Pavel Braila
Born in Chisinau (Republic of Moldova) in 1971. He lives
and works in Berlin.
Through deep reflection on the expressive potential
of videos as well as on their limits, Braila looks into
the social reality of his home country in the post-soviet
era, by documenting small daily events and the incongruity
of a transition context. In 2002 he took part in Documenta
11 (Kassel, Germany). Among his most important solo
exhibitions, in 2007 he exhibited his works at the Neuen
Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
Undressing the bride (video, 18', 2006) This
video was filmed during a wedding in Moldova and shows
the "undressing of the bride", the ritual
which concludes every traditional marriage ceremony.
This is when the young couple receive their gifts, and
by taking off her veil the bride takes on her new role
of housewife.
The video camera is still. At the centre of the scene,
the bridegroom takes the bride on his lap, and in turn
all those present offer their gifts: perfume, clothes,
blankets, cushions, kitchenware, etc. The gifts are
opened in front of the couple, who are literally dressed
with the objects they have just received which will
bring them good luck. Relatives and guests repeat the
same gestures, and, gift after gift, the couple are
buried under a heap of presents: this ritual action
becomes a real performance and the newly-wedded are
transformed into a "living sculpture".
Roberta Piccioni
Born in Riccione in 1969. She lives and works in Riccione.
In her videos, the triviality of everyday life, the
fleeting and evasive details of our existence, are
all so focused on that they gain particular evidence,
through the processes of image slowing-down or speeding-up,
so as to provoke the viewer to recall often buried
memories. Among her most important group exhibitions,
in 2007 she presented her work inside the Videoart
Yearbook (Bologna). In 2002 she was among those artists
running for the Premio Furla and in 2001 she was brought
to everybody's notice thanks to the P.S.1 Italian
Studio Program.
Storm (video, 3'52" in loop, 2007). Two
fencers fight against a black background. The video
camera is still and the movement is internal. The
two bodies move in and out of the frame. The audio
reproduces the noise of clashing swords, which is
metallic and violent as that of a storm. The title,
Storm, shifts the meaning continuously, charging the
obvious image with other meanings. What is being staged
is an endless fight. The bodies are plastic sculptures.
They emerge from the dark background in all their
physicality, but their faces are absent, covered with
black masks. Slow motion and loop techniques dilate
the perception of time. A simple scene, an event as
trivial as a sports confrontation, is transformed
into a powerful, evocative image.
|
