Master of Fine Art by Research exhibition shown at AREA Contemporary Art Space, Fitzroy
I haven’t been feeling myself lately
Sanja Pahoki employs everyday mediums such as photography, video and text to explore observations from everyday life. I haven’t been feeling myself lately investigates existential issues such as the nature of self, identity and the role of anxiety. In particular, the exhibition is directed at the moments of losing it and the efforts to keep it together. In I haven’t been feeling myself lately various techniques that are used to stave off anxiety and enhance feelings of well-being are explored, such as Yoga, meditation and tree-hugging. As the initial inspiration for a lot of the work has its roots in the autobiographical, humour is sometimes used as a subtly subversive strategy to focus the attention away from the personal to shared universal concerns.
'Things that look like me and that I like & Things that other people said look like me but I don't like it' (foreground) 'Blow-Up' (video)
Blow-Up
16mm film and digital video
"Downward Dog' (foreground) 'Things that look like me and that I like & Things that other people said look like me but I don't like it' (back)
Things that look like me and that I like & Things that other people said look like me but I don't like it'
chromogenic prints (framed)
Things that look like me and that I like & Things that other people said look like me but I don't like it'
chromogenic prints (framed)
'Downward Dog' (bronze), 'half-FULL' (framed photograph) and 'Mum/me' (16mm film)
Mum/me
Mum/me was filmed with an old 16mm Bolex camera at a fast shutter speed so that when viewed back in real time, the action appears slower. The footage was filmed in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia in a neighbouring suburb to where my family grew up. The film was shot on a strip of land next to the Western Ring Road; a major arterial freeway in Melbourne. The cheek-to-cheek performance in the film is based on an old photograph of me as a baby being held tight against my mother’s cheek.
half/FULL
chromogenic print (framed)
half-FULL
chromogenic print (framed)
Voicemail Message Instructions
inkjet print (framed)
Downward Dog
bronze
Up in the Sky (Don't Panic)
chromogenic print (framed)
I've tried everything
chromogenic print (framed)
In a situation like this
digital video
Up in the Sky
chromogenic print (framed)
Up in the Sky
chromogenic print (framed)
Falling down
Duratrans
Exhibition invitation