A strange mix of stuffed animal hides and photographs create an unsettling atmosphere in thinking around – metaphors in nature by Corinne Rusch. In this new installation at the Austrian Cultural Forum London, Rusch ironically explores the obvious but often understated parallels between the human will to preserve our beauty and youth, and the ubiquitous taxidermy process, artificially preserving wild and domestic animals for our human sense of ownership.
The dense medium-format photographs, which hang disturbingly between a series of stuffed animal asses, show us scenes from what appears to be the back room of a taxidermists studio. In amongst tiger stripes and glass eyes, glimpses of female bodies can be seen, all of which remain anonymous and appear similarly inanimate. It is in these physical comparisons that Rusch suggests her metaphors in nature and bluntly points to the connections between hunting for game and our social obsession with the construct of trophy wives.
For Rusch these images, which convey a sense of hidden realities and evoke bizarre and cynical narratives, remain only one part of the work. Trained as a set designer, Rusch often combines images with more immersive elements in her installations, almost testing how far she can extend her photographs beyond the frame.
Corinne Rusch will be in conversation with Stephanie Braun, curator at The Photographers Gallery, London on Tuesday 21st April at 6.30pm. Stephanie Braun, who has organized the highly acclaimed Deutsch Borse Photography prize as well as curating other solo and group shows, will be discussing with Rusch her practice as an artist and photographer.
Corinne Rusch, born 1973 in Guatemala, lives and works in Vienna. She studied at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna graduating in 2001. She has exhibited extensively in Austria including a.o.: "PLATEAU – Raum für zwei" together with Moussa Kone, FORUM STADTPARK, Graz; das weisse haus, Vienna; space invasion, Vienna; "Bodytalk", Fotogalerie Wien, Vienna. "thinking around" is Rusch’s first exhibition in the UK.
For more information on the Photographers Gallery please visit http://www.photonet.org.uk
