Solo exhibition “Philip Pilekjær at Kim? Contemporary Art Centre” by Philip Pilekjær
5.5.2023 - 11.6.2023
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Philip Pilekjær at Kim? Contemporary Art Centre
Philip Pilekjær
May 5 – June 11, 2023
Philip Pilekjær has created a new video piece for his exhibition at Kim? that mimics the popular YouTube genre known as Lofi. Typically, this genre incorporates pre-existing clips from animated films as visuals for lengthy playlists of mellow beats that are designed to function as ambient backdrops for activities such as reading or relaxing.
However, for Kim? Pilekjær has commissioned the Ho Chi Minh City-based animation studio Nam Hai Art Design Company to produce an original animation, showing a scene of what could be the daily operations at this mid-sized arts institution, depicting the accumulation of ephemera–documents, snacks, pencils, and magazines–moving to and from the Chief Curator’s desk. This fictionalized animated scene is based on photographs taken in the office of Kim? earlier this year by Pilekjær, providing an opportunity to view the institution in a different way–literally as a cartoon.
As with other videos in this genre, this piece doesn’t really require a physical exhibition space for presentation. In fact, it may even be best viewed from the comfort of one’s own home. Consequently, it is presented both in the exhibition space as well as online.
The video is accompanied by Original Piece, a watercolor by illustrator Chris Weyant, who creates weekly comic strips for The New Yorker. Pilekjær commissioned the illustration to be printed on an invitation card for a previous exhibition, resulting in only its digital image being used and rendering the original artwork as an excess by-product.
Philip Pilekjær (b. 1988) is an artist and editor of PROVENCE Magazine. In recent years his work has been presented within exhibitions at Sangt Hipolyt (Berlin), XYZ collective (Tokyo), Christian Andersen (Copenhagen), The Downer (Berlin), Longtang (Zürich), Silberkuppe (Berlin) and Kunsthal Charlottenborg (Copenhagen) among others.
Supported by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, State Culture Capital Foundation, Danish Arts Foundation, Absolut, Kokmuiza brewery