30 December 2020

[EN/LV] ‘Within Arm’s Reach’ by Diāna Tamane at ISSP Gallery

Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
[EN/LV] ‘Within Arm’s Reach’ by Diāna Tamane at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery

[EN]

In Diāna Tamane’s work, everyday events are a source of inspiration, with herself and her family as the main characters. Often, her relatives also become co-authors. Over the years, Diāna’s mother Tatjana, a truck driver, has become the artist’s most active and trustworthy collaborator. She agrees to be photographed, makes videos for her daughter’s exhibitions, and does not object to their phone conversations being made public, even if they reveal bumps in their relationship.

The exhibition Within Arm’s Reach features an extensive series of her mothers’ drawings, created while distributing various goods around Europe, and a video work Letters from Mom III, Mishanya, which includes footage shot by both mother and daughter. The daughter commissioned her mother to draw, encouraging Tatjana to document the everyday life rather than romanticise her traditionally as a masculine perceived profession, which Tatjana turned to 8 years ago when her café went bankrupt. However, the end result shows both women’s desire to find a way to a mutual understanding. Idyllic landscapes, nature observations and iconic tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, have snuck in between scenes from highways, gas station cafés, cityscapes and portraits of the mother’s husband, who is also a truck driver. Taken together, these reflect the everyday reality of the mother’s profession, simultaneously recalling romantic postcards. The video Letters from Mom III, Mishanya is based on the mother’s story about her adventures with a creature who decided to settle down under the seats in the truck, and a monotonous view through the front windshield. The monotony is interrupted from time to time by footage of both nature and everyday scenes filmed by mother and daughter, becoming their point of connection. By giving her mother a voice, Diana questions what kind of art is considered valuable in the context of contemporary art institutions, and what is excluded. She also addresses the role of women today, trying to find a common language between different generations and career choices.

Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, from the series 'Within Arm's Reach'
Diāna Tamane, from the series 'Within Arm's Reach'
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, from the series 'Within Arm's Reach'
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery
Diāna Tamane, 'Within Arm's Reach', exhibition view at ISSP Gallery

[LV]

Mākslinieces Diānas Tamanes darbu izejmateriāls ir sadzīviski notikumi, kuru galvenie varoņi ir viņas ģimene un pati, un viņa bieži aicina ģimenes locekļus kļūt par darbu līdzautoriem. Gadu gaitā Diānas mamma Tatjana, kravas mašīnas šofere, ir kļuvusi par mākslinieces uzticamāko un aktīvāko sabiedroto. Viņa piekrīt fotografēties, uzņem video materiālus meitas darbiem, neiebilst pret abu telefona sarunu publiskošanu pat, ja tās atklāj viņu ne vienmēr gludās attiecības.

Izstādē “Rokas stiepiena attālumā” apskatāms apjomīgs skaits mammas zīmējumu, kas tapuši pārvadājot preces visapkārt Eiropai, un video darbs “Vēstules no mammas III, Mišaņa”, kurā mijas mammas un meitas uzņemtie video. Zīmējumi tapuši pēc meitas pasūtījuma – mudinot māti vairāk dokumentēt ikdienu tā vietā, lai romantizētu savu tradicionāli par visnotaļ vīrišķīgu uzskatīto profesiju, kurai mamma pievērsās pirms astoņiem gadiem, kad bankrotēja viņas kafejnīca. Tomēr galarezultātā redzama abu vēlme meklēt ceļu uz saprašanos – starp lielceļiem, degvielas uzpildes staciju kafejnīcām, pilsētas ainavām un mammas vīra, arī kravas mašīnas šofera, portretiem, ielavījušās arī idillisku pieturvietu ainavas, dabas vērojumi un pasaulslavenas tūristu atrakcijas kā Eifeļa tornis, vienlaikus gan atspoguļojot mammas profesijas ikdienas realitāti, gan atsaucot atmiņā romantiskas pastkartes. Videodarba “Vēstules no mammas III, Mišaņa” pamatā ir mātes stāsts par piedzīvojumiem ar zvērēnu, kas bija nolēmis iekārtoties uz dzīvi zem mašīnas sēdekļiem, un vienmuļš skats pa automašīnas priekšējo logu. To ik pa brīdim pārtrauc abu – mātes un meitas – filmētas dabas un ikdienas ainas, kas kļūst par viņu saskares punktu. Piešķirot balsi savai mammai, Diāna pārvaicā, kāda māksla uzskatāma par vērtīgu un izstādāmu laikmetīgās mākslas institūciju kontekstā, un kāda – no tā tiek izslēgta, kā arī pievēršas sievietes lomai mūsdienu sabiedrībā, mēģinot atrast kopīgu valodu starp dažādām paaudzēm un profesiju izvēlēm.

Imprint

ArtistDiāna Tamane
ExhibitionWithin Arm's Reach
Place / venueISSP Gallery, Riga, Latvia
Dates5 November 2020 – 9 January 2021
Curated byEvita Goze
PhotosIngus Bajārs
Index

See also