Rita Nettelstad
The eye can see far, but the hand can not reach

4 May - 8 September 2019

What connection is there between the Romantic Era, the wanderings of Hölderlin and the Maria Montessori school in Perugia?

Rita Nettelstad looks for answers in her exhibition The eye can see far, but the hand can not reach. Through the volatile and repetitive movement of the pencil, through contrasts and opposites, scales and lines, she creates both distance and closeness to the subject. The superior position of the gaze is another central theme for the exhibition – what does it mean to see and to be seen? The same question can be asked in regards to Montessori’s philosophy of education which involved children being unwittingly supervised whilst being imperceptibly directed towards development and improvement of the self.

By committing fully to their art, the romantic thinkers were aiming for something beyond humanity. This method made it possible to create a different kind of gaze – one that did not originate from within ourselves. In Nettelstad’s award winning film Flash of tomorrow she uses a similar method. Here we see images, which in our cultural context, have been assigned with almost mythical meanings; the lonesome, wandering boy, the lifeless, passive female body, the forest. Nettelstad puts these images together in a seemingly simple narrative yet one where each individual image adds new layers and possible interpretations.

Rita Nettelstad (b. 1986) studied at the Valand Academy in Gothenburg and Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design) in Stockholm and has a Masters in Critical Studies from University of Gothenburg. She often works conceptually and mixes different techniques such as motion picture, drawing, text, performance and sculpture into installations. Since 2011 Nettelstad has, through her artistic practise, been exploring centre/periphery in relation to bodies and physical ability. She is based in Gothenburg.

With her film Flash of tomorrow Rita Nettelstad received the 2018 award for Best Film in the Art Film category at the Frame Film Festival in Gothenburg. The prize included a grant of SEK 10 000, funded by Kultur i Väst (Culture in West), as well as the film being screened here at Borås Modern Museum of Art.

The jury’s motivation:

This is a piece of art that really dares to put trust in the image. With its slow pace and picturesque imagery it manages to capture life itself, and through simple means it leaves us with a sense of suspense, curiosity and fear.

Press

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