Untitled

Puust televiisor
The wooden television
Igaüks teab, et puit ei ole mingi
elektroonikamaterjal. Tõsi küll, kunagi oli
raadio ja televiisori kast tõesti puidust. Või
vähemalt sisaldas puitdetaile. Aga tänaseks on
see unustatud.
Puuhalust ei arva keegi, et see hakkaks pilti
näitama. Aga asi ei ole ainult materjalis. Kuigi
me oleme jõudnud aega, kus isegi leiva sees
võib olla 5-megapiksline kaamera, tunneme
me väga hästi ära, kas meile pakutakse
kaameraga või kaamerata leiba. Teostus,
stilistika, väikesed peaaegu märkamatud
pisiasjad üldises viimistluses, need kõik
annavad piisavalt infot.
Jana Briķe puust televiisor ei viita elektroonika
kohalolule. Võib-olla oleks kõige õigem, kui
need 200 lehekülge, mis joonistuse dünaamikat
sisaldavad, olekski liikuma pandud mingi
keeruka viktoriaanliku mehhanismi abil.
Lehtede krabin ja hammasrataste lõgin
konfirmeeriks, et mehaanikasajandisse kuuluva
raami sees pingutaks tegelikkuse edasikerimise
nimel
aus
viktoriaanlik
masinavärk.
Elektroonika tuli mängu siiski hulga hiljem ja
nihutas
tehnika
ära
viirastuslikku
haaramatusesse.
Ja
praegu
on
see
viirastuslikkus võib-olla juba liiga lihtne, liiga
käepärane. Mitte miski, mis liigub ekraanil, ei
saa meid enam üllatada. Tegelikult vajame me
rihmu, hammasrattaid ja pisaraid. Mitte pilte
või videot nendest.
Aga vähemalt me teame, et seda
aliceliddellikku figuuri kannab siiski 200st
käsitsijoonistatud paberilehest koosnev pakk,
raamatumõõtu objekt, milles lugeda pole
midagi. Mark Ryden võiks unes näha sellist
raamatut, aga siis ta ärkaks ega piirduks ühe
väätidest väljasirutuva figuuriga. Aga mis siis,
kui Jana Briķe näeb Mark Rydeni unenägu,
millest ta ei suuda ärgata ja seda kõike
projitseeritakse meile läbi puust televiisori, mis
ei lülita ennast enne välja, kui tema juured on
tolmuks pudenenud?
Tõepoolest, tahad magada, ole valmis une
nägudeks.
Everyone knows that wood is not something
electronics are made out of. True, years ago
television and radio sets did sit inside wooden
boxes. Or at least they had some wooden
details. But that’s all forgotten now.
No one believes that a log of wood could
broadcast a picture. But it’s not just about the
material. Although we’ve come to a point in
time where even a slice of bread could hold a
5-megapixel camera, we can very clearly tell if
we are offered bread with or without a camera.
Execution, style, small almost invisible details
in the general rendering – all of that gives
enough information.
Jana Brike’s wooden TV set does not signify
the presence of technology. Perhaps it would
have been better if these 200 dynamic
drawings were set in motion with some
complex Victorian mechanism. The crinkling
of paper and the crackling of cogs would serve
as a confirmation that inside the outer layer
belonging to the century of mechanics, there’s
actually a proper Victorian solution struggling
to fast-forward reality. Electronics appeared
much later and pushed technology into the
ghostly
and
unfathomable.
What
is
unfathomable is now too easy, too accessible.
Nothing that moves on a screen can surprise us
anymore. What we really need are straps and
cogs and tears. Not pictures or videos of them.
At least we know this figure similar to Alice
Liddell is carried by 200 hand-drawn images
that altogether could form a book, but there’s
nothing to read. Mark Ryden might dream
about a book like this at night, but if he awoke
he wouldn’t limit himself to only a single
figure reaching out of the vines. But what if
Jana Brike is actually having Mark Ryden’s
dream from which she cannot awake and all of
this is broadcast to us on the wooden telly that
won’t shut off until its roots turn to dust?
That’s right, if you want to sleep, you better be
ready to have dreams.
andreas w
andreas w
Needus
The curse
Varase keskea künnisele jõudnud J. ärkas vaevaliselt
hilissuviselt uimasel varahommikul. Vaikse kohina saatel sirutas
ta oma lõputuna tunduvaid käsi ja jalgu ning keeras aeglaselt
pead. Läbi kergelt auruse akvaariumiseina nägi ta osakest talle
juba aastaid koduks ning ka vanglaks olnud toast. Sihitult ringi
laperdavate liblikatega tapeet, mis oli talle lapsepõlves nii
meeldinud, oli niiskusest kummi tõmbunud seintel
kurjakuulutavalt muhklik, selle narmendavate servade alt
paistsid seinale kleebitud ajalehtedelt loetamatud pealkirjad ja
hägused fotod. Seina ääres, niiskusest ja rõskusest pundunud
ning vanadusest kergelt viltu vajunud kapil, seisis televiisor.
