Artist talk: Jonna Kina
A conversation with the artist Jonna Kina the exhibition “Jonna Kina. Four Sculptures in Fifteen Pieces”. The talk will be moderated by the curator of the exhibition, Tiiu Saadoja, and will be held in English.
Jonna Kina (1984) is a multidisciplinary Finnish artist. The story of the Four Sculptures in Fifteen Pieces film dates back to 2019. At that time, the artist became interested in the sculptures by Amandus Adamson (1855–1929) and August Weizenberg (1837–1921) in the Art Museum of Estonia collection that were damaged when Tallinn was bombed during World War II in March of 1944. As the film was being completed, present-day layers were unexpectedly added to the historical perspective.
Kina’s film is like an adhesive that binds the pieces of the sculptures together again, although as different compositions, thus providing an opportunity to re-exhibit them. The artist did not assign hierarchical importance to the fragments of the works, i.e. the slow movement of the camera makes the pieces of all four works seem equally important, from a small piece of marble to a half-torso. In the film, the artist’s position is clear, showing respect for the conservators and their work, which is done with dedication and care.
Kina deals with creation and destruction, and, using the fragments of war-damaged sculptures, draws attention to the important role that museums play as custodians of artistic heritage. Museums are not only exhibitors of works of art, but also their caretakers. There are also components that are not visible in the exhibition space, i.e. the vast collections, stories and all the people that comprise the museum.
Curator: Tiiu Saadoja
Participation is with a museum ticket.