Aap Tepper Artefacts from Photographic Heterotopia

Aap Tepper
Artefaktid fotograafilisest heterotoopiast (Artefacts from Photographic Heterotopia)
14.11–06.12.2015
Rundum artist-run space
Toila Seltsimaja, Pikk 41, Toila, Ida-Virumaa
Aap Tepper’s exhibition “Artefacts from Photographic Heterotopia” focuses on photographic images taken by the artist during the period between 2007–2010. Looking back at the time when he started to experiment with photography, the artist analyses the motives of his photography through asocial and social aspects, along with how his hometown of Toila’s geographic landscape has influenced his visual language and how his presence in social media has affected his photography. Considering photography as a process of creating ideal images, the exhibition views digital photographs composed with communicative intentions as objects that influence memory.
Photography and virtual identity are used increasingly in social media to shape our everyday reality. As we compose our photos according to visual trends we are creating desire objects for others and consume them ourselves in parallel. We create an image that consists of our real experience and with a layer of composition that is manipulated with communicative intent. But what happens when we are looking at that image later, what do we recall? Do we remember our real experience or has this image taken on a new meaning for us? Is our presence in the documented reality or in the desire object that has been created with the competitive aim in mind for other consumers? If we take on this image as a bearer of our identity then we need to be cautious of the fact that contemporary imagination is in the influence zone of market economy and photographic images in the environment of social media are feeding our insecurities.
The exhibition takes shape through two installative environments situated at the beach and in the cultural centre of Toila. In the cultural centre, an audiovisual space installation will be taking place representing the park and beach areas of Toila.
*Heterotopia is a concept in human geography elaborated by Michel Foucault about spaces that exist illusionally outside of everyday reality. Heterotopias contest, compete, dispute or represent real environments.
Aap Tepper (1991) is studying in the MA of Estonian Academy of Arts photography department. Since 2013 he is a member of the artist-run space Rundum, situated in Tallinn. In his artistic practice he has concentrated on analysing personal perceptive experiences and recreating the moments of perception through photo and video installations. The phenomenological term “place” that combines memory and space occupies a central position in his work.
The exhibition will be opened on Saturday the 14th of November at 11 am. On the same day an artist talk will take place at 13:30.
Exhibition opening hours:
Wed–Fri 12:00–18:00
Sat–Sun: 10:00–16:00
The exhibition is closed on Sat 21.11
Location: Toila seltsimaja, Pikk 41, Toila, Ida-Virumaa
How to get to Toila:
By train- Tallinn-Jõhvi (2h 10min)
By bus – Tallinn-Jõhvi (2h 25min)
By bus – Jõhvi-Toila (10 min)
On the morning and on the afternoon of the opening day transport will be organised between Jõhvi and Toila. The bus starts its route from Jõhvi train station at 11:10. If you are interested in transportation please notify on the e-mail address: aap.tepper@gmail.com
Thank you: Andreas Astok, Liina Lepsalu, Aadi Tepper, Helgi Tepper, Aalis Tepper, Maire Aul, Toila Gümnaasium, Toila valla Spordi- ja Kultuurikeskus, Kaisa Pukk, Studio Le60, Kulla Laas, Kristina Õllek, Mari Volens, EKA fotograafia osakond, Annika Toots, Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo, Lea Rand, Eesti Kultuurkapital, EKKM, Tridens AS
Rundum is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture.
For more information:
www.rundumspace.com
www.facebook.com/rundumspace
http://aaptepper.weebly.com/