Selle väärikaid, juba pragunema kippuvaid seinu ja tuhmi elutut
ekraani kattis valge niiskuselaikudega käterätik, millele olid
sinise lõngaga tikitud maasikaid söövad härjapõlvlased.
J. ohkas valuliselt ja keeras aeglaselt pead. Härjapõlvlased, tema
lapsepõlve suurimad eeskujud ja parimad sõbrad, olid muutunud
tema piinade põhjustajateks ja suurimateks vaenlasteks. Ja seda
kõike vaid ühe näruse teleseriaali pärast. Üle J.-i pooleldi
läbipaistva näo rullis end vaikne kurvameelne lainetus. J. oli
alati tundnud end hästi pigem kodus raamatute ja televiisori
seltsis kui seltskonnas. Härjapõlvlased, tema lapsepõlve
salajased mängukaaslased, olid olnud tema lahutamatuteks
kaaslasteks nii kaua, kui ta ennast mäletas. Nad olid teinud kõike
koos: lugenud raamatuid ja arutlenud nendes kirjutatu üle,
vaadanud koos põnevaid filme ja populaarseid seriaale. Seda
kõike ajani, mil televiisoris hakkas jooksma kultusseriaal
„Meeleheitel koduperenaised”. Erinevalt J.-ist ei leidnud
härjapõlvlased seriaalis midagi köitvat ega erutavat. Päevpäevalt nurisesid nad üha enam näidatava üle ja pidasid J.-ile
pikki manitsevaid loenguid naiselikkusest kui kogu maailma
vundamendist, selle pühadusest ning puutumatusest. J. talus
manitsuskõnesid kannatlikult, ekraanilt paistvate koduperenaiste
kergemeelsus ja pealiskaudsus tundus erakordselt võluv. Õhtud
koos härjapõlvlastega teleri ees möödusid ägedate,
ebaviisakusteni küündivate vaidluste saatel. Seda hetkeni, mil
vanima härjapõlvlase kannatus katkes ja ta J.-i piinarikkasse
niiskesse needusesse paiskas.
Sellest õhtust oli möödunud juba aastaid. Päevast päeva püüdis
J. läbi keerukate ülesannete end needusest vabastada, saatjaks
vananev härjapõlvlane, kes ta vihahoos veeks muutnud oli.
Sellest hetkest sai tema koduks akvaarium, tema silmadest said
lombid ja palmikutest allikas, tema kätest ja jalgadest said jõed
ning tema soontes voolas tintjasmust muda. Just muda oli see,
mis pidi J.-i piinarikkast needusest vabastama. Ülesanne tundus
esmapilgul imelihtne: mudase vee abil tuli joonistada iga päev
kuivatuspaberile kakssada naiselikkust ülistavat etüüdi. Pärast
aastatepikkust ponnistamist oli J.-il õnnestunud needusest
vabanemise esimene pool korduvalt edukalt läbida. Joonistused
olid küll võib-olla pisut liiga ekspressiivsed, kuid siiski
teemakesksed ja vahetud. Probleeme tekitas jätkuvalt ülesande
teine osa: vahetada tuli teleripuldil tol saatuslikul õhtul
kinnistunud kanal.
Valgus heitis akvaariumi seintele üha pikemaid varje. Tuppa
astus hallipäine, pisut lonkav härjapõlvlane ja asus kõikjal
vedelevaid poolnätskeid kuivatuspabereid kokku korjama.
Kostis rahulolevat pobinat ja ninanuuskamist. J. lainetas
ootusärevalt. Härjapõlvlane ohkas, eemaldas telerilt käterätiku,
lohistas voolujuhtme seinani ja surus selle hingeldades
seinakontakti. Kostis vaikset praksumist ja seejärel kõlas toas
tuttav avamuusika. Tigedalt koperdas härjapõlvlane akvaariumi
juurde ja ulatas J.-ile teleripuldi, millest turritasid välja ammu
kulunud nuppude asemele löödud 9-tollised naelad.
J., a person standing on the edge of an early mid-life crisis,
woodenly woke up on a lazy late summer morning.
Accompanied by a slight sloshing sound, she stretched out her
endless limbs and turned her head slowly. Through a misty
aquarium wall she saw a bit of the room that had been her home
and prison for years. The wallpaper with butterflies that she had
loved so much as a child, was now damp and peeling off the
walls ominously, revealing old newspaper headlines beneath it.
Beside the wall, on a bloated wooden cupboard, stood a
television set. Its cracking walls and faded lifeless screen was
covered with a mouldy towel with pictures of leprechauns
stitched on it.
J. sighed in pain and turned her head slowly. Leprechauns, her
biggest childhood idols and best friends, had become the source
of her suffering and her biggest enemies. And all of this because
of a mediocre television show. Ripples of sadness rolled over
J.’s almost transparent face. J. had always preferred the company
of books and television to that of people.
Leprechauns, the secret playmates of her childhood, had been
her inseparable companions as long as she could remember.
