On Friday, 13 April at 5 p.m. Peeter Talvistu’s curatorial exhibition “Aesthetics of Boredom” will open at the Tartu Art House. The exhibition will be accompanied by a thematic conference.
The foundation of contemporary culture is the constant struggle for the attention of the consumer; everyday decisions are assigned an aura of exceptionality. This has made us forget that creativity and fresh knowledge are often rooted in boredom, the lack of the exceptional. Despite the organising nature of boredom, in words we mostly try to avoid it, to get rid of it. However, we all know how to be bored.
Sometimes we even seek boredom out: it invites meditation, time to spend with ourselves. Therefore, there are no boring works at the exhibition “Aesthetics of Boredom”. Additionally, the word “boredom” has never been clearly defined but it is always present as something enjoyable.
The exhibition is open until 13 May.
Participating artists are Sirja-Liisa Eelma, Flo Kasearu, Peeter Mudist, Krista Mölder, Ede Raadik, Imat Suumann, Jevgeni Zolotko and Jaan Toomik.
Co-author of the idea: Jaak Tomberg. Graphic design: Tuuli Aule.
Thank you: Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Tartu Department of the Estonian Writers’ Union, Tartu Elektriteater, Eesti Teadusagentuuri grant PUT1494, Art Museum of Estonia and Tartu Art Museum.
A week after the opening, on Friday, 20 April the conference “Aesthetics of Boredom” will take place in the Tartu Elektriteater (Jakobi 1) 11 a.m to 5 p.m. The proceedings will be in Estonian. The speakers include Eik Hermann, Tõnis Kahu, Maarin Mürk, Katre Pärn, Karl Saks, Joosep Susi, Maia Tammjärv, Tõnis Tatar and Berk Vaher. The same evening, at 7 p.m., the director Chantal Akerman’s 1975 masterpiece “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles” will be shown.