OF REDUNDANCY AND REFUSAL
Estonian Museum of Contemporary Art
Curated by Keiu Krikmann
Pire Sova & Ando Naulainen, Agu Pilt, Hanna Kisch, Sandra Kosorotova, Rebecca Jagoe, Be Oakley, Women’s History Museum
July 28–August 22, 2021
"Of Redundancy and Refusal" looks at redundancy and refusal as an artistic practice and a way of living. The mentioned pair are closely related to each other - often excess manifests itself as a result of refusal, and often the basis of refusal is precisely excess.
The appearance of excess depends on where the limits of acceptability are set - whether they are political, cultural, public or private. Failure or refusal to adhere to these boundaries invites what is considered excessive and often immoral. However, calling someone or something too much can become a basis for denial, such as limiting access or self-fulfillment. At the same time, conscious and deliberate refusal can be an empowering strategy. This exhibition does not deal with excess in the context of commoditized luxury, but as an abundance that overcomes anxiety.
The exhibition examines refusal and excess through different themes and contexts: gender, sexuality, activism, abjectity, grotesque, health, illness, performativity, community building and experimentation. It's a journey into imaginative abundance.
