Blancanieves como caso

Paloma Checa-Gismero parte del trabajo de Pilvi Takala para preguntarse sobre los límites de la representación y la performatividad. 

Marne-la-Vallée, primavera de 2009. La artista finlandesa Pilvi Takala vestida de Blancanieves a escasos metros de la entrada de Disneyland Paris. Se ha plantando en la explanada que separa el aparcamiento de las taquillas del parque. Familias atraviesan ese espacio en una suerte de tránsito ceremonial entre la normalidad de cada una de sus vidas y la excepcionalidad del día durante el que formarán parte del universo Disney. Blancanieves saluda, recibe, conversa y se deja querer por los fans. Firma autógrafos y escucha lo que niños y mayores comparten con ella, admirados y sorprendidos ante su presencia. Ella sonríe, ellos también. El cielo sin nubes. A lo lejos, detrás, el castillo de Cenicienta reina sobre la comarca. Sin embargo, también hay una verja detrás de Blancanieves. Ahí están los boleteros, los torniquetes y la frontera entre los dos mundos. Camuflados con el resto del escenario, estos elementos del urbanismo de la fantasía pasan desapercibidos. En el tácito pacto de la visita al parque se incluye un tránsito fácil entre los dos universos, sólo marcado por la compra de la entrada.

5 questions with… AV-arkki

AV-arkki, the Distribution Centre for Finnish Media Art has distributed and promoted Finnish media art for over two decades. We talk with Hanna Maria Anttila, director of AV-arkki.

1: AV-arkki has been distributing Finnish Video for many years. During this time the Internet has been growing, the use of video increasing and more platforms like AV-arkki have appeared. What to do to keep the structure alive.

Hanna Maria Anttila: AV-arkki’s purpose has remained the same for 25 years. Our mission is to help Finnish media artists in the promotion and distribution of their work. Tools to accomplish this have of course changed during the years.

There was no cheap international flights or Internet available to the majority of people when AV-arkki started to operate in 1989. In those days it was pretty difficult for an individual Finnish artist to get information about international festivals, museums etc. Also media art was not such a popular medium as it is today. 25 years ago AV-arkki’s mission was to spread information about Finnish media art as widely as possible -using fax machines, sending VHS tapes and letters in the mail. AV-arkki also worked as a portal, bringing information about the international media art scene into Finland.

Today our society has an information overload. Communication has become fast and technically easy. Traveling is quite cheap. Media art is at the core of the contemporary art scene. Nowadays AV-arkki’s operation is more about focusing on digital information, targeting actions and networking with the best possible partners in order to get our mission accomplished.

The only way to survive is never to consider that your organization is somehow ready. You have to follow your time and also attempt to see the future. It is important to keep your organization especially appealing to young artists. I also recommend collaborating with a wide spectrum of partners