They had done everything together: read books and discussed
them, watched exciting films and popular series on the telly. Up
until what would become a cult series – Desperate Housewives.
Unlike J., the leprechauns did not find anything interesting or
enticing about the show. They began to disapprove of it more
and more every day and lectured J. on the importance of
femininity and its sanctity and purity. J. listened to the speeches
patiently, but the frivolity and superficiality of the housewives
on the screen seemed incredibly attractive. Evenings in front of
the TV with the leprechauns were now spent with furious
debates that often escalated into impoliteness. Until one evening
the most senior leprechaun had reached the end of his tether and
he decided to put an unbearably damp curse on J.
This had been years ago. Every day J. tried to release herself
from the curse through executing difficult tasks, accompanied by
the ageing leprechaun who had turned J. into water in anger.
Since then her home had been the aquarium, her eyes puddles
and braids in her hair springs, her arms and legs became rivers
and the blood in her veins turned into inky mud. It was the mud
that was supposed to release her from the curse. The task seemed
incredibly simple at first – she had to draw 200 études with her
ink every day, praising femininity. After years of trying she had
successfully and on numerous occasions achieved the first part
of breaking the curse. The drawings were perhaps a little too
expressive, but still sincere and committed to the theme. The
second part of the task proved to be difficult time and time again
– changing the TV channel that had remained the same since that
fateful night.
Lights flickered and cast shadows on the aquarium walls. A
grey-haired limping leprechaun walked into the room and started
to pick up soggy drawings lying everywhere. Approving
muttering could be heard along with someone blowing their
nose. J. wobbled hopefully. The leprechaun sighed, removed the
towel from the television, dragged the electrical cord to the wall
and, panting, connected it to the wall. J. heard a quiet crackle
and then the familiar theme song. The leprechaun stumbled
menacingly to the aquarium and gave J. the remote on which the
worn-out buttons were replaced with 9-inch nails.
Elena Šmakova
Elena Šmakova
Bērnišķības un nevainības maskas aizsegs klāj ko
pavisam biedējošu – iespējamību, pagājību,
neziņu, bailes – tik vien kā nojautas, intuīcijas
vadīts, tas lēnīgi liek par sevi manīt. Viņi uzbrūk
mežonīgiem un nemierīgiem sapņiem, to naivums
ir citāds - atbaidošs, to ilgas – šausminošas un
neparastas. Sabiezinātas emocijas un nemiers
atspīd to acīs. Skaistumu pavada dīvainais.
The cover of mask of childishness and
innocence
veils
something
completely
frightening – possibility, past, ignorance, fear –
led only by anticipation, intuition it slowly
makes itself seen. They attack wild and restless
dreams, their naivety is different – appalling,
their longing – horrifying and extraordinary.
Concentrated emotions and restlessness
reflects in their eyes. Beauty is followed by the
weird.
MAIJA RUDOVSKA
Jana Briķe
Jana Briķe
Jana Briķe animatsioon on väga romantiline
ja naiselik eneseväljendus. Siin avaldub
feminiinsuse igavene dilemma – soov olla
ühtaegu nii jõuline, kõikvõimas maaema ja
õrn süütu tüdruk. Seda, ja lisaks veel palju
muudki, ootab naiselt ühiskond: tuleb olla
kodumasin, sekspomm, emme, edukas tööl
jne. Neile kõrgendatud ühiskondlikele
ootustele on tähelepanu juhtinud feministlik
liikumine. Kuid Briķe pole feminist, ennemini
on ta iga võitleva feministi õudusunenägu,
sest tema kunst pigem taastoodab soolisi
stereotüüpe. Ta teeb seda aga niivõrd
lapselikult süütus vormis, et ka kõige
radikaalsemal feministil ei jää muud üle, kui
tunnistada Briķe ühiskondlik-poliitiliselt
süüdimatuks.
Üldse tundub, et ta ignoreerib kaasaegses
kunstis trendikaid kontseptsioone, strateegiaid
ja võtteid täielikult. Graafiline pool
animatsioonist on teostatud hea maitse piiril,
mis Läti kontekstis klassifitseerub kunstiks,
Põhjamaade esteetika taustal aga pigem
kitšiks. Visuaali päästab liigsest magususest
eksponeerimisviis – rohmakas puust telekas,
mis loob esteetilise kontrasti. Selles telekas
peegeldub ka teatav tehnoloogiapõlgus, mis
ihaleb juhtmetest ja kiipidest vaba maailma,
kuid on samas sunnitud ka ise siiski
tehnoloogiat kasutama.
Jah, unistused on ilusad ja vajalikud seni,
kuni unistaja annab endale aru, et tegu on
unistuste, mitte reaalsusega.
Jana Briķe’s animation is a romantic and
feminine attempt at self-expression. What we
have here is the eternal dilemma of
femininity: the desire to be a fierce and
powerful earth mother and a fragile innocent
girl at the same time. These are only a few of
the expectations in a long list set by society:
to be a home-maker, sex bomb, mommy, have
a successful career etc. Feminism has drawn
attention to these high expectations. However,
Briķe is not a feminist, but more like the
worst nightmare of a feminist – her art is
more likely to reproduce gender stereotypes.
