Present
Kuchka Heta
Present is an installation that features 11 video portraits realised by the artist of individuals with dementia as they listen to their favourite songs. Each individual reacts differently to a song that has had a special meaning to them at some point of their life. A certain song might take them back to a safe place, perhaps to a childhood memory. Faced with these emotions, the viewer is invited to share in subtle smiles, clapping, lips moving, wild dancing even! After the song is over, the personality captured by the illness retreats back into a secret world with little concept of time.
Production Year
2012
Duration
00:23:46
Tyyppi
Asiasana
diseases, emotions, experimental films, joy, listening, media art, memories (mental objects), memory loss diseases, music, older people, songs, video art, video installations
Original Title
Present
Finnish Title
Present
English Title
Present
Production Countries
United States
Dialogue
No
Sound
Yes
Cast
Heta Kuchka (Author), Luka Balac (Cinematographer), Joyce Hitchcock (Composer), Heta Kuchka (Editor), Heta Kuchka (Script), Frame Contemporary Art Finland (Funder), Taiteen keskustoimikunta (Funder), Suomen Kulttuurirahasto (Funder)
Press Photos
Heta Kuchka is Finnish-American artist currently based in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki in 2001 (MFA). She is a versatile artist who works with video, photography and drawing. Her approach is often humoristic yet dealing with humanly significant matters, such as dying and getting older, or the young and their thoughts. Her recent works are increasingly collective. Kuchka was selected as the Young Artist of the Year in 2006. She has participated in exhibitions in Finland and abroad and in 2014 represented Finland at FocusFinland pavilion at ARCOmadrid art fair.
19 works