Clown Wall, 2019

In Danish, soon in English...

Soloudstilling, Absolute Art Space, Tainan, Taiwan
15. juni 2019 – 5. januar 2020

Udstillingen var en tekstbaseret performance, et nyt videoværk, installation skulptur, porcelænsmasker-masker, porcelænsklovnenæser, og resultatet fra workshops med studerende fra kunstakademiet i Tainan.

På ferniseringen viste jeg Clown Wall, en tekstbaseret performance på 20 minutter hvor jeg læser op på engelsk gennem en væg der også er en maske. Hsin Lee er med-performer og oversætter. I slutningen af teksten beder jeg publikum ta hver en af de porcelænsmasker inklusiv porcelænsklovnenæserder der hænger i udstillingen på og gå med mig ud på en tur rundt i nabolaget.

På udstillingen viste jeg også videoværket Hello, Do You Have a Mask ?  Den er filmet over tre dage og er en dokumentar-performance, hvor jeg sammen med en kameramand og en assistent går ud i byen iført laboratorie-kittel og en klovnenæse i porcelæn og opsøger mennesker i byen  samt banker på døre hos private og hos butikker, og via skilte med kinesisk tekst stiller det samme spørgsmål igen og igen, og  hvis det viser sig at de har en maske, om de vil vise mig deres maske.

https://vimeo.com/379557679
For at se videoen send mig en email på molly@mollyhaslund.com og efterspørg password til videoen som ligger på VIMEO.

Tak til Absolute Space for the Arts
Udstilling og residency er støtte af Statens Kunstfond og Akademiraadets rejseleget 2018
Absolute Art space er støtte af National Culture and Arts Foundation, Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City

China Daily News Taiwan about ''Clown Wall'' at Absolute Art Space for the Arts, Tainan.
https://www.cdns.com.tw/articles/79847

Excerpts from performance text in English:

Clown Wall

Welcome to my laboratory. Welcome inside my white walls. I’m the one who lives upstairs, in a room just like this. It covers the area running from right here, to the reception, on to the glass front and the entrance door facing the street.
The yellow cross is where I sleep. Opposite the inbuilt gallery bookcase I do my washing up.
Ten weeks ago today I moved in. Between the walls, my studio and private life mix with foreign furniture and stuff. Dry flowers. IKEA. Feng Shui attempts. From 8 o’clock every morning, the sounds from two construction sites are my soundtrack. The cat fights and screams at night under the glass balcony. Festival crackers, military aeroplanes, the Polish melody. Every day. Every night.
. . . . . 
Is it OK to write “I”?
Should I pretend it’s someone else’s writing?
And the one who is shouting. Is it you who sucks my blood?
Should I suggest sign-language?
Do you actually prefer art that could be a selfie-back ground, or do you prefer art that you can spend time with? Or is it the art that makes you relax and reminds you of yoga that you prefer?
Just examples. I do know that there are more to choose from. Just curious.
Is Gucci your thing? If we think of art as fashion, are we really ready for the coming season? How’s that?
. . . . .
First thing I noticed among the people I met in this city, was how everyone was preoccupied with the protests in Hong Kong, and especially after the mask ban. Maybe you can see, as you look around, that I've been preoccupied with that too.My grandmother never went on protests. She was so touched when she saw the crowds of people gather for the same cause, that she cried and cried. If she had thought about it more she could have worn a mask, and joined in.I’m just the same. But here in Tainan I did it, in September.
Moreover, I have been on an embroidery course at Golden Glory Embroidery, and modeled porcelain clown noses at Chin Chin Pottery, hoping to make a perfect one.
Urinal. Snot cup. Madonna form. Baroness Clown. Heavy Porcelain.
In the beginning I collected mango stones, but the season ended, so I stopped. I also collect what I can see; looking right through the facades when a construction worker is taking a nap under a house he just began demolishing. Children running around in their grandparents’ store. The shoemaker watching television. Kitchens being cleaned up in the middle of the pavement, and the hair-dresser smoking nearby. That everything is transparent.
The heat makes all this possible.
It has also been an inspiration to water someone else’s plants.
. . . . 
Wearing porcelain on your face is a paradox. It makes it easier for your enemy to target you, hit you, smash your face and rip your skin. Therefore, you must walk around carefully, and pay attention to where you are, whom you talk to, and what you aim for. Expect that those you meet will treat you extra carefully. We believe they will, but we don't expect anything.
Porcelain clown noses increase the sense of smell and make everyone find their way. I promise.
. . . . 
I would like to go for a walk with you.
Would you come?
If all of you put on a mask, we can take a walk around the block.
The clown noses count as small masks.
If all of you pick a mask.
If each of you put on a mask, then we’re off.

