The exhibition WAITING ROOM opens this Saturday April 24th, between 2 and 6 pm in Harbinger.
The show runs until May 9th and is open from 2 – 5 pm, Fridays and Saturdays. Harbinger is located at Freyjugata 1, 101 Reykjavík.
WAITING ROOM is a three channel video by Bergþóra Snæbjörnsdóttir, Dögg Mósesdóttir & Rakel McMahon.
The piece builds loosely on a performance which was shown at the performance festival PAO in Oslo in 2015.
In the video piece three persons appear, isolated on TV screens. They repeat familiar poses and movements intended to exhibit beauty and grace, to watch and to be watched. But how did select physical positions and expressions become a beauty standard? At first glance it may seem to be through the effect of porn and media, but upon closer inspection one can trace these positions back to the poses assumed by greek statues and in paintings on greek vases. These poses do not only play a large role in art history, they also provide important information from an anthropological perspective. Will they ever change and is there any need for them to do so?
WAITING ROOM takes a look at waiting and lethargy, voyeurism and exhibitionism and the amusing but paradoxical human condition.
Bergþóra Snæbjörnsdóttir is an author and poet, living and working in Reykjavík, Iceland. She has previously performed in collaboration with Rakel McMahon as W.C. (Wunderkind Collective).
Dögg Mósesdóttir is a film maker and has directed documentaries, short films, advertisements and music videos, both in Iceland and abroad.
Rakel McMahon graduated in 2008 with a BA in Fine Arts at the IAA and has since exhibited widely, both in solo and group shows. McMahon works largely with performance, especially in collaboration with other artists, as well as working in painting and drawing.
Sound & music: Einar Tönsberg
Cinematography: Carolina Salas
Actor: Hjörtur Sævar Steinason
This project was funded by the Icelandic Visual Arts Fund.
Harbinger is sponsored by the City of Reykjavík.
