Outset Estonia supported Alina Astrova (Lolina) and Johanna Ulfsak’s collaborative performance Inquiry and Investigation. The performance combined elements of fashion shows, concerts and exhibition openings, and centred around Lolina’s music and video projections. The performance was first presented in New York at Artists Space, then in London, where the artists present it at Café Oto, which is mainly known as an experimental concert venue. In London, they used the video documentation of the New York performance as a background, and as a result, the dialogue between the two cities became a completely independent video installation. Astrova, who is a musician, blended her live music into a carefully staged social scenario, that blended signifiers of a runway fashion show, a gig, and an art opening. Using both the interiors of the main gallery space and the exterior of the building’s window, Astrova created a durational social encounter that was regulated through her music, video projections, and the presence of models wearing custom made outfits designed in collaboration with Estonian textile designer Johanna Ulfsak.
Alina Astrova is a writer, curator and musician. She has studied art criticism at St. Martins in London. As a musician she is also known for her alias Inga Copeland and Lolina. Her live performances as a musician, whether solo or in collaboration, have evolved into more complex environmental arrangements and she has continued to tie her musical output to a more expansive and experimental approach to live performance.
Johanna Ulfsak received her postgraduate degree from Designskolen Kolding, Denmark. She has gained textile design and fashion related work experience in Switzerland, Germany and Estonia. Her conceptual design brand NO FUN is focused on developing limited collections of design objects such as carpets, handmade scarves, couture fabrics, and fashion pieces.
Inquiry and Investigation was performed in New York on May 8, 2018 (Artists Space) and in London on May 12, 2018 (Café Oto).
