Alexei Kostroma - Florencia Almiron
dal 22/3/2011 al 22/4/2011
Segnalato da
22/3/2011
Alexei Kostroma - Florencia Almiron
Matthew Bown Galerie, Berlin
Kostroma's video installation Home Cosmic Lab (2011) investigates and merges into a single poetic image divergent aspects of Russian virility, as symbolised by the eternal flame, a monument to fallen soldiers that burns in the Alexandrov Gardens by the Kremlin, and in the alternative by the tumbler of vodka that is the national drink. Almiron's show Million places to fuck subverts notions of comfort, familiarity and permanence. One might say, it fucks with these notions, in a surreal kind of way.
Alexei Kostroma’s video installation Home Cosmic Lab (2011) investigates and merges into a single poetic image divergent aspects of Russian virility, as symbolised by the eternal flame, a monument to fallen soldiers that burns in the Alexandrov Gardens by the Kremlin, and in the alternative by the tumbler of vodka that is the national drink. In the gallery, a small glass of vodka has been set alight and will burn for the duration of the show. It is filmed from above, and the constantly evolving and flickering tiny blue flame is projected, much enlarged, onto a wall of the gallery. The opening of the video installation will be accompanied by a performance by the artist. Kostroma was born in Kostroma, Russia; he lives and works in Berlin. His installation UNO is currently on display at the Garage Centre for Contemporary Culture, Moscow.
Florencia Almirón’s show Million places to fuck subverts notions of comfort, familiarity and permanence. One might say, it fucks with these notions, in a surreal kind of way. Map (2011) is an old map of Berlin – a familiar and useful tool – onto which a fried egg has been rudely stuck. The eggs reappear in Sculpture (2011): an amorphous form covered in leopard-skin print fabric has been shoved tight into a waste-paper basket, and decorated with the eggs. Couch (2011) is a piece of comfortable living-room furniture which has been penetrated by a scaffolding pole and hoisted off the ground; for good measure, a potted-plant has been embedded into the upholstery. Almirón was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina; she lives and works in Berlin. In 2010 she had solo shows at Souterrain, Berlin, and Oellermann Gallery, Berlin.
Image: Florencia Almiron, Detail of Map
2011 120 x 90 cm, Map, fried egg
Opening Wednesday 23 March 2011 from 18.00 until 20.45
Matthew Bown Galerie
Keithstraße 10, 10787 Berlin
hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12-18
free admission