08 May 2013

Double Life by Olga Kisseleva at Studio XX, Montreal

Curators Natacha Clitandre and Mariève K. Desjardins are pleased to present, in collaboration with Studio XX, the North American premiere of Double Life, a video installation by Olga Kisseleva, from May 9 to June 13, 2013. A series of activities will complement the exhibition as a means to explore some of the issues raised by the work, and several Montreal artists will also have the opportunity to contribute to the project by producing new content.

Double Life is a video installation made up of several diptypchs focusing on the various ways in which artists have to reconcile (or not) working a necessary 'day job' alongside their art practice. By portraying artists in various spheres of their lives, sometimes very different and rarely viewed at the same time, Kisseleva raises questions about the contribution of the artist, and the recognition of their work in a society that values efficiency, production and profit. The artist's stories reflect the often alienating situation that occurs when living a double life.

Russian artist Olga Kisseleva uses new technologies, photography and video to give us a statement of the world dominated by technology and behavior conditioning. The artist reflects a complex reality, offering multiple readings: both local and globalized. Her work deals with urban territory, identity and media and reveals flaws in the Western model. Directing her gaze at post-modern capitalist societies, Olga Kisseleva tries to find places reserved for intellectual and artistic activity. Founder of the Art and Science Laboratory at the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Olga Kisseleva plays a pioneering role in the field of contemporary art research and reflection on emerging forms of creation. The works of Olga Kisseleva belong to many collections. Her work has been presented at the National Center for Contemporary Art (Moscow, Russia), MoMA (New York, USA), the ARC (Paris, France), KIASMA (Helsinki, Finland), the Consortium (Dijon, France), the Museum Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (Madrid, Spain), the Biennales of Venice, Istanbul, Dakar, Tirana, Rennes and Moscow...

The curators and the artist are grateful to Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec and Consulat general de France à Quebec for their support. They also want to thank Studio XX.