She does it in such a childishly naïve way that
even the most radical feminist has no choice
but to deem Briķe socio-politically and
criminally insane.
In fact, she seems to ignore contemporary
trendy concepts, strategies and techniques
completely. The animation graphics are
bordering on the edge of good taste, which in
the Latvian context would qualify as art, but
northern aesthetic would deem as kitsch. The
visuals are saved, however, from over the top
sweetness by being shown in a robust wooden
television set, which creates a contrasting
juxtaposition. The television also reflects
contempt against technology and aspirations
towards a world free of wires and microchips
while giving in to using technology.
Mari Kartau
Mari Kartau
1.
2.
3.
6/10
6/10
Jana Brike televiisori kest on valmistatud käsitsi. Selleks
kasutatud puit on selgelt päevinäinud. Niimoodi on paremini
aru saada, et tegemist on käsitsi valmistatud objektiga. See
näeb välja nagu veimevakk1. Televiisoris jookseb
animatsioon, milles aeg on seisma jäänud. Graatsilises ühele
jalale(?) toetuvas poosis laps-indiviid pöörleb igavesti keset
maagilist irreaalsust. Ka animatsioon on käsitsi tehtud.
*
*
*
Jana maalib tehnikas, mida mina kutsuks postrealistlikuks.
See on järgmine samm peale hüperrealismi, mis omakorda
järgneb minu peas fotorealismi nime kandvale kunstilisele
väljendusviisile. Ehk siis:
The shell of Jana Brike’s television is handmade. The wood
used for it has clearly seen better days. This way it’s easier to
notice that it’s a handmade object. It looks like a dowry
chest2. The TV is broadcasting an animation where time has
stopped. A graceful child-individual leaning on one foot (?)
going round and round forever in the middle of the magic
reality. The animation is also handdrawn.
*
*
*
Jana paints in a technique I would call post-realistic. It’s a
step further from hyperrealism, which in my head is preceded
by a form of expression called photorealism.
Meaning:
väidetavalt adekvaatse reaalsuse representatsiooni
järgi tehtud maal;
täiustatud reaalsuse kujutamine ülimalt realistlikus
laadis;
pseudo-reaalsuse kujutamine viisil, mis on kõigile
külastajatele aktsepteeritav über-meisterliku kunstina.
1.
2.

3.
depiction of pseudo-reality in a way that is
accepted by every viewer as über-professional art
Wide-eyed individuals with
high foreheads stare back
from the canvases, but it’s not
a cartoonish deformation with
the aim of creating visual
associations with new-borns
and to appear cute, they are
simply individuals with wide
eyes and high foreheads.
Looking at Jana’s earlier
works, I suspect that these
individuals have a different
binocular sight from us. These are also not individuals of this
species going through a growth phase, similar to
prepubescent human children. These are grown-ups whose
sexual needs and desires are equivalent to that of humans the
same age. Otherwise we would have to discuss different
issues altogether.
A lot of contemporary art that is praised nowadays actually
comes from two possible extremes:
ülimalt sügavamõtteline ja enamasti millegi suhtes
kriitilist seisukohta võttev tõsine kunst;
nunnu-retseptoritele rõhuv nunnu-kunst.
Üleelusuurustes keppivates roosades küülikutes, kellel on
peas hirvesarved ja seljal pegasuse tiivad, lihtsalt on midagi
vastupandamatut. Samas peavad kriitikud loomulikult
vaatama sellistele teostele läbi rõhutatult vaevu-tolereeriva
prisma ning pühendama suurema osa oma tekstidest
Olulistele Teemadele. Õnneks võimaldavad Jana teosed
motiivivaliku, viimistletud pintslikirja ja maalitehnilise
meisterlikkuse kõrval rääkida ka hoopis tõsisematest ja
olulisematest teemadest. Tubli tüdruk!
*
*
*
Antud teoses on Jana kõik eelnevalt toodud probleemid ja
võimalused kõrvale lükanud ning loonud lihtsalt 200kaadrilise klipi keset muinasjutulist olustikku pöörlevast
drüaadilaadsest olendist. Jäävad vaid käsitsi tehtud telekas ja
käsitsi tehtud animatsioon.
depiction of perfected reality in a highly realistic
manner
Lõuenditelt vastu vaatavad suurte silmadega kõrgelaubalised
pead ei ole mitte märk multifilmilikust moonutusest, mille
eesmärk on tekitada vaatajates assotsiatsioone imikutega ja
kutsuda seeläbi esile nunnu-reaktsiooni, vaid need kujutavad
lihtsalt indiviide, kellel on suured silmad ja kõrged laubad.
