Pavel Brăila - Undressing the Bride: Introduction

About

Pavel Brăila lives and works in Chișinău and Berlin. He is an internationally renowned figure and has contributed to Documenta (2002 and 2017) and other festivals such as Manifesta 10. Since the mid-1990s his works have been shown in numerous international group and solo exhibitions.

Braila's practice covers a wide range of media, often drawing inspiration from his home country Moldovia. The transformation and modernization process that Moldova is still undergoing, especially in the last years which has been extremely difficult. In films, installations, photographs and performances, the artist explores the complex geopolitical situation of a country on the "periphery of the centre" in Europe.

For this pre-exhibition, Pavel Brăila has prepared a new installation: An original mural, a discard from Soviet propaganda, with hypocritical symbols of happiness and joy, which marked a former pioneer camp 60 km near to hometown Chișinău during the Soviet period. The work is juxtaposed with a video showing a moment when a traditional Moldovan wedding ceremony is transformed into a "sculptural performance". We see the moment of the couple's romantic celebration, which slowly changes into a physical relationship with objects and goods that lie beyond the actual event.

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