TELEFONGALLERIET/The TELEPHONEGALLERY 1995

Maria Bjurestam b. 1961 & Malin Lobell b. 1965. Educated at the Valand College of Fine Art, Gothenburg. Lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.

With: Mats B/ Max Book, Jeremy Welsh, Sössa Jörgensen (see BallongMagasinet), Elin Wikström, John- Peter Nilsson, Leif Skoog, Anna Karin Rynander, Dan Wolgers, Gunilla Hansson, Glenn Sörensen, Geir-Tore Hom, Lotta Antonsson.

Twelve artists, mainly from Scandinavia, each exhibiting a two week period on an answering-machine connected to the calling-number of The TELEPHONEGALLERY. On the outgoing message there was a work with the maximum lenght of 2 minutes and 30 seconds. After hearing the work, the listener could leave a message and/or listen to other messages left by using a code.

One of the ideas behind The TELEPHONEGALLERY was to present something slightly ”difficult” - art consisting of mere sound, in a well-known everyday situation, using the now ”low” technology devices of a telephone and an answering-machine. When choosing exhibitors to the project, we took in consideration artists with differing potential to make something out of this particular space. Another important aspect was the extension or the work through the interaction by the listener as well that the gallery had a 24-hour accessability and no geographical limitations.

The reactions differed according to the works. Some directly invited to participation through answering a question, other seemed more difficult to approach and the tendence was to leave messages with emphasis on sound, rather than clear statements. This part of The TELEPHONEGALLERY functioned similar to the anonymous surfaces where people leave their personal marks by scrawling.

The TELEPHONEGALLERY was included in Stockholm Smart Show, 1995, ”Interplace Access - a show about non-commercial artistprojects” Milan dec. 1996 and at the Swiss Institute, New York 1997.