Audio Tour: Pablo Bronstein

 Pablo Bronstein speaking about his installation

NARRATOR: This installation serves two distinct, and quite useful functions. It creates a public space-- a plaza—where you can sit, look at catalogues, or relax. It also functions as a stage, for performances that are part of the Triennial’s “Live Works” program. The installation is a work by Pablo Bronstein in collaboration with the architect Celine Conderelli. Pablo Bronstein:

PABLO BRONSTEIN: I view myself as an artist that works with architectural language. There is a void area, which is marked out by tape on the floor. It’s a space that’s reserved for people to sit or stand or speak or move in. So it draws attention to the way people perform in public.

Next to that there is a series of panels that are there for the institution to fulfil its functions: advertising, catalogue display. The doorways that are inserted into these panels refer to the architectural style of the mid 1980s. In particular I chose a kind of post-modern architectural style because I’m interested in the period when institutions began to enlarge their buildings in the 1980s. The colour green that I’ve used is taken from the Clore Gallery green that was introduced into the Tate in the mid-1980s.

NARRATOR: The Clore Gallery, the Tate’s modern annex, features a bright green trim to link the outdoors with the indoors.

PABLO BRONSTEIN: There’s also a tower that has been idealized by my colleague Celine Condorelli, who is an architect. And this tower really speaks about different sorts of viewing positions that happen in relation to theatrical spaces; privileged viewpoints.

And to finish off the view, the vista along the Duveens, there is a semi-circular amphitheatre that will be used for a kind of symbolic audience within the performances. And it’s there to reinforce the idea that people go to the galleries to be seen as well as to see, and to perform as well as to view performers.

In this case the context was quite complicated because I was asked to produce furniture for the gallery; i.e., stuff that is actually useful. It’s interesting that the architect I’m collaborating with has come up with probably the least useful, most sculptural object in the installation and I’ve tended to concentrate on stuff that is more useful.

NARRATOR: You’ll find some audio guide numbers on one of the text panels. When you select these, you’ll hear some of the artists who’ll be creating Live Work on this stage discuss their events.

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