Backlight 2023

Backlight’23 Cruel Radiance

What kind of evidentiary power can we associate with images in a world where man-made crises and conflicts have long since exceeded human proportions? How does matter, our material and elementary surroundings, record evidence of violence? What kind of roles do such non-human visual actors have in bearing witness to our pernicious actions?

Cruel Radiance, the 2023 edition of the Backlight festival, examines the evidential aspects of matter through photography and the moving image. From the omnipresence of particle pollution to the lasting legacies of nuclear weapons, from sub-zero temperatures to the residues of the mining industry, the exhibition sheds light on a whole variety of material elements as visual actors with singular testimonial capacities. In so doing, the stage is set for diverse visual dimensions and temporalities of violence ranging from slow cumulative processes to more abrupt conflicts. True to its title, Cruel Radiance invites the viewer to engage with a material repository of our ways of being together.    

Exhibitions

Cruel Radiance

Majaoja-edition
3.6.–31.7. Photographic Centre Nykyaika: Susanne Kriemann
3.6.–2.7. Gallery Koppelo: Veli Granö
3.6.–2.7. Gallery Saskia: HNV Collective, Ali Akbar Mehta, Anaïs Tondeur

Tampere Art Museum 
17.6.–15.10. Fiona Amundsen and Kanariya Eishi, Solmaz Daryani, Noelle Mason, Anastasia Mityukova, Susan Schuppli, Toshio Fukada, Eiichi Matsumoto

Pinni 47
7.6.–30.7. New Rays -student exhibition. The exhibition is produced in collaboration with Willem de Kooning academy in Rotterdam, Tampere University of