Ester Geislerová “divides up film” for latest art project
What We Should Have Said But Didn’t is the title of a new installation by Ester Geislerová, an artist who is perhaps better known as an actress. The exhibition, at Kunsthalle Praha, explores relationships via a series of related videos.
Ester Geislerová comes from a well-known Prague family of artists and actors and is perhaps most closely associated with her numerous screen roles.
However, the 40-year-old is also a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and her latest project sees her using video art to explore the theme of interpersonal relationships.
What We Should Have Said But Didn’t is the title of the installation.
“The title contains many things and everybody can find what they want in it. But I’d like it if the viewer takes away the idea that it’s all the same whether we express what we feel strongly about in that moment – it could also happen in an hour, a day, 10 years, 20 years. But still it’s good to work on what lies within us, in any way that we can.”
In an interview conducted by Czech Radio, Ester Geislerová explains a little about the rather complex thought processes behind the show.
“One part stems from me wishing people would know how I felt. Or how one part of me – which in the past didn’t have much chance of expressing itself – felt. So I used actors, who learned my words. I work with pairs of actors. Actors have to inhabit their characters and deliver their words seriously. And I was curious how seriously they would take something complicated in their relationship that their partner communicated to them.”
The works are on show at Kunsthalle Praha. It has undergone huge renovation to become one of Prague’s most impressive art venues, but previously it was used by the Academy of Fine Arts – and it was there that Ester Geislerová presented her diploma thesis over a decade ago.
“It was kind of sweet, because every time I went there for a meeting or to present the videos I felt the same slight nerves as years ago when I exhibited, and defended, my diploma thesis, which was similarly large.”
The artist says people may feel video installations are always very abstract. However, hers are not.
“For me, the term video installation suggests that you take a film and dismantle it in space. So essentially, I shot a film which I just divided into pieces. This gives the visitor greater freedom at the gallery. They can move from one video to the next and decide when they have had enough, or when they want to see another part. Not that there’s a linear story – the visitor can approach it from any side.”
Ester Geislerová: What We Should Have Said But Didn’t
Kunsthalle Praha
Klárov 132/5
Prague 1
Until 13/9 2024
