Artist Talk: Eija-Liisa Ahtila – Video Art and the Ecological Space
How can we see the world through the eyes of other species? In this artist talk, internationally acclaimed artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila shares her groundbreaking work, where nature, humanity, and storytelling converge in innovative and challenging forms. In conversation with Moderna Museet curator Lena Essling, they explore ecological spaces, moving images, and the role of art in a time of climate change.
In conjunction with the exhibition A Possible Image – of what is just becoming reality, we invite you to a conversation with Eija-Liisa Ahtila about her visionary work with spatial video installations and what she calls “ecological narration”. Exploring the relationship between humans, animals and landscapes, Ahtila creates cinematic works that make space for other forms of life and challenge our habitual, anthropocentric ways of seeing.
During the conversation, she delves into themes such as forest ecology, love and empathy beyond the human, and how video art can open up new ways of experiencing time, space and coexistence. It is a conversation about art’s potential to transform perception, create a sense of closeness to things we do not always see, and inspire new ways of thinking about our place in the world in a time marked by climate change and the loss of biodiversity.
Eija-Liisa Ahtila is one of the Nordic region’s most influential contemporary artists and has worked internationally since the 1990s. She lives and works in Helsinki and has, over several decades, transformed the role of film within the exhibition space by disrupting linear storytelling and allowing image, space and viewer to interact. Her work has been exhibited at some of the world’s most prestigious art institutions, including MoMA in New York, Tate Modern in London, Jeu de Paume in Paris and Kunsthalle Zürich, as well as at the Venice Biennale and Documenta in Kassel.
The conversation is moderated by Lena Essling, curator specialising in moving image and performance. Essling has maintained a long-standing dialogue with Ahtila, which included the 2012 exhibition Parallel Worlds. She has also curated acclaimed exhibitions with artists including Marina Abramović, Sharon Hayes, Yinka Shonibare and Laurie Anderson.
The conversation will be held in English.
Participants
Eija-Liisa Ahtila – Artist
Lena Essling – Curator, Moderna Museet
Tickets
Price
60kr, Free for those under 26.
Art night!
Between 17.00-21.00 Mellan 17.00-21.00 the museum is hosting an Art Night with music, cold drinks and a "after work" menu. Come here early and stay for a while after the event! Free entrance to all exhibitions.
Contact
Phone: 018-727 24 82; 018-726 88 45; 018-727 25 41
Email: konstmuseum@uppsala,se
Opening hours:
Tuesday–wednesday: 11.00–17.00
Thursday: 11.00–21.00
Friday–sunday 11.00–17.00