NEW YORK, NY.- What is consciousness and does it exist outside of the human species? Mirror Tests or Mirror Self-Recognition Tests (MSR), study whether different animals can recognize their reflection on a mirror as themselves. If they recognize themselves, they are aware or have consciousness. Very few animals have this ability: chimpanzees, elephants and dolphins do, while dogs and horses do not. Surprisingly, Rays, the fish with wing-like fins and a remnant sting barb, express this awareness.
In his second exhibition at
Elga Wimmer PCC since 2005, Mirror Test, Nordic painter Osmo Rauhala continues his convergence of art, science, and nature. The exhibit comprises two new series of paintings Forms of Silences and Garden of Atlantis, and paintings and a video on DNA which Rauhala calls “the great narrative of modern man.”
The six large paintings and collection of smaller paintings of Forms of Silences are considered to be “portraits” of various rays. Painted with a thin monochromatic background, the ray’s portrait either blends with the background or sits in stark contrast to it with bright glossy colors. In some pieces, there is a color square which Rauhala incorporates from a MSR text underlining the art and science connection to the image of the animal.
In the paintings, Garden of Atlantis, all of life is surrounded by water as if seen in a dream. The paintings are more poetic and visionary being loosely drawn from the myth of the city of Atlantis, rather than scientific concepts as in the other pieces.
The video, Book of Life, 2012, and the series of paintings entitled The Guardians of The Word, delve into Rauhala’s concerns over DNA. While we know the alphabet of life – TCGA – we cannot comprehend the narrative. If we cannot fully understand the narrative, then there is the potential of mutations. This is why the letters of DNA in the video and paintings are caught falling like snowflakes chaotically entwining and crossing. Rauhala sees the moths (nature) resembling knights with spears as guardians of DNA (the word).
In an interview from 2013, Rauhala explained his views - “Life is complex and full of mysteries and we should be humble in front of it. Art is one tool on our way to understand the world around us, as well as science, philosophy and religion.” Born on a small organic farm, Rauhala continues to manage iy, saying “I am carry out a generations long test about genetic memory of natural phenomena while working the same area as at least 14 generations of my family before me.
Osmo Rauhala lives between Finland and NYC. Since 1990 he has embarked on a series of video installations. In 2017, he will have a solo exhibit at the Didrichsen Museum; Helsinki, Finland. He has over 50 solo exhibits in Germany, Netherlands, France, USA, Canada, Brazil and the Scandinavian countries. Rauhala has had 15 solo museum exhibitions including Groningen Museum, Netherlands; Museum of Modern Art, Rio de Janeiro; Stadtmuseum Ratingen, Germany; and the Museum of Contemporary Art Millesgarden Stockholm, Sweden; Kiasma - Museum of Contemporary Art at the Finish National Gallery, Finland.
