TF: Exploring the Potential of Replication

Born in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1981, Oliver Laric is currently based in Berlin, Germany, where he pursues his artistic practice. His work spans a diverse range of forms, including sculptures, videos, and web-based projects, all of which explore the nature of replication and transformation.

The exhibition centers on "TF," an acronym for "transformation art." The displayed works capture the process of copying and evolving through repeated reproduction, akin to film or art, thereby expressing the inherent qualities and precariousness of the original message.

While this exhibition primarily features video works centered around "TF," new sculptural pieces are also on display. According to Andrea Nustin, who served as a guest curator for the exhibition, a key new work to note is "Transi de René Chalon." This piece is a replica, made of plaster, of a 16th-century funerary effigy titled "Transi," which was then digitally scanned and outputted.

The original "Transi" was a funerary monument commissioned by the church of Saint-Étienne in Lorraine, France, for the funeral of the local lord, René de Chalon. It is a solemn portrait sculpture depicting the deceased as a decaying skeleton, with his heart held high in his hand. It is said that the small reliquary in the effigy's hand originally contained the heart of René de Chalon.

However, the plaster replica that Laric used for his artwork was created in the 19th century and notably lacks the heart. This work expresses the scale at which a funerary monument, created independently of the original subject's intentions, is repeatedly copied, imbuing it with new meanings.

Nustin explains, "For Laric, a replica or reproduction is a process of change, a state of continuous potential, and an ongoing attempt to become something. We hope that visitors will experience this 'becoming' of 'TF' through the exhibition."

This is a valuable opportunity to encounter the work of Oliver Laric, one of the most internationally acclaimed artists today. It is a recommended art event for those seeking a quiet artistic experience away from the holiday season's bustle.

Oliver Laric Solo Exhibition "TF"
Dates: Through Saturday, January 23, 2016
Hours: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and Public Holidays
*Please check the website (http://www.kaikaikiki.co.jp) for New Year's holiday closure dates.
Venue: Kaikai Kiki Gallery
MotoAzabu Crest Bldg. B1, 2-3-30 MotoAzabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo