Raivo Puusemp
09 Mar - 19 May 2013
RAIVO PUUSEMP
Dissolution
9 March – 19 May 2013
The first presentation in the library series is dedicated to the work of Raivo Puusemp (b. 1942, EE/US) and the reprint of his publication Beyond Art – Dissolution of Rosendale, N.Y. from 1980.
When artist Raivo Puusemp was voted mayor of Rosendale, New York in 1975, the village was plagued by an overbearing tax structure and problems with municipal utilities. Following his election and throughout his tenure, Rosendale's residents were unaware of Puusemp's practice as a conceptual artist, his early interest in phenomenology, and his later experiments with group dynamics and socio-political processes. Puusemp's approach to the post was, however, an artistic one. He believed in the compatible co-existence of politics, influence and concept. Employing conceptual strategies to tackle the village's issues, Puusemp viewed the situation as an artwork in the form of a political problem. He drew upon previous works – called ‘influence pieces’ – in which the artist would steer subjects into unconsciously executing his ideas.
By March of 1976, Puusemp had persuaded the people of Rosendale (by a landslide 2:1 vote) that the dissolution of the village government would be the best possible solution to their problems. By October of that same year, Puusemp resigned as mayor, withdrew himself from the art context and moved his family to Utah. Rosendale, A Public Work was an attempt to superimpose a formal idea on an essentially directionless, political microsystem and, in doing so, have a permanent effect on that system. Documentation of the process, including a series of official letters, papers and press clippings, was compiled and later published by the artist in his booklet Beyond Art – Dissolution of Rosendale, N.Y. Prints of the original publication have been reproduced to accompany the exhibition.
Raivo Puusemp – Dissolution is the first comprehensive overview of the Estonian artist's work produced between the mid-1960s and late 1970s, before his creative dissolution. Presenting materials and documentation surrounding his remarkable final project Rosendale, A Public Work, the exhibition also draws upon his earlier work concerning his observations of the natural and social world and the construction of phenomenological objects.
These are presented with related works by artist Ben Kinmont (b. 1963, US), which negotiate the notion of withdrawal and artistic contextualization.
Raivo Puusemp – Dissolution is co-produced by Project Arts Centre, Dublin, Grazer Kunstverein, Graz, Austria, and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, USA. Following its presentation at Project Arts Centre (November 9, 2012 – January 12, 2013) and the Grazer Kunstverein (March 8 – May 19, 2013), it will travel to Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (June 7 – July 27, 2013)
Dissolution
9 March – 19 May 2013
The first presentation in the library series is dedicated to the work of Raivo Puusemp (b. 1942, EE/US) and the reprint of his publication Beyond Art – Dissolution of Rosendale, N.Y. from 1980.
When artist Raivo Puusemp was voted mayor of Rosendale, New York in 1975, the village was plagued by an overbearing tax structure and problems with municipal utilities. Following his election and throughout his tenure, Rosendale's residents were unaware of Puusemp's practice as a conceptual artist, his early interest in phenomenology, and his later experiments with group dynamics and socio-political processes. Puusemp's approach to the post was, however, an artistic one. He believed in the compatible co-existence of politics, influence and concept. Employing conceptual strategies to tackle the village's issues, Puusemp viewed the situation as an artwork in the form of a political problem. He drew upon previous works – called ‘influence pieces’ – in which the artist would steer subjects into unconsciously executing his ideas.
By March of 1976, Puusemp had persuaded the people of Rosendale (by a landslide 2:1 vote) that the dissolution of the village government would be the best possible solution to their problems. By October of that same year, Puusemp resigned as mayor, withdrew himself from the art context and moved his family to Utah. Rosendale, A Public Work was an attempt to superimpose a formal idea on an essentially directionless, political microsystem and, in doing so, have a permanent effect on that system. Documentation of the process, including a series of official letters, papers and press clippings, was compiled and later published by the artist in his booklet Beyond Art – Dissolution of Rosendale, N.Y. Prints of the original publication have been reproduced to accompany the exhibition.
Raivo Puusemp – Dissolution is the first comprehensive overview of the Estonian artist's work produced between the mid-1960s and late 1970s, before his creative dissolution. Presenting materials and documentation surrounding his remarkable final project Rosendale, A Public Work, the exhibition also draws upon his earlier work concerning his observations of the natural and social world and the construction of phenomenological objects.
These are presented with related works by artist Ben Kinmont (b. 1963, US), which negotiate the notion of withdrawal and artistic contextualization.
Raivo Puusemp – Dissolution is co-produced by Project Arts Centre, Dublin, Grazer Kunstverein, Graz, Austria, and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, USA. Following its presentation at Project Arts Centre (November 9, 2012 – January 12, 2013) and the Grazer Kunstverein (March 8 – May 19, 2013), it will travel to Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (June 7 – July 27, 2013)