The Ground Beneath The Tree Moved Like A Congregation
(2017)
More info on this project: https://grafolkloor.wordpress.com/
Hannah Harkes (Scotland) and Mari Prekup (Estonia) have shared a working space at Grafodroom printmaking studios in Tallinn since 2013 and have worked closely together on many projects, including the performative collaboration Graforotika (2014-2015) and now, through their new collaborative artistic platform Grafolkoor, they are focusing on folkloric culture, in particular hiipuud (holy trees). Since the spring of 2016 the artists have been making trips to sites across Estonia to visit ancient trees, collecting intriguing stories and legends, and then interpreting these narratives and experiences through the forms of printmaking and sculptural space. The exhibition ’The Ground Beneath The Tree Moved Like A Congregation’ in Draakoni gallery presents the first fruits of this artistic research work. In conjunction with the exhibition the artists are creating an event programme which includes various talks, workshops, and happenings.
Demodictus
(2012)
Demodictus is a group of artists who are building an ever growing collection of intricate installation toys, presented as an opportunity for people to use the tools of play to communicate together over serious topics. The strain on communication that can be brought about by subjects such as death, war, religion and societal differences can make these conversations feel like difficult work. Both public and intimate at the same time, the subject of death amongst close ones is avoided through fear of its intimacy and through an enduring ancient fear of tempting the demons of superstition. Each individual work in the exhibition can separate a group of visitors into single active player and surrounding spectators as they host only one game player at a time. However, the works present themselves publicly to the anonymous, plural visitor, just as death is the solitary undertaking of an individual and at the same time universal.
Demodictus is:
Mari Prekup and Ott Pilipenko
with Hannah Harkes, Taavi Tulev, Priidik Hallas, James Connor, Märt Vaidla.
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