Kaari Upson's 'Door, Open, Shut' survey explores psychological architecture at Kunstverein Hannover
Kaari Upson's exhibition titled 'Door, Open, Shut' is on display at Kunstverein Hannover from September 7 to November 17, 2019, delving into themes of domesticity and memory. The showcase includes pieces created between 2007 and 2019, using the house as a symbol of female inner life contrasted with male outer existence, drawing inspiration from Louise Bourgeois's 'Femme Maison' (1946–47). Upson's work 'Balcony' (2011) reveals her obsession with a fictional figure, Larry, from 'The Larry Project' (2007–12), intertwining fact and fiction. The film 'In Search of the Perfect Double' (2016–17) reconstructs a friend's childhood residence. The exhibition features 'Mirrored Staircase Inversion (San Bernardino)' (2012) and wraps up with 'House Worry' (2019), a video presented at the 2019 Venice Biennale, blending appropriation with creativity.
Key facts
- Kaari Upson's survey 'Door, Open, Shut' ran from September 7 to November 17, 2019, at Kunstverein Hannover
- The exhibition explores the house as a metaphor for female inner and male outer worlds, referencing Louise Bourgeois's 'Femme Maison' (1946–47)
- Works include 'Balcony' (2011), a latex cast from a burned-down house linked to the fictional character Larry
- Larry is based on a deceased neighbor in San Bernardino, central to 'The Larry Project' (2007–12)
- The film 'In Search of the Perfect Double' (2016–17) documents Upson's attempt to reconstruct her friend Kristine's childhood home
- 'Mirrored Staircase Inversion (San Bernardino)' (2012) involves a negative cast of stairs dug on Larry's property, referencing Land art and Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion
- 'House Worry' (2019) was also shown at the 2019 Venice Biennale and features role-play with Kristine in a puppet house
- Upson's work blends research, fiction, and psychology, influenced by artists like Sophie Calle, Bruce Nauman, and Paul McCarthy
Entities
Artists
- Kaari Upson
- Louise Bourgeois
- Sophie Calle
- Bruce Nauman
- Robert Smithson
- Paul McCarthy
- Hugh Hefner
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Liam Tickner
Institutions
- Kunstverein Hannover
- Venice Biennale
- ArtReview
Locations
- Hannover
- Germany
- San Bernardino
- United States
- California