Index 19: Bigert & Bergström

Bigert & Bergström have been invited to host a night at Index front space weekly event series, Index 19. Bigert & Bergström will be utilizing the bar as material in an interactive experiment inviting the audience to partake in a liquid illumination.

The Mouse, 2011, 15 min.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, scientists were searching for a stand-in for humans to perform medical experiments on; their eyes fell on mouse clubs and the fanciers who competed to breed the perfect mouse. The species turned out to be an excellent test subject, since its rapid rate of reproduction allows scientists to efficiently observe the effects of genetic expression. This paved way for a revolution in medical treatment of various diseases: without the mouse, our lives would be a lot shorter and a lot less healthy.

The film is an exposé through a laboratory maze and follows the historical litter of a mouse which leads us to present day experiments on the little rodent. Here, the mouse becomes a “stand-in” for humans and without it’s sacrifices our own medical progress

The film is structured as a trip through a laboratory maze, in which interviews, tableaux, and objects intersect with the meandering path of a small mouse. In addition to exploring use of mice in medical research, the film touches on their role in religious practice, space travel, and psychological phobias. The Mouse was shot between 2009 and 2011 in Sweden, England, the United States, India, China, and Taiwan.

Bigert & Bergström is an artist duo living and working in Stockholm. The duo met while at the art academy in Stockholm in 1986 and have collaborated ever since. Through their career B & B have produced and created art ranging from large-scale installations to public works, sculptures and film projects. Often with a conceptual edge, the core of their work is placed right in the junction between humanity, nature and technology. With energetic curiosity their art investigate scientific and social topics discussed in contemporary society. They are represented by Gallery Niklas Belenius, Stockholm and Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin.

Index 19 is a weekly events series in Index’ front space. Presenting single works, films, readings and discursive events, the aim is to create a space for dialogue with our surrounding community and visitors. Index 19 is a flexible program initiative, with one night or returning events by international artists and Stockholm-based initiatives.

Please rsvp to rsvp@indexfoundation.se

Doors open at 7 pm, performance starts at 8 pm. The duo’s 2011 film The Mouse will be screened throughout the night.