Pilvi Takala (b. 1980), Finnish artist living and working in Istanbul and Amsterdam, has won the 2013 Emdash Award. The Emdash award is awarded for young artists living and working outside of Britain. The recipient of the award has the unique opportunity to present their work at Frieze London 2013 to a significant international audience. Frieze London 2013 opens in October. Takala’s suggestion was selected among 550 applicants.
Takala has previously worked with video works which document experimental performances that challenge rules, customs and behavior within particular communities of people. At Frieze London 2013, the artist has chosen to give the opportunity to realise the art work to a group of children.
As a starting point for the project, Takala establishes a committee of children from London, around the age of 12, who in a series of workshops decided on the final form and scope of the project. By working with this committee Takala aims to establish a collective decision-making process with an outcome that has the potential for children to operate as equals, with a common ground and language. The workshops will take place before the fair, over a three-month period, and will be led by Pilvi Takala and artist and educator Polly Brannan. The committee’s final decisions will be presented at Frieze London 2013.
Frieze Projects is a programme of site-specific commissions shown at Frieze London each year. Produced by Frieze Foundation, The Emdash Award is supported by the Emdash Foundation.
Pilvi Takala has studied at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Her works have been exhibited in Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki, Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm and Palais de Tokyo in Paris.
Additional support for the Emdash Award 2013 has been provided by Frame Visual Art Finland.