CUT THE CAKE WITH CLAWS
IMMERSIVE SCULPTURE OF A TUNNEL IN CARDBOARD INCLUDING FOUR VIDEO WORKS, A LIGHT INSTALLATION AND A SCULPTURE.
2022, THE COMPLEX, DUBLIN, IRELAND.
CUT THE CAKE WITH CLAWS, 2022.
HD 1080 p, 00:13:51 duration, supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
SUNNY SIDE UP, 2022
HD 1080p, 00:06:23 intervals looping on a 00:19:10 DVD. Supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.
WALK-THROUGH DOCUMENTATION
PRESS RELEASE
ELLA BERTILSSON STAGES A SITE SPECIFIC EXHIBITION AT THE COMPLEX GALLERY THAT PLAYS WITH EXTERNAL REALITY AND INTERNAL FANTASY THROUGH THE FABRICATION OF A SYMBOLIC LANDSCAPE THAT COMBINES ELEMENTS OF SCULPTURE, VIDEO AND SOUND. THEMES OF DOMESTICITY, DISSOCIATION AND ESCAPISM ARE EXPLORED THROUGH A LAYERED NARRATIVE CENTRED AROUND A SEQUENCE OF RITUALISTIC AND CYCLICAL MOTIONS THAT REVEALS FRAGMENTARY CONCEITS.
THE EXHIBITION COMMUNICATES A MULTIFACETED REIMAGINING BY PRESENTING ALTERED REALITIES AND TRANSITIONAL STATES, USING METAPHOR, ABSURDITY AND PERSONA TO CONVEY HUMOROUS TRANSFORMATIONS.
WITH AN EERIE SENSE OF CONFINEMENT JUXTAPOSED BY AN UNDERLYING FREQUENCY OF BANALITY, THE INSTALLATION PLACES THE VIEWER INTO THE SCENE. THE EXHIBITION FOREGROUNDS THE ECLECTIC FACETS OF BERTILSSON'S PRACTICE, EMPLOYING ELEMENTS OF DETAILED COSTUME DESIGN, SCENOGRAPHY AND FARCICAL STORYTELLING TO CREATE AN EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCE.
THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM THE ESSAY ‘TOPHEAD AND WEIGHTHEAD’ BY INGRID LYONS IN RESPONSE TO ELLA’S EXHIBITION ‘CUT THE CAKE WITH CLAWS’.
"TRY TO EXPERIENCE HEAT; SUMMER, SUN AND HEAT ON THE BEACH. SOME KIND OF EXPERIENCE OF VERY STRONG HEAT. HEAT IN THE RIGHT LEG. HEAT IN THE LEFT LEG. HEAT IN THE RIGHT ARM, HEAT IN THE LEFT ARM, HEAT IN THE RIGHT SOLE, HEAT IN THE LEFT SOLE. HEAT IN THE RIGHT PALM, HEAT IN THE LEFT PALM. HEAT IN THE RIGHT EYE, HEAT IN THE LEFT EYE. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. THE WHOLE BODY IS HOT. "
THE ARTIST ACKNOWLEDGES THE KIND SUPPORT FROM THE ARTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND’ PROJECT AWARD TOWARDS THE PRODUCTION OF THIS WORK.
PHOTOS & VIDEO EXTRACTS
EXHIBITION PHOTOGRAPHS BY LEE WALSH