Social Practices Art Network

Duration: 18 min

Anna Viola Hallberg graduated 2003 from the Curatorial Program, Stockholm University, Sweden. Hallberg has a B.A in Cinema Studies from Stockholm University and is a graduate of Stockholm Film School with a MA in International Museum Studies, University of Gothenburg, 2008. Writing her thesis on contemporary art in museum exhibitions outside the paradigm of the art institution. Since 2005 her work is often in the collaborate format and has been shown in Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Germany, Spain, Serbia, Turkey, US, Canada and Sweden.

CityArtLab/Stadslaboratoriet Mariestad is an artist-led collective working in art and collaborative social practice, interested in the city, tactics,interventions, oral history and placemaking.

 State of Mind provides an exclusive view of a select group in St Petersburg. The stories reveal both general and private aspects of everyday life, a fringe of the dominant social custom. The work introduces a discussion of intercultural perspectives to identity politics. The stories are selected from documentary material collected in great trust between the artists and the interviewees in fieldwork. State of Mind opens doors towards empowering readings and invites a dialogue on identity politics. It brings forward embedded evidence of stamina and activism, revealing stories of contemporary city life for individuals identifying as lesbians or work with LGBT related issues in Russia.

State of Mind explores the space between ethics and legislation in an area where cultures and ethnicities meet and possibly also clash. It discusses wide topics such as shortcomings vs. possibilities, belonging vs. alienation, appointed- vs. selected identity.

The participants talk generously about LGBT politics and issues, East-West, private situations and confrontations, as well as the view of the future. Leadership, democracy and women.