Anna Ehrenstein / Priče o ružu i vrlinama – Tales of Lipstick and Virtue
Solo exhibition
10th International Festival of Photography Organ Vida
FROM THE PREFACE OF THE EXHIBITION
Authenticity has always been one of the key issues in discussions about society. It is still of great importance today given the emergence of phenomena such as fake news, alternative facts and the constant possibility of control on the internet. However, our definitions of an authentic being or an authentic object and our understanding of their relationship are often different, and depend on cultural and geographical factors that are present despite global connections. The photographic element of this multidisciplinary work consists of portraits of people from Albania and fake promotional photos showing counterfeit luxury items and famous brands. They are what we call imitation, fake or pirated copy. How is a fake defined in contemporary society? And for what reasons do people interact with these objects? Can we value them based on their materiality, or does the fact that they are imitations limit them to the superficial world of pseudo-luxury?
The dictionary definition of the word "imitation" is: it is an (inferior) counterfeit of a precious material. Since imitation can be produced in the same factory, using the same methods and the same material, only the label determines what is an original and what is a copy. In that case, when only a corporation or a state decides which item will be authorized and sold at a huge price – isn't the act of dealing with an unauthorized item instead of an authorized one more authentic in satisfying a capitalist machine that doesn't care too much about the consumer?
"The profession of almost every man, even an artist, begins with hypocrisy," writes Nietzsche, "with imitation from within, copying what is most effective." The boundaries between original and imitation are always fluid and even perhaps superfluous, as is the separation of nature and art.
As a young woman of Albanian roots born and raised in Germany, reflecting on representation and self-image and cultural differences has always played a big role in life. Due to the fact that I will never truly be part of either German or Albanian society, I have found my voice in the meta-position of an observer. The question of whether visual and sexual self-determination and femininity, especially in the post-communist context of Albania, are empowering for young women has a central place in this work. The communist demand for 'necessity' and the feminist demand for 'naturalness' are at odds with the human desire for experimentation, self-expression and speculation. Since we are all the product of multiple, intertwined influences, what is it that connects us and the objects we are to the authentic?
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Anna Ehrenstein is a 25-year-old artist living and working in Berlin. She was born and raised with Albanian blood and heritage in Germany. Her practice focuses on transdisciplinary productions, mainly related to photography, film and installation, with an emphasis on research and education or curation. She is most interested in visualisations of contemporary topics that a wider audience can identify with. Radicalising and hyperbolising different aesthetics and finding inspiration in mass media and pop culture, she shows different points of view in the current process of reflection. She deals with topics such as authenticity, identity, class, gender, sexuality and the influence of government, for example in the context of police brutality. She studied photography and media art, and her works have been exhibited around the world; for example, at the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles, the Month of Photography in Los Angeles or the Fondazione Marangoni in Florence. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, such as the Prix "Residence pour la Photographie" (Fondation des Treilles), the International Photography Award Emergentes dst in Braga or the Visible White Photo Prize (Celeste Network) and she is the winner of the latest Landskrona Portfolio Review Award. She currently works in the art office of the 10. Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art and is attending postgraduate studies.
The exhibition in the Šira Gallery can be viewed until September 21, 2018.
