Experience B. Ingrid Olson: Elastic X – A Contemporary Exhibition of Sculpture and Photography

B. Ingrid Olson's exhibition 'Elastic X' features new sculptural and photographic works that investigate the concepts of seeing and being seen, body and space, and the power dynamics inherent in perception. The exhibition includes a large sculptural installation and smaller ceramic and photographic objects.

B. Ingrid Olson's practice consistently probes the nature of seeing and being seen, with her sculptural and photographic works delving into the dynamic relationship between the body and space. The exhibition 'Elastic X' at Secession showcases a series of new pieces, including a sculptural installation that engages with and subverts the characteristics of the exhibition environment, along with small anthropomorphic ceramic pieces and multidimensional photographic objects. Whether captured by camera, machine-made, or cast, Olson's art consistently delineates the perceived connections between her own body, the bodies of the viewers, and the architectural form of the space. The sculptural group 'Reciprocal Fixtures' in the first exhibition room embodies Olson's interpretation of the specific qualities of the space. The four corner reliefs extend the unusual floor plan in the form of a Greek cross, continuing into the interior corners. Through the spatially dominant side walls of the elements, both the niches are demarcated and the square in the center of the room is marked, suggesting a space within a space. The elements themselves function similarly to a stage, with the visible construction material of the rear walls recalling the technical reality behind the scenes, while the performance space unfolds within the assembled angles, where the drama of the painterly applied off-white color unfolds. Like many of Olson's works, these elements simultaneously orient themselves towards the viewers, directly referencing their bodies and fields of vision through their size and hanging, thus making them a part of the work. Sculptural considerations and artistic practice are also the starting point for Olson's photographic works. Her constructed photographs demonstrate in various ways how she lives, moves, and changes within the parameters of her studio. Her own body always serves as the starting material and leitmotif. Although the artist presents herself in her studio, her images resist the strict notion of self-portraiture; rather, she investigates how her body relates to her work environment. Appearing before and for the camera, she adopts various positions and interacts with different props such as glass vessels, paper, adhesive tapes, and found objects that signal gender-specific or androgynous qualities. By frequently directing the camera downward and looking down her bare legs or legs clad in nylon stockings, she constructs captivating perspective lines that are further extended into the viewer's space within the plexiglass frames. This perspective, however, proves to be a kind of optical trap, as the clarity and spatial coherence are simultaneously broken multiple times by reflections and duplications, as well as by blurriness, light, and shadow. Working intuitively, Olson uses a variety of means and methods to bring together and condense different reality levels of bodies and image spaces on a single picture plane—without resorting to collage techniques. The results of this process are multidimensional images that redefine the physical nature and structuring of space. Through her self-staging and the repeatedly broken spatial structure, Olsen deliberately undermines the voyeurism and the desire of the gaze typically generated by the connection between the camera lens and perspective, along with the power relations bound to them, and instead focuses on the constructedness of the photographic image. Furthermore, the fragmented visual impressions always bear witness to the tensions between inner, subjective experience and the external, depicted subject.

Information about tickets can be found via the provided link, and the exhibition is open daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, except Tuesdays. General information and ticketing details are available on the Secession website, with direct links provided for purchase or further information.