Tanja Koponen has made cover versions of three videos from the early 1970s. Of these she has built an installation into Galleria Huuto. Originally, “cover” used to mean a live performance of a recorded song which it challenged on the music market. In everyday language, “cover” has come to mean any remake of a popular recording. What’s central in this
definition is that several versions of the same work can exist.
On the video Theme Song, originally made by Vito Acconci in 1974, Koponen is listening to music and, in an intrusively intimate way, tempting thevisitor to come next to her. The background music by Maarit Hurmerinta –the Finnish songstress behind many great covers – has its own effect onthe atmosphere. Every now and then Koponen, like Acconci, picks single words or sentences from the songs, adding them to her tempting speech.
On Primary Time, Koponen is placing flowers into a vase. The flowers are in primary colors and the vase is the centerpiece. The original video, made by Bas Jan Ader in 1973, referred to the artist’s way of using time as a new material. Koponen brings in a new way in which to be present and perform the same task.
On Black and White Tapes, a metal pipe is being lit by a mobile lamp constantly moving from one side of the pipe to the other. This work is based on one of the videos of a series Paul McCarthy made in the years 1970-75. On his video, the pipe was matt-finished – on Koponen’s video, it’s been replaced by the shiny tube of a vacuum cleaner.
Koponen has followed the original starting points, methods, and ways of cropping. New interpretations of the original videos act as a catalyst for new relations and connections, and small differences create new definitions.
Artist, reseacher Kari Yli-Annala
The exhibition has been supported by
AVEK (The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture)
The Arts Council of Finland, Subcommittee for Media Arts
National Council for Visual Arts
