Cold, Cold Heart
Video art and performance weekend at Somerset House

20 - 22 October 2006

Participating artists: Mattias Akerfelt (Sweden), Olga Chernysheva (Russia), Jesper Just (Denmark), Ragnar Kjartansson (Iceland), Antti Laitinen (Finland), Elena Nasanen (Finland), Torbjorn Rodland (Norway), Richard T. Walker (UK).

Venue: Somerset House, Courtauld Institute of Art, Strand, London

Programme:

Friday, 20 October:

2 - 5.30pm: an afternoon conference on Nordic contemporary art. Presentations by participating artists Jesper Just, Antti Laitinen, Ragnar Kjartansson, and Caroline Corbetta, curator of 2004 Momentum Biennale. Moderator: Dr Sarah Wilson, Courtauld Institute.

6 pm onwards: Private view of the video projections and a drinks reception.
Opening of 3-day performance by Ragnar Kjartansson,

Saturday - Sunday, 21-22 October: Video projections around Somerset House and an ongoing performance Satan is Real by Ragnar Kjartansson.

Saturday 21 October, 7 pm. Performance Snowman by Antti Laitinen at White Space Gallery, St Peter's Church, Vere Street, London W1G ODQ

The Courtauld Institute of Art, East Wing Collection is pleased to present Cold, Cold Heart, a weekend of video and performance art from Nordic countries at the Courtauld Institute and Somerset House, 20-22 October. This event will include a half-day conference in the Courtauld Institute Research Forum with artists, museum curators and academics, followed by the opening of Ragnar Kjartansson 's performance Satan is Real, and screenings of film and video works staged for the first time in all parts of this historic building.

Cold, Cold Heart is the first international video festival of its kind hosted by Somerset House, showcasing work by established and rising artists from Nordic countries, Russia and the UK, all sharing a distinctly northern vision.

The programme is curated by Dr. Sarah Wilson, head of the contemporary department at the Courtauld Institute of Art, Nicolas Dubois, student at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and Anya Stonelake of White Space Gallery.

Tank Magazine will preview Cold, Cold Heart in its October issue, and will present all the video and performance pieces on its website www.tanktv.com between 15 and 30 October.