RAGNAR KJARTANSSON: THE END

Palazzo Michel dal Brusa

Icelandic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2009

Music:“FjarkanistanbyAnimamina

philosophy •  Kjartansson’sexhibi:onforVenice,en:tledTheEnd,willfeatureatableau

vivantofthear:standhismodelthatwilllastfortheen:resix‐monthsoftheBiennale,alongwithamonumentalvideoandmusicinstalla:on.ItwillbepresentedinthePalazzoMichieldalBrusà,a14th‐centurypalazzoontheGrandCanalneartheRialto,whichhasservedastheIcelandicPavilionsince2007.TransformingthePavilionintoamakeshiUstudiofortheBiennale,KjartanssonwillrelentlesslypainttheportraitofayoungmanposingdayaUerdayagainstthebackdropoftheGrandCanal.TheyoungmanmodelingforhimwillbesmokingcigareVesanddrinkingbeer,whileclothedonlyinabathingsuit.Forsixmonths,Kjartanssonwilllimithisartproduc:ontothepain:ngofthisscene.HewillproduceoneworkaUertheother,withthepain:ngsmadeonpreviousdaysleUtoaccumulateinpilesaroundthestudio.Thoughnotanidealizedversionofthear:standhismodel–suchaproposalbeingdisruptedbytheincongruousappearanceoftheSpeedo,thecigareVes,andthebeerinanotherwiseroman:cseZng–theperformanceispar:allybasedonques:onsofthear:st’sself,sugges:nghisperpetualre‐conceptualiza:oninrela:ontohissurroundingsandpreviouslyexis:ngworksofart.

•  hVp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT`eScELbs

•  hVp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YUnLurWUqg&feature=related

•  hVp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YUnLurWUqg&feature=related