ART CITIES:Stockholm- Tony Oursler

Tony Oursler is one of the key figures in the development of video art, he experimented early on with the moving image that extended beyond the borders of the TV monitor. Since the ‘70s, he has related his interest in technology to psychology and supernatural dimensions. He has become known for his mixture of hallucinatory, poetic texts and projections on dolls, creating scenes that are sometimes violent, sometimes humorous.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Magazin III Archive

Tony Oursler’s exhibition “M*r>0r” at Magazin III presents completely new works shown alongside pieces from Oursler’s early career and works from the Magasin III collection. . Many of the works in the collection of the Museum were acquired in 2002 when the museum presented the exhibition “Station” that included a large group of works the artist created especially for that occasion. Also the exhibition includes a new production of Tony Oursler’s outdoor work “The Influence Machine”. In the autumn of 2002, this large-scale work was shown at Djurgårdsbrunn on three consecutive evenings. The Museum shows “The Influence Machine” in collaboration Stockholm University. For some time, Oursler has focused on the ever-increasing spread of data tracking and surveillance programs, with a particular interest in facial recognition software. He creates a sort of digital portrait in which we can see ourselves through the lens of machines we have recently created. Oursler has devoted himself to detailed investigations of the history of technology, with a particular focus on television media. Using projections, sound, and sculpture, he stages themes including transmission and reception, the presence of technology in our daily lives, and by extension, the social and physical effects of mass media.

Info: Curators: Richard Julin & Tessa Praun, Magasin III Museum & Foundation for Contemporary Art, Magasin 3 Frihamnen, Stockholm, Duration: 16/9-11/12/16, Days & Hours: Thu 11:00-19:00, Fri-Sun 11:00-17:00,  www.magasin3.com