
numerous international exhibitions such as the Johannesburg Biennial, 1997, Sao
Paulo Biennial, 1998, "Contemporary Photography II: Anti-Memory," Yokohama Museum of
Art, 2000, "Beyond Paradise", Shanghai Art Museum, China, 2003, "Liverpool Biennal",
Tate Liverpool, Liverpool, 2004, Art and Public in Paris, 2005, and "SEEhistory
2005. Der private Blick", Kunsthalle zu Kiel, 2005. Mannikko has shown his works
several times at Galerie Nordenhake Stockholm as well as Nordenhake Berlin. Late
April a comprehensive solo show will open at Fundacio'n Centro Ordo'nez-Falco'n de
Fotografi'a-COFF, San Sebastia'n.
Opening: Friday, April 28, 6pm-10pm
Galerie Nordenhake GmbH
Zimmerstrasse 88-91 - Berlin
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-6pm