Ragnar Kjartansson: Folksong
508 West 25th Street
New York, NY

October 11 - 20 , 2007

By Rea Cris

Six hours a day for ten consecutive days, Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, dressed in a retro cocktail suit and spotlighted in an mock setting sun, performed among painted cardboard trees, his only companion his curvaceous shiny red guitar on which he moaned out a verse with no lyrics but loads of emotion.

As the onsite placard explains, Kjartansson's performance/installation is a "European's bona fide take on America, loaded with cliches".   Being European myself, some cliches are easy to identify: the setting sun, cocktail attire and of course the backdrop of New York City itself, the distant sirens and honks that make up New York's soundtrack clearly audible. Others I find are more obscure - most notably the miniature forest of burnt tree stumps. Perhaps if I was more of a movie buff I could identify these symbols, which makes me wonder whether Kjartansson's references are drawn from American life or American movies. Or is it simply possible that cliches can be subjective?   I wonder how well this installation would work outside of America in a European city or indoors?

But more interesting is viewing Kjartansson literally "at work", looping himself over and over again for six hours, never leaving the opportunity to acknowledge him as the creator of the work, as he is continually the work. Folksong is neither wholly a performance or an installation and instead becomes a mental challenge between the viewer and the artist.   Cunningly Kjartansson wears dark sunglasses, hiding his gaze and taking the upper hand. Unable to see his eyes, the viewer feel that   Kjartansson resents him, cursing him in his mind.   The viewer becomes paranoid as to whether he is behaving correctly. People timidly linger in the entrance, afraid to approach, let alone dare to walk around Kjartansson or right up to him.   This dynamic between artist and viewer is so much more powerful that Kjartansson is irregular collection of American cliches.   

http://www.bard.edu/ccs/exhibitions/sites/exhibition.php?g=390727&type=1

http://this.is/rassi/

Tonya said:

Perhaps the viewers are self-conscious of being viewed or plagued with the tinge of guilt of becoming a voyeur.   Going to a gallery or museum is so often a passive and monitored experience that people are caught off guard when asked to participate.   I could see how one would feel uncomfortable standing and watching this, not entirely sure how they should react - which is all so silly, really.

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