EKKM COLLECTION

Laura Kuusk

“Knife”, 2008

two lightboxes, 150 x 220 cm

Laura Kuuse’s photo-series “Knife” was first exhibited at “Hullumeelsus”, an exhibition held in EKKM in 2008. “Knife” consists of two movie-like shots that draw attention to the structure of conversation. A story is automatically put together from the two photos, but many vastly different interpretations for the narrative are left possible.

The work was acquired in 2011 on the condition that the artist receives an invitation to an exhibition in 2013. Due to this agreement, the 2013 exhibiton “Kõrvalnähud / Side Effects” was curated by Laura Kuusk and Pascale Riou.

Laura Kuusk: “Knife is a photo-installation that grew out of trying – trying to cut oneself out of the flow of mundane activities and work as a resident artist, trying to get through by taking pictures that were haunting me or needed trying.

I was trying to get the feeling of Cindy Sherman’s photos “United film Stills”. On the other hand I had inspiration from Michelangelo Antonioni’s “Blow Up”, the scenes where the photographer is zooming into details and looking at the same pictures again and again. This sort of “getting up close” and seeing something where there seemingly isn’t anything became the trigger for “Knife”. I was going through photos I had taken over and over again and what seemed to work were these two picture with very similar composition. An error in framing – the model’s eyes out of frame – became an important element as it worked with the idea of being cut out. Action, eyes and context – all cut out.”