Reading Short Sentences by Gertrude Stein
osmo/za, Slovenska 54, Ljubljana
17 – 30 September 2021
Tao G. Vrhovec Sambolec: Reading Short Sentences by Gertrude Stein
installation
Text Short Sentences (1932) by Gertrude Stein, sound, video, printed publication.
osmo/za
Slovenska 54 (8th floor), Ljubljana
Opening: 17.9.2021 from 19:00 – 20:45
Exhibition: 18. – 30. 9. 2021, 15:00 – 19:00, closed on Sundays
The installation Reading Short Sentences by Gertrude Stein is an interpretation of the written play Short Sentences (1932) by Gertrude Stein. The play consists of 591 mostly unrelated short sentences. 32 are assigned to a chorus, and the rest are spoken – each by a different character.
Sambolec approaches the written play by allocating each sentence to a unique reader who he records. He calls this practice ‘distributed reading’. In addition to sound recordings, there is a video of the sentences being spoken by the chorus, a sound recording of the names of all characters read out by a single voice, and a printed publication of Stein’s play as a series of postcards.
Reading Short Sentences by Gertrude Stein is informed by contemporary networked urban reality in providing a distributed and mediated reading of Stein’s play. The project accentuates the text as a pre-echo of contemporary lived reality by sonically embodying the fragmented and dispersed nature of (overheard) voices. It evokes strangers passing by, constant mobility, decentralization, isolation in a crowd, discontinuity and also the continuity of distraction, and the banal. The work connects Stein’s play and the contemporary conditions it so precisely captures – a context that was not entirely there yet when it was written, but which is intensely present in everyday life now, be it on a busy urban street, in an airport, or in a waiting room, or zipping through TV channels, browsing online, or scanning radio frequencies.
The inaugural presentation consists of partly read Stein’s text.
Reading Short Sentences by Gertrude Stein is a part of artistic research project Reading Reading.
Name reader: Sher Doruff
Characters (in order of appearance): Zala Česnik, Karmen Keržar, Katja Gabrijelčič, Špela Škulj, Hotimir Knific, Gal Škrjanec Skaberne, Kai Ottenheim, Taja Rajterič, Andreja Rauch Podzavirnik, Jaka Šimenc, Omar Ismaila, Nina Smerkol, Špela Trošt, Leon Curk, Luka Zagoričnik, Domen Pal, Tomo Per, Primoż Čučnik, Enej Grom, Tao G. Vrhovec Sambolec, Olja Simčič Jerele, Alejandro Ramirez, Maxim Tyminko, Martijn Tellinga, Sonja Vulpes, Tomaž Grom, Laurie Cuitmans, Maja Šučur, Koen Nutters, Yannis Kyriakides, Aria Trošt Bargalini, Katarina Schwarzbartl, Becket MWN, Ana Pepelink, Arnisa Zeqo, Mirko Lazović, Bennett Hogg, Boris Baltschun, Irena Tomažin, Doug Barrett, Lore Gablier, Gabriel Paiuk, Agata Stoinska, Mario Assef, Andrea Knezović, Bojan Fajfrić, Maia Elisabeth Sørensen, Milena Bonilla, Alena Alexandrova, Vincent Verhoef, Jonas Kocher, Anne LaBerge, Huib Haye van der Werf, Klaas van Gorkum, Rune Peitersen, Edwin Zwakman, Elena Biserna, Nadim Abbas, Riccardo Massari Spiritini, Barbara Lüneburg, Marko Ciciliani, Matteo Casarin, Mika Cimolini, Natalia Domingez Rangel, Nathan Michelle, Sylbee Kim, Tjaša Podgornik, Hannah Cheney, Guy Koeningsteen, Heman Chong, Rumiko Hagiwara, John Grzinić, Ana Nikitović, Uroš Veber, Stefan Thut, Marlies van Hak, Nicolas Pelzer, Raviv Ganchrow, Panayotis Leftheris, Doris Prlić, Anže Sekelj, Dario Nožič Serini – Dacho, Robert Pravda, Mint Park, Taku Mizutta Lipitt – DJ Sniff, Sander Breure, Iratxe Jaio, Anna Orlikowska, Brandon LaBelle, Lucas Norer, Sascha Pohle, Tina