Jana varasemaid töid vaadates tekib mul kahtlus, kas nende
olevuste binokulaarne nägemine ei ole meie omast ehk
erinev. Samuti ei ole tegemist mitte nende liikide
kasvamisfaasis isenditega, mida võiksime eeldada lähtuvalt
enda kogemusest puberteedieelsete lastega, vaid täiskasvanud
olenditega, kelle seksuaalsed ihad ja vajadused on
võrdväärsed samaealiste inimeste omadega. Vastasel juhul
peaksime rääkima hoopis teistest küsimustest.
Väga suur osa tänapäevasest kunstist, mida kilbile tõstetakse,
on pärit kahest võimalikust äärmusest:

allegedly an adequate representation of reality in
painting


incredibly deep and serious art that is mostly
critical towards something
cute-art that pushes the cute-buttons
There’s just something irresistible about giant fucking
bunnies wearing deer antlers and wings on their backs.
Naturally, the critics have to approach these works through a
deliberately exaggerated prism of intolerance and have to
devote most of their text to Really Serious Topics. Luckily,
Jana’s pictures allow discussing serious and important things,
too, in addition to the choice of motive, technique of
brushstrokes and overall skills. Good girl!
*
*
*
In this piece Jana has pushed aside all aforementioned
problems and possibilities and has simply created a 200frame visual of a dryad-like creature rotating in the middle of
a fairy story. What remains are the self-built television and
handdrawn animation.
Peeter Talvistu
Peeter Talvistu
1
Selline sõna Artishoki Biennaalil!
2
Unbelievable, a word like that at the Artishok Biennale!
METS JA EMPAATIA
FOREST AND EMPATHY
Jana Brike animatsioon “Päev, mil aeg seisis paigal”
mõjub nagu tema loomingu manifest või kaitsevaim. Sest
tema looming on nagu mets, ja see olend, keda me Brike
esindusvideos näeme, oleks nagu sealt metsast välja
astunud, esindama või kaitsma seda maailma, mis seal
metsas avaneb. Brike mets on spetsiifilise esteetikaga
ruum, mis näib olevat hõivanud ka aja. Aeg on seal metsas
seisma pandud – nii nagu oleks laps lukustatud oma
lapsepõlve, et takistada tal täiskasvanuks saamist. Mõned
Brike maalidel olevad lapsed näevad välja nagu nad
oleksid haiged või väärkoheldud. Aga mitte alati. Nad
näevad välja ka puhtad ja kahvatud, neis on isegi midagi
raugalikku. Sest nende ümber kestab kas igavene talv või
sügis – pulbitseva elutegevuse lähenev lõpp, tardumuse
aeg. Ühes Briķega tehtud intervjuus mainiti, et tema
töödes on lapsed, kes on kohe-kohe saamas teismelisteks.
Kui kujutada ette, et lapsepõlv on suvi, siis teismeiga oleks
justkui sügise saabumine. Lapsed, kes otsustavad mitte
teismelisteks saada, jäävad muutuvasse keskkonda edasi,
kuni jõuavad välja täiskasvanute maailma. Seal on kõik
valmis saanud, üleküpsenud, iga hetk lagunema hakkav.
Selline nagu William Holman Hunti lambakarjuse maalil,
milles peituvat nilbust on värvikalt esile toonud Slavoj
Žižek. Sellises maailmas omandab absoluutselt kõik nilbe
erootilise varjundi.
Erootika on alati nilbe ja ebaeetiline. Erootika on esteetika
üks osa, läbi ja lõhki rassistlikul ja orjanduslikul
ühiskonnamudelil põhinev. See on representatsioon, mis
esindab keelatut – kusjuures liberaalses ühiskonnas ei ole
enam midagi keelatut. Keelatusest on saanud omamoodi
väärtus, surplus jouissance, mis on korduvusele üles
ehitatud pornotööstuse mootor. Tegelikult on see kogu
oksidentaalse seksuaalsuse alus. See jälitab kõiki – mind
ja sind, nagu ütleb Margus Tamme labidas. Seksuaalsus
toimib alati läbi tugevate kontrastide, seal on alati üks osa
varjatut, teine osa avalikku.
Erootika ja eetikaga seotud küsimused on Brike loomingu
puhul tõlgendajaga seotud. Niisamuti nagu kõik muud
küsimused – näiteks surm ja lagunemine, mis saadavad
Brike loomingut täpselt samamoodi. Ma arvan, et oleks
ebaeetiline arvata, et Brike tegeleb laste erotiseerimisega.
Näen tema loomingus hoopis kontrasti iseendaks jäämise
ja ümbritseva konventsionaalse maailma vahel. Seda
saadab ka intensiivne suhe tõlgendajaga, vaatajaga.
Sealjuures erotiseerib ta iseennast – olles muuhulgas ka
üks iseenese loodud karakter, samas orgaanilises
täiskasvanu kehas, sotsiaalselt võimeka ja end hästi
kehtestava kunstnikuna. Tema loomingus on piisavalt
ruumi empaatilisteks rännakuteks, et seksuaalsuse ja
erootika teema täielikult ületada, või siis projitseerida
neist saadud impulsid kunstnikule.
