As part of October's Uniqlo Tate Late evening celebrating SUPERFLEX's 2017 Hyundai Commission for the Turbine Hall, we're pleased to present three of the collective's short films in a free display. Made between 2008 and 2013, these works centre on modes of catharsis and release for the anxieties prompted by the quickly changing economic and political landscapes in Europe. You may enter and exit the cinema as you please throughout the evening.
Programme
Burning Car, Denmark 2008, digital, colour, sound, 11 min
A car is burned out completely over the duration of the film. No longer only an image of protest and revolt in war-torn regions and dictatorships, the burning car has become an image from the suburbs of ‘civilised’ Europe – a symbol of the difficult relationship between Western societies and their changing populations.
The Financial Crisis, Denmark 2009, digital, colour, sound, 12 min
During four sessions with a hypnotist, the spectator experiences the fascination of speculation and power, the fear and anxiety of losing control, economic loss and personal disaster.
The Working Life, Denmark 2013, digital, colour, sound, 10 min
The Working Life addresses the work situation from a therapeutic perspective. A hypnotist guides us through the labyrinth of employment-based anxieties in search of relief, or perhaps even a way out.
Biography
SUPERFLEX (est. 1993, Denmark) was founded by Jakob Fenger, Bjørnstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen. Their diverse practice challenges the role of the artist in contemporary society and explores the nature of globalisation and systems of power. They are known for art works with wit and subversive humour that address serious social and cultural concerns. SUPERFLEX describe their works as tools – thereby suggesting multiple areas of application and use.
SUPERFLEX The Financial Crisis 2009, film still. Courtesy the artists