“Arctic Hysteria” @ PS1
Rohin Guha
July 23, 2008
Last night, I found myself Bushwicked, enjoying the company of a couple gifted poets, one of whom has a talent for translating Finnish literature and frequently alludes to her childhood growing up in Oulu, the largest city in Northern Finland. But when she talks about the place (punctuating her anecdotes with nostalgic sighs), there's a peculiarly icy restraint in her stories -- certain details are omitted so that the story's point can shine more. That same restraint is the predominant aesthetic running through one of the more striking exhibitions at the MoMA's PS1 in Queens. "Arctic Hysteria: New Art from Finland" collects interdisciplinary works from 16 Finnish artists, including Pekka Jylhä.
With animal taxidermy as the foundation for his featured project, Jylhä’s vision is indicative of the chimerical, paradoxical quality of all the works on display; though these artists make their niches in exploring the supernatural, their work never comes off as overindulgent. Rather, the minimalism of “Arctic Hysteria” makes it one of the more honest biographies of a country told through art. Although my good friend will no doubt be reciting tight tercets at coffeeshops indefinitely, fans of the Scandianavian new wave have until September 15 to see this show.
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