Katja Larsson, Mythologies, sculpture, installation, 7 November–14 December 2019
In Homer’s Odyssey, Athena takes the shape of humans and animals alike to secure the outcomes of her own agendas. In our modern world, a world that worships petrol, Athena is a tyre, Zeus a motorcycle helmet. Hermes roams the earth as the winged foot of Goodyear. Pegasus soars high in the sky as a red neon sign for MobilOil. What does it mean when mythological symbols are appropriated as such? Is their meaning lost? Or do the ancient gods in fact continue to live on as their names are invoked again and again? It has been argued that the closest a god will come to death is when their name stops being uttered. So perhaps they are biding their time in our present-day as logotypes and vehicle parts? Is Athena-as-gasket, Zeus-as-brake caliper, here to protect us on our journeys much like in ancient times, or have they simply settled for what’s available for now, waiting for a renaissance?
Katja Larsson’s second solo exhibition at the gallery consists of sculpture and installation. Mythologies echoes a museum of ancient history, a collection of modern day gods and heroes.
Read the complete exhibition text by Katja Larsson here.
An artist talk, led by Valinia Svoronou, took place on Tuesday 3 December at 18.00, watch the video here.
| In Homer’s Odyssey, Athena takes the shape of humans and animals alike to secure the outcomes of her own agendas. In our modern world, a world that worships petrol, Athena is a tyre, Zeus a motorcycle helmet. Hermes roams the earth as the winged foot of Goodyear. Pegasus soars high in the sky as a red neon sign for MobilOil. What does it mean when mythological symbols are appropriated as such? Is their meaning lost? Or do the ancient gods in fact continue to live on as their names are invoked again and again? It has been argued that the closest a god will come to death is when their name stops being uttered. So perhaps they are biding their time in our present-day as logotypes and vehicle parts? Is Athena-as-gasket, Zeus-as-brake caliper, here to protect us on our journeys much like in ancient times, or have they simply settled for what’s available for now, waiting for a renaissance? Katja Larsson’s second solo exhibition at the gallery consists of sculpture and installation. Mythologies echoes a museum of ancient history, a collection of modern day gods and heroes. Read the complete exhibition text by Katja Larsson here. An artist talk, led by Valinia Svoronou, took place on Tuesday 3 December at 18.00, watch the video here. |
Installation view, Katja Larsson, Mythologies, 2019. Photo: Katja Larsson
Installation view, Katja Larsson, Mythologies, 2019. Photo: Katja Larsson
Installation view, Katja Larsson, Mythologies, 2019. Photo: Katja Larsson