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Mirrors are obligatory

By Contact

Monday, May 13th, 2019
Vilma Fredriksson – I badrummet. Installation. Photo: Graziella Loyrette

It’s impossible to not find yourself slightly overwhelmed when 18 participants from Konstskolan Munka presents their work together in the exhibition Allt är obligatoriskt at Skånes Konstförening.


Exhibition
Participants:
Käbi Apelgren Backlöf, Johanna Bjuremo, Mia Ekman, Fanny Fahrman, Vilma Fredriksson, Klara Hedin, Yrsa Hedström, Gustav Kathirgamer, Nina Johansson, Jinling Li, Fouad Mahammadie, Ralph Noack, Sara Poppler Carredano, Anna Svedberg, Catja Tonberg, Saga von Stedingk, Jonna Wäreby och Rasmus Östlund.
Venue: Skånes konstförening, Malmö
3-12 May 2019

Vilma Fredriksson – I badrummet. Installation. Photo: Graziella Loyrette

In a small room I find the installation I badrummet by Vilma Fredriksson. The interior is created from soft and reshapeable foam instead of hard ceramics. Arms and head of the character living in that space are shaped in hardened clay instead of inconstant muscles and flesh. The face is fixated in a tired expression. Still it performs so vividly and alive when it is moved through a hand underneath its carefully knitted cute sweater. I’m in love with those shoes by the way. I recognise myself in my bathroom, starring at my face in the mirror.

Vilma Fredriksson – I badrummet. Installation. Photo: Graziella Loyrette

Psychoanalytic theory “the mirror stage” invented by Jacques Lacan describes how we in a specific moment in our development as humans realise ourselves as objects. A moment where we are starting to grasp the complicated connection between the self and others, evoking feelings of my body to only be existing in relation to someone perceiving me. Perhaps this is one reason to why a bathroom without a mirror feels like a frightening place to me.

Perhaps it is inescapable being watched. Is it then possible being an artist without some sort of exposition? In this exhibition 18 artists are exposed and today I’m happy it’s obligatory.


About Graziella Loyrette

Influential Art Critic writing for Gallery Extra Magazine, Sun Times News and Gallery Extra TV.