We are glad to finally present for the Bergen public the video work Encrenca_Trøbbel of our earlier residency artist, Tatiana Blass (1979), a profiled Brazilian artist based in São Paulo. Blass works with different techniques, such as painting, sculpture, video and installation. Recurrent characteristics present in her work are the depiction or staging of the absurd, the insistence in transforming functional objects into dysfunctional ones and the distortion of language in something ineffective, into its breakdown.  

Shot in Ålvik, during Blass’ residency stay in Kvam Herad, the performance-video depicts the Brazilian actress Ilana Gorban, who has no knowledge of the Norwegian language, interacting with the Norwegian actor, Sveinung Augestad, who does not speak Portuguese. Wearing particular costumes, the duo engages in an absurd and playful game, in which they alternately try to repeat each other’s lines, in each other’s mother tongues. Connected to one another through countless ribbons, reminding us of marionettes, the game evolves as the characters swap roles as the commander and the one being commanded. The work was first presented locally in Kunstnerhuset Kabuso (Øystese, Kvam) and later in Mexico, Brazil and in the US.  

Tatiana Blass has held solo shows at several institutions, among them the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Johannes Vogt Gallery (NY), CCBB (Rio de Janeiro), among others. Her work has also been shown in several group shows such as the 29th São Paulo International Biennial, at Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation (Miami, USA), Wallraf-Richartz Museum (Cologne). She has also received several grants and prizes, including both the Jury Award and the Popular Vote Award of the PIPA Prize 2011 and was shortlisted at the Nam June Paik Award, in Germany.  

Supported by: KUP- Hordaland Fylkeskommune, Kvam Herad, and 3,14  
Produced by: 3,14  
In collaboration with: Kunstnarhuset Messen 

[http://www.tatianablass.com.br/]