Susanna Jablonski, DINKINESH, OBRA, Malmö (extended until mid-Jan)
Every year there are a number of exhibitions found at somewhat close proximity (i.e within the country borders) that fancy your tastebuds and which you would like to see but regretfully might end up not. Susanna Jablonski's new solo exhibition, 'DINKINESH' at OBRA in Malmö is such (it has just been extended to mid-Jan 2020) that might just be one of those that will evade our notice around here in Stockholm. 2017, the year Susanna graduated from Mejan (the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm), great artists were springing out of and popping up at Tomteboda (the degree exhibition site) as benign fungusus. Exceptionally good year, that one. In what appeared like a micro spatial universe under fluroscent light, Susanna showed her aesthetical and material sensibilities on a platform of various works, where a large-scale arched sculpture of cherry wood and still processing asphalt was a standout and showstopper. With both organic and industrial allusions, she seems to really be particularly perceptive with how to render and bring out surprising material juxtapositions.
When C-print was planning a show in Vienna, the idea arose to see how Susanna's music project Slow Wave (with William Rickman) could be presented in a gallery context. We'd seen a few of their "music videos" and had loved their music contribution to Santiago Mostyn's fantastic video work 'Delay' at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. There was an interest in putting forth the audiovisual works. The exhibition did happen but not with Slow Wave. Instead Susanna and William got thinking about how they ideally wanted their music to be experienced in an exhibition format which resulted in our presenting together with them an entirely music-based exhibition at Erik Nordenhake Gallery which was turned into a sound cube and listening space. Intrigued to hear now that Susanna Jablonski and William Rickman, for her new show has invented a site-specific instrument, titled as a work; 'String Resonator for Room'. How rad is that? It's always fascinating when artists expand their realm this way, whether with the artist found as an inventor, engineer, archeologist, you name it. Brings to mind previously hearing of Tauba Auerbach's creating a two-person pump organ together with Cameron Mesirow (a.k.a Glasser) which was presented at Deitch Projects back in 2009. Here's to hoping that maybe the Public Art Council (Statens konståd) works some magic to ensure that Susanna's and William's instrument finds its way out to many more.
Images courtesy of Susanna Jablonski
OBRA, Stora Varvsgatan 12-14, Malmö, Mondays to Fridays 11:00–15:00 or by appointment.