Pilvi Takala's Survey Exhibition On Discomfort at CCA Goldsmiths Explores Social Norms Through Video Works

Pilvi Takala's exhibition On Discomfort at CCA Goldsmiths in London presents a survey of her video works from 2006 to the present, focusing on awkward social interactions and corporate environments. The show includes The Trainee (2008), where Takala idles in an office, Real Snow White (2009), featuring her attempt to enter Disneyland Paris in costume, and The Stroker (2018), which documents excessive friendliness in a coworking space. These pieces highlight how communal spaces are shaped by profit and productivity. A recent three-channel installation, Close Watch (2022), records a workshop after Takala worked as a security guard, addressing workplace misconduct through clichéd conversations. Security guards often appear in her work as symbols of unaccountable corporations. In contrast, Workers Forum (2014) uses animated text to explore microtaskers' frustrations in a fake relationship app, revealing deeper emotional textures. The exhibition runs through 4 June, showcasing Takala's blend of cringe and spectacle to navigate attention and empathy in contemporary life.