Jana Brike’s animation The Day that Time Stood Still is
like a manifest or a guardian angel for her creations. Her
work is like a forest and the creature that we see in her
signature video has stepped out of the forest to represent
and protect the world inside that forest. Brike’s forest is a
space with a specific aesthetic that seems to also have engulfed time. Time has been put on pause in that forest –
like a child that has been locked in his childhood to prevent
growing up.
Some of the children in her paintings look like they are ill
or abused. But not always. They also look clean and pale,
there’s even something elderly about them. Because they
are embraced in a perpetual winter or autumn – the approaching end of liveliness; the time of stillness. It was
mentioned in an interview with her that the children she
depicts are about to reach puberty. If you imagine childhood as a summer, then becoming a teenager is a bit like
the arrival of autumn. Children, who decide not to become
teenagers, remain the same in a changing environment until they reach adulthood. Then everything is ready and ripened, about to fall apart. Like William Holman Hunt’s
painting The Hireling Shepherd – its hidden lewdness has
been colourfully discussed by Slavoj Žižek. In a world like
that everything becomes lasciviously erotic.
Erotica is always lewd and unethical. Erotica is a part of
aesthetics; based on a racist mode of society that promotes
slavery. It is a representation of the forbidden, but at the
same time nothing is censored in a liberal society. The forbidden has become a value on its own, surplus jouissance,
which is a catalyst for the repetitive porno industry. Actually, the whole of occidental sexuality is based on that. It
follows us all – me and you, as said by Margus Tamm’s
spade. Sexuality always appears through sharp contrasts,
there’s always a part that is hidden and a part that is public.
TANEL RANDER
The questions about erotica and aesthetics in Brike’s work
are dependent on the interpreter. Just like all the other
questions that follow her work, like death and decay. I
think it’s unethical to think that Brike is eroticising children. Instead I see a contrast between remaining yourself
and the surrounding conventional world. This is also accompanied by an intense relationship with the viewer. At
the same time she is eroticising herself – to be a character
created by herself in an organic grown-up body; a socially
adept and self-assured artist. Her creations are spacious
enough to facilitate empathic ponderings to cross the topic
of sexuality and erotica completely or to project these impulses onto the artist.
TANEL RANDER
Astotā saruna. Savs televizors
Eighth conversation. Television of one’s own
Vasīlijs Voronovs: Janas Briķes animācijas filmiņā mani valdzina tieši mākslinieces
Vasīlijs Voronovs: The animated film by Jana Briķe captivates me exactly because
izvēlētās tehnikas un tās redzamo pēdu dēļ (zīmējumu numerācija vietām pavīd kadra
of the technique chosen by the artist and its visible traces (the numeration of the
augšējā labajā stūrī). Tās galvenais tēls ir naivi vienkāršs, bet nepieciešamo distanci,
drawings at times flashes in the upper right corner of the shot). Its main character is
lai naivais nekļūtu par banālo, rada koka televizors, kurā mēs redzam kadru – Janas
naively simple, but the necessary distance for the naive not to become banal is created
zīmēto lapiņu – secību.
by the wooden television set, in which we see the sequence of shots – pages drawn by
Jānis Taurens: Piekrītu vārda “valdzinošs” lietojumam, taču mani piesardzīgu dara
Jana .
viena frāze autores līdzi atsūtītajā īsajā tekstā. Viņa raksta, ka animācija attēlo the
Jānis Taurens: I agree with the usage of the word “captivating”, but I grow cautious
most simple dance of axis mundi of feminine primordium (paskaidrojums ir angļu
at one phrase in the text author has sent in. She writes that the animation represents
valodā). “Pasaules ass deja” vienkārši norādītu uz mitoloģisku elementu, bet
“the most simple dance of axis mundi of feminine primordium” (her explanation was
“sievišķais pirmsākums” jeb “dīglis”, “aizmetnis” liek atcerēties feminisma teoriju
in English).
klātbūtni mākslā un mākslas teorijā. Pirmā asociācija, skatoties uz animācijā
“Dance of axis mundi” would simply point to a mythological element, but “feminine
riņķojošo meitenītes figūriņu, man bija ar Pīteru Penu. Bērnībā grāmatu plauktā
primordium” or “bud”, “sprout” reminds of the presence of feminist theories in art
atradu nodriskātu grāmatiņu angļu valodā un tā iepazinu klasiskās šī darba ilustrācijas
and art theory. The first association I had, when watching the girl’s figure circling in
(tās atkārtotas arī latviešu izdevumā) vēl pirms paša teksta – es nedomāju lugu, bet
the animation, was Peter Pan. In childhood I found in the bookshelf a battered book in
gan visiem bērniem pazīstamo tās pārstāstu. Visspilgtāk atmiņa palicis tieši pats
English and thus I became acquainted with this classical work’s illustrations (they are
Pītera Pena tēls, kas arī, šķiet, virpuļo tādā kā aksiālā dejā. Taču Dārlingu ģimene,
also repeated in the Latvian edition) even before the text itself – I don’t mean the
pazudušo bērnu, kas apmetušies Nekurnekadzemē, stāsts, Vendijas loma – tas viss ir
play, but it’s retelling known to all children. The brightest memory is the character of
tipisks patriarhālās sabiedrības vērtību un sievietes-mātes lomas atspoguļojums.
