Anna Wessman

Sweden, b. 1969 in Västervik. Lives in Malmö.

Background as a visual artist, studied for two years at the Nordic Artschool in Kokkola, Finland. Five years studies at Malmö Art Academy.

First sound art work: 2000

One of my first sound art works was a seductive text about food that was performed by singer Yvonne Helander. The piece was made in collaboration with composer Christopher Anthin, and was performed at Malmö Konsthall, Hörsalen, 2000.

Following is a description of ”Violoncell”, an exhibition in Malmö 2001. A piece about dreaming, selfesteem and of being in or out of the limelight …

I made an installation in the gallery, two rooms. The optimal time to see the exhibition was at the night of the opening, where the art audience became music audience.

In the first room there was a stage with a shiny aluminum cello, a chair and a PA. Chairs for the audience to sit on after first being offered fancy sandwiches and wine. A professional cellist was there to perform on the aluminium cello. There was a classic concert that evening, with the audience sitting down, listening.

In the back room was another cello placed in a corner, as if it was put away. This one dull, grey and made of glassfibre. It has a built in loudspeaker, an it is talking and singing to itself in a continous loop.

During the opening evening it was really difficult to hear what it was saying, because of the concert, and you would have to get really close to it.

During the rest of the exhibition time the concert room was abandoned, the aluminiumcello lying there in silence, and in the other room the other cello was going on, talking and singing about its miserable life and its dreams about Rostropovich, and another kind of life.