Dolinšek, Christina Li, Maria Lalou, Xander Kaskens, Jessye Luk, David Drum, Magdalen Wong, Matej Tunja, Anik Fournier, Luka Lah, Sebastian Diaz Morales, Megan Hoetger, Daniil Pilchen, Janez Janša, Lovrenc Košenina, Keren Levi, Mitja Cerkvenik, Dante Boon, Vesna Madzoski, Maggie Kane, Vivian Ziherl, Stefanie Wuschitz, Katja Goljat, Adrian Reid Wong, Lan Štokelj Wu, Bojan Jablanovec, Kristina Benjocki, Nicolas Field, Evin Hadžialjević, Vladimir Vidmar, Joel Galvez, Bernhard Rasinger, Rune Søchting, Andraž Polič, Tomo Savić Gecan, Janine Armin, Moosje Moti Goosen, Marcela Okretič, Tony Guarino, Jaka Štoka, Tilen Lebar, Andrés garcia Vidal, Jure Lavrin, Tilen Sepič, Michelle Son, Domen Ožbot, Tom Bailey, Natasha Papandopoulou, Loup Abramovici, Clare Butcher, Tamás Tuza, Manca Dorer, Mattia Cason, Luke Dunne, Uroš Kaurin.
Colophon
Produced by: Sploh Institute and Projekt Atol Institute, Ljubljana Slovenia
Project supported by: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, City of Ljubljana, Mondriaan Fund – NL.
Bio
Tao G. Vrhovec Sambolec is Amsterdam-based artist with a particular focus in sound, new media, real-time interaction, and questions of contemporary mediation in relation to the sense of (bodily) presence. His recent work consists of spatial and sound installations, events and interventions, where (un)mediated sonic events act as central element that affectively evokes human bodily presence, while signaling its physical absence. His works encompass interdisciplinary and mixed media installations, sound interventions and electro acoustic music.
Born in 1972 (Ljubljana – Slovenia), he received BA at Trondheim Music Conservatory (Norway), BA in music composition and MA at Interfaculty Image and Sound – ArtScience, both at The Royal Conservatory in The Hague – The Netherlands, where he also followed Sonology course.
He earned his PhD in Artistic Research from Faculty of Fine Art at University in Bergen, Norway, where he was the recipient of Norwegian Artistic Research Fellowship (2013 – 2016). In 2017 he took part in Research Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale. In 2010 his work was awarded at Ars Electronica Festival in Linz – Austria.
Since 2018 he is member of artistic committee of puntWG project space in Amsterdam and a member of artistic committee of DNK – Amsterdam, a series of experimental contemporary music and sound art concerts, events, lectures and exhibitions. Together wit Sascha Pohle, he is initiatior and organizer of Home Sequence, an exhibition taking place in the private homes of Amsterdam-based artists. In 2001 he founded international cycle of sound events, lectures and workshops Bitshift in Kapelica Gallery – Ljubljana. He is currently the recipient of Mondriaan Fund Stipendium for Established Artists – Werkbijdrage Bewezen Talent (2018 – 2022).
His works were shown and performed in various museums, project spaces and festivals, amongst other at Kapelica Gallery – Ljubljana, Public Space With a Roof Gallery (PSWAR) – Amsterdam, Sonic Acts Festival – Amsterdam, Ars Electronica Festival – Linz – Austria, Museum of Modern Art – Ljubljana, AV Festival – Newcastle Upon Tyne, SKUC Gallery – Ljubljana, State Museum of Contemporary Art – Thessaloniki – Greece, Gwangju Museum of Art – Gwangju – South Korea, Reseach Pavilion – Venice – Italy, Madrid Abierto – Madrid, Musica a Metronom – Barcelona, Gaudeamus Music Week – Amsterdam, Forum neuer Musik – Köln, festival of contemporary music Contemporanea 2004 – Udine, CMMAS – Morelia, Mexico, Moon Life Concept Store, Shanghai, Toonspur – MuseumsQuartier, Vienna …
Tao G. Vrhovec Sambolec