The artists started collaborating in 2007 for a site-specific exhibition in Bologna, Italy. They presented a photo series of ten, entitled „Ten Small Moralistic Anecdotes”, which was based on the Ten Commandments. While producing this project they became interested in masculinity, as they had difficulty identifying not only with the media’s portrayal of masculinity, but also with what we were told by our immediate environment and historical morality. They also felt compelled to deal with the so-called “wrong masculinity” – or misinformed suppositions of what masculinity is. This project transformed into a serious personal account of the havoc that testosterone can cause in our society. The works on display consisted of sculpture, photography, and video (on DVD). Three years after this initial exploration, they developed and exhibited a show called, „Stilleben: a Portrait of Masculinity” at Konstepidemin in Gothenburg, Sweden, ID:I Galleri in Stockholm, and Galleri 69 in Oslo, Norway. Primarily featuring works of photography and video, this exhibition continued to concentrate on what they perceived as notions of mistaken masculinity, but still a masculinity that was very recognizable within ourselves. As two middle-aged white men, they have come to the point in their lives where they are representatives of the world’s most dominant paradigm. This frightens them, even while it is potentially convenient if they choose to take advantage of that fact. Ultimately, the entire notion that one’s position in society is based on gender, age or ethnicity, is an uncomfortable one. And thus, in their discomfort, they always place themselves as the subjects of their own work.
CRISTIAN RIELOFF
Born in Chile and educated at Sweden at Royal Academy of Sweden as a painter. Has been active on artist-run scene since the early 90s. Comp I Box, Konstakuten, co-founder of IdI Galleri and many other projects.
ARNI GUDMUNDSSON
Born in The Netherlands with an Icelandic nationality. Graduated from AKI and the Royal Academy of Sweden. Has been active on the artist-run scene, started Konstakuten and IdI Galleri. A co-founder of Supermarked artist-run art fair.
EXHIBITIONS:
10 år jubileum utställning / Galleri 69 / Oslo, Norway (2015);
Sculptures and drawings / CEAC / Xiamen, China (2013);
Perşembe Pazarı Projects / Caravansarai / Istanbul, Turkey (2013).