(Molly Haslund, Tainan, Taiwan 2019)

__________________________________________

展覽日期｜11/30 Sat. - 1/5 Sun.

開幕茶會｜11/30 Sat. 15:00

開幕演出｜11/30 Sat. 15:30

開幕座談｜11/30 Sat. 16:30

與談人｜紀紐約、余政達

Molly Haslund 是一名居住於哥本哈根的丹麥藝術家。自2019年9月15日起，她展開了於絕對空間為期三個月的進駐。這些日子以來，她主要致力於創發道具與服裝，打造一小丑的角色與形象——一個正在發展中、目前由面具所佔據的他我。

駐村期間，她也花了一週於府城光彩繡莊學習傳統刺繡工法，並於青青土氣使用瓷土實驗燒製完好的小丑鼻子；同時，她以於自身在絕對空間居住與工作之房間內的傢俱，以及公共空間與批發商場可見可尋之物件作為靈感，完成裝置。

　兩次由她與絕對空間主辦的工作坊中，和參與學員共同合作開展的發想與成果，也將於展覽中呈現；另外，她將首次放映與在地居民及「小丑」一同於台南社區鄰里間進行三天拍攝的錄像作品——《你好，請問你有面具嗎？》。

【Molly Haslund簡介】

Molly Haslund 先後於丹麥皇家藝術學院、格拉斯哥藝術學院取得碩士學位。2005年畢業後，便持續從事行為、雕塑、社會介入以及以行動為基礎的創作，並於國內外各地，包括丹麥、格拉斯哥、倫敦、柏林、慕尼黑、紐約、費城、京都等地進行展演。

Haslund 的創作介於雕塑與行為藝術之間，結合流行文化、表演藝術、文學以及音樂等元素，開創出多面向的藝術實踐。透過應用不同的策略，Haslund 的作品探討想法、身分認同以及社會階層如何密切地與身體姿勢動作、儀式以及環境周遭的各種設計與布局安排產生關係，並持續進行協商。在她的行為表演中，偶爾也見其結合文字與簡短的敘事，不時帶著詼諧幽默的轉折。

因著她對於身體物質性與歷史、社會環境以及現況之間的關係的興趣，她的作品鮮少以單一框架重複展演方式，通常會在當地現地創作，或者與特定的脈絡產生對話，將作品根據新的場域的條件進行調整。

Molly Haslund 創作論述節錄】

歡迎來到我的實驗室。歡迎走進我的白牆。我就住在樓上，一個跟這裡一樣的房間。房間從櫃檯這裡延伸至玻璃前門的這塊區域，它的門面向巷弄。

　在臉上穿戴陶瓷面具是一件矛盾的事。這讓你的敵人更容易瞄準你、攻擊你、砸毀你的臉、並撕裂你的肌膚。因此，你務必要小心行走，留意你身在何處、和誰說話、意欲何事。你所遇之人皆會如預期般地格外緊戒。我們如此相信著，但並無完全的把握。我們不知道任何人是誰。

主辦單位：絕對空間

營運贊助：國藝會

展覽贊助：丹麥藝術基金會、國藝會、台南市政府文化局