Peter Pan himself who, as it seems, is twirling in something like an axial dance as
V. V.: Un tas ir kaut kas pilnīgi pretējs, piemēram, femīnā subjekta konstrukcijai caur
well. But the Darling family, the story of the lost children who have settled in
intersubjektīvajām mātes un bērna attiecībām un to dokumentēšanu klasiskajā Post-
Neverland, the role of Wendy – all of that is a typical representation of partiarchal
Partum Document, kuru tā autore dēvē par “mēģinājumu artikulēt femīno diskursu”,
society’s values and the woman-mother role.
vai citiem feminisma teoriju ietekmē tapušiem darbiem.
V. V.: And that is something completely opposite to, for example, the construction of
J. T.: Es tikai gribu teikt, ka šeit mums ir viens tēls, tā līdzība ar citu, sentimentāli
feminine subject through the intersubjective mother and child relationships and their
patriarhālā sistēmā veidotu tēlu un – kā izriet no tevis minētā Mērijas Kellijas darba –
documentation in the classical “Post-Partum Document”, which its author describes
nekādu attiecību un nekāda diskursa. Tomēr jebkura Janas Briķes darba interpretācija
as an “attempt to articulate the feminine discourse” or other works originating under
var tikt pakļauta femīnā diskursa noteikumiem.
the influence of feminst theories.
V. V.: Tava piesardzība nedaudz atgādina situāciju ar politiskajām anekdotēm
J. T.: I just want to say that here we have one character, its similarity to another
padomju laikā – bez bailēm tās varēja stāstīt tikai čekisti.
character created in a sentimentally partiarchal system and – as follows from the work
J. T.: Arī mūsdienu demokrātiskajā sabiedrībā ir gana daudz tematu, kuros jāievēro
by Mary Kelly you mentioned – no relationships and no discourse. However, any
“politkorektuma etiķete”.
interpretation of Jana Briķe’s work can be subjected to the regulations of feminine
V. V.: Mēs tomēr novirzāmies no paša darba. Es nepiekristu, ka šeit nav nekādu
discourse.
attiecību. Jau minēju, ka filmiņa skatāma no koka izgatavotā televizora kastē. To
V. V.: Your cautiousness reminds me of the situation with political anecdotes in
varētu saukt par klasisko “teātris teātrī” paņēmienu, kas uzbūvē refleksijai
Soviet times – only Chekists could tell them without fear.
nepieciešamo distanci, rada attiecības starp nepastarpināto – naivo, varbūt
J. T.: Also in today's democratic society there are quite enough of topics, where you
sentimentālo – tēlu... Zinu, tu tūlīt teiksi, ka naivais mākslā nepastāv, tas ir vēsturisks,
need to follow the “etiquette of politically correct”.
bet arī šeit tas ir tikai viens no attiecības elementiem, ievietots “savā istabā”, ap kuru
V. V.: We are diverting from the work itself. I wouldn’t agree that there are no
maskulīnā teorija cenšas būvēt pārgudras stalažas.
relationships. I already mentioned that the film is visible in a television set made out
J. T.: Arī feminisma teorijas mēdz būt gana juceklīgas...
of wood. You could call it the classical “theatre within theatre” method, which builds
V. V.: Jā, taču mēs runājam par darbiem. “Pītera Pena” klasiskajām ilustrācijām un to
the necessary distance for reflection, creates relationships between the immediate –
formālo līdzību ar zīmējumiem, kas ir Janas Briķes animācijas pamatā, un Mērijas
naive, maybe sentimental – character... I know that you will at once say that there is
Kellijas vairāku gadu garumā tapušo, psihoanalītisko mēģinājumu izprast femīnā
no naive in art, that it is historical, but also here it is only one of the relationship
subjekta veidošanos caur mātes un bērna attiecību prizmu.
elements, placed in “a room of one’s own”, around which the masculine theory tries
J. T.: Un kur tad uz ass starp patriarhālajiem priekšstatiem un Mērijas Kellijas femīno
to build sapient scaffolding.
diskursu atrodas Janas darbs?
J. T.: The feminist theories also happen to be messy enough...
V. V.: Norādīt precīzu vietu nozīmētu kvantificēt nekvantificējamo (uz ass taču
V. V.: Yes, but we are talking about works. Classical illustrations of “Peter Pan” and
atliekam mērvienības). Es Janas darbā drīzāk saskatu veiksmīgu mēģinājumu atgūt
their formal similarity to drawings, which are used in the animation by Jana Briķe,
patriarhālo priekšstatu un teorijas diskreditētu tēlu, tā transformāciju, precīzāk
and Mary Kelly’s psychoanalytical attempt created during a period of many years to
atdzimšanu, uz ko norāda arī meitenes un auga tēla apvienojums animācijā.
understand the formation of the feminine subject throught the prism of mother and
J. T. Ko lai piebilstu, arī mūzikas izvēle, šķiet, tavā interpretācijā iegūst savu
child relationship.
attaisnojumu, lai arī es, protams, vēlētos dzirdēt kaut ko no “totālā seriālisma” vai
J. T.: And where then on the axis between the patriarchal notions and feminine
“jaunās sarežģītības”.
discourse of Mary Kelly stands Jana’s work?
V. V.: Es novērtēju tavu pašironiju, zaudējot šo šaha partiju...
V. V.: To point a precise spot would mean to quantify the unquantifiable (after all we
put units of measurment on an axis). In Jana’s work I rather see a successful attempt
Kombuļu pagasts, 2014. gada 8. augustā
to regain a character discredited by patriarchal notions and theories, its transformation
– more precisely rebirth – which is then pointed out by the union of the characters of
the girl and a plant in the animation.
J. T. What can I add, even the choice of music appears to gain its justification in your
interpretation, even though I, of course, would like to hear something from “total
serialism” or “new complexity”.
V. V.: I appreciate your self-irony, whilst losing this game of chess...
Kombuļu municipality, August 8, 2014
Jānis Taurens
EN
In his TV series “Is Art Necessary?”, the influential British art historian, collector, patron and broadcaster Kenneth Clark poses
– and answers – specific questions on art. Among them – “What Is Good Taste?” (aired on December 1, 1958). He sets about
the task by asking the opposite question – what is bad taste? Captured in black-and-white, he speaks in a room crammed
with various objects, discussing the garish colour combinations, the surplus of ornament, the lack of function, until finally
coming to the conclusion that the TV set – conveniently centred in the shot – is the only object, whose form and function are
in harmony, it is the only object of taste.
He is also the author of The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form (1956), criticised by some feminists for a white-heterosexual-malecentred approach.
“Narrated Al-Miqdam bin Ma'diykarib:
That the Messenger of Allah said: "There are six things with Allah for the martyr. He is forgiven with the first flow of blood (he
suffers), he is shown his place in Paradise, he is protected from punishment in the grave, secured from the greatest terror, the
crown of dignity is placed upon his head - and its gems are better than the world and what is in it - he is married to seventy
two wives along Al-Huril-'Ayn [houris] of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives." [Abu 'Eisa said:]
This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi - Book 22, Hadith 46. http://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/22/46
Left: Howard Coster. Kenneth Clark, Baron Clark. Half-plate film negative. 1937
Right: Majida Khattari. Houris, Rêve de Martyrs. Performance at MMK, Frankfurt am Main, March 20, 2014
Pa kreisi: Hovards Kosters. Kenets Klārks, barons Klārks. Fotoplates negatīvs. 1937.
Pa labi: Madžida Katari. Hūrijas, Rêve de Martyrs. Performance MMK, Frankfurtē pie Mainas. 2014. gada 20.marts.
Ietekmīgais britu mākslas vēsturnieks, kolekcionārs, patrons un raidījumu vadītājs Kenets Klārks savā TV seriālā “Is Art
Necessary?” (“Vai māksla ir vajadzīga?”) uzdod – un pats arī atbild – konkrētus jautājumus par mākslu. Viens no tiem – “Kas
ir laba gaume?” (pārraidīts 1958.gada 1.decembrī). Šo uzdevumu viņš risina uzdodot pretējo jautājumu – kas ir slikta gaume?
Melnbaltāā ierakstā viņš runā dažādiem priekšmetiem pārpildītā istabā, apspriežot griezīgās krāsu kombinācijas, ornamenta
pārmērības, funkcionalitātes trūkumu, līdz visbeidzot nonāk līdz secinājumam, ka televizors – kurš pateicīgi atrodas kadra
centrā – ir vienīgais priekšmets, kura forma un funkcija ir līdzsvarā, tas ir vienīgais gaumīgais priekšmets.
Viņš arī sarakstījis grāmatu The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form (1956), kuru dažas feministes kritizē par balta, heteroseksuāla
vīrieša pozīcijā balstītu pieeju.
“Stāstīja Al-Mikdams bin Madijkaribs:
Allāha pravietis sacījis: “No Allāha moceklim ir sešas lietas. Viņam tiek piedots līdz ar pirmo izlieto asins lāsi, viņam tiek
ierādīta vieta Paradīzē, viņš tiek pasargāts no mocībām kapā, paglābts no lielākajām šausmām, viņa galvā tiek uzlikts cieņas
kronis – un tā dārgakmeņi ir labāki par pasauli un visu, kas tajā atrodams – viņš tiek salaulāts ar septiņdesmit divām sievām
no Paradīzes Al-Huril-'Ayn [hūrijām], un viņam ļauts iestāties par septiņdesmit tuviem radiniekiem.” [Abū Īsa sacīja:] Šis hadīts
ir novērtēts kā Hasan Sahih.”
Jami` at-Tirmidhi - 22, Hadith 46. http://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/22/46 [Autora tulkojums]
LV
Valts Miķelsons