Cultural Matter: Amalia Ulman
Cultural Matter: Amalia Ulman
In 2014, Amalia Ulman created an international furore with her (secret) Instagram performance Excellences and Perfections about a girl trying to make it in Los Angeles. Instagram followers watched Ulman's story unfold until it culminated in a (fake) breast augmentation and a public apology. After a period of five months, when she had amassed almost 90,000 followers, Ulman announced that it had been a performance all along. The last post was a black-and-white image of a rose. Almost immediately after that a new adventure began: Privilege. This also started with an Instagram performance, this time around an alleged pregnancy. Soon Privilege grew into a mysterious multidisciplinary project that included installations reminiscent of David Lynch's 'black lodge' from Twin Peaks and a new – equally Lynchian – character: Bob the Pigeon. Ulman uses various tools, methods and online and offline platforms to investigate the position of the (pregnant) woman in today’s society, in relation to themes such as work, success and pain. Privilege was presented against a background of turbulent political times, which still pervades the ambience of the work.
This edition of Cultural Matter questions, presents and discusses Ulman's work in the online space. An online space will be created especially for this exhibition where artist, speaker and audience meet. Two experts, Susan Gibb (Pt.I) and João Laia (Pt.II), will shed light on the work, Ulman's multidisciplinary approach and the performativity of online and offline platforms. They approach this from a critical and feminist perspective, which is so characteristic of Ulman's work. Amalia Ulman's Exhibition will run from 21st October - 2nd December ONLINE.
Amalia Ulman
The work of visual artist Amalia Ulman (1989, Argentina) deals with issues of class, gender and sexuality. She uses elements of performance art alongside installations, video, photography and Internet art. She is considered one of the first artists to enter the world of museums with work created on social media. Solo exhibitions of her work have been held around the world and Excellences and Perfections has been included in numerous group exhibitions, including Performing for the Camera at Tate Modern, London, in 2016. Ulman lives and works in Los Angeles, United States.
Cultural Matter
Cultural Matter is a series of exhibitions and events that provide a platform for the international discussion of digital art and highlights the enduring expressive power of digital artworks: works in which art and technology and the past and the future come together in a way that is as logical as it is groundbreaking.
Also part of this series: JODI, Jonas Lund, Martine Neddam, Thomson & Craighead, Rafaël Rozendaal
Curated by: Sanneke Huisman and Jan Robert Leegte
Events
Cultural Matter: Susan Gibb in conversation with Amalia Ulman
Wednesday October 21, 8.00 pm (CET)
Cultural Matter: João Laia in conversation with Amalia Ulman
Wednesday October 28, 8.00 pm (CET)
Exhibition
Visit the Cultural Matter Edition Page
Artwork by Bin Koh
