DISCOURSE DISCO
Graduation show '09 by TAMK University of Applied Sciences Fine Art Degree Programme

Art Centre Mältinranta, Kuninkaankatu 2, Tampere
09.05 - 26.05.2009
Opening hours Mon-Thu 12-18, Fri-Sun 12-16
Artists:
Johanna Havimäki, Kaisa Kirsikka, Jani Kuivajärvi, Jenni Lahtinen, Maria Leppänen, Liina Mäki-Patola, Tiina Raaterova


Exhibition Centre TR1, Väinö Linnan aukio, Tampere
16.05. - 07.06.2009
Opening hours Tue-Sun 10-18
Artists:
Henna Inkinen, Jenni Leinonen, Ville Makkonen, Minta Metteri, Elise Mäkitalo, Laura Paavilainen, Erno Peltonen, Sanni Rajapolvi, Teemu Räsänen, Sanni Seppä, Matti Sälli, Noora Westerberg

Discourse Disco (Diskurssidisko) vernissage was celebrated yesterday at Art Centre Mältinranta, as seven of the graduating students from TAMK School of Art and Media proudly introduced their diploma works. Next Friday, after the official opening of the the second part of the exhibition will open.

The statement:

Stuart Hall says that by discourse he means a certain way of representing.

Anu Koivunen claims that discourses are the ways of thinking, conceptions and assumptions which different institutions reassert, merit and place in hierarchies.

Up until the 1960s, discourse was defined as speculative analysis or discussion, exchange of opinions.

Michel Foucault, the most well-known of discourse theorists, regarded discourse as “practices that systematically construct the subjects and the worlds of which they speak.”

So what is discourse? The definition is up to you. (The above mentioned information can be found in Wikipedia or by googling the word “discourse.”) In any case, we are convinced that the word “discourse” should be the name or at least in the name of our exhibition. In its entirety, the word contains what we are or what we have been moulded to be. Just like when we use the word “discourse,” we are confronted with similar conscious lack of understanding every day, when we try to create something which could be called art. In the same way, we are trying to reach something, which eludes an unambiguous and universal definition. At the back of our heads we know what it is about, but it is impossible to state the absolute truth about it.

Unusually, in this case the truth might be the most uninteresting aspect. There is no perfect art or even a perfect definition of art. Only general information. No closely guarded secret of the essence of art exists; there are only separate, individual or overlapping concepts. There is no single enclosed art discourse.
But maybe only the open doors exist. Into an undefined space, governed by controlled chaos. A sort of disco, which has room for everybody to dance. A space where the noise is so loud that it is impossible to have complex but often meaningless discussions in an elitist tone of voice. You can only shout out the most essential things: “Do you come here often?”

Upper photo: The graduating students soon to be adorned with flowers, Head of the Degree Programme in Fine Arts Juha Suonpää addresing the event, standing last right Senior Lecturer Minna Suoniemi.

DISCOURSE DISCO is a part of Tampere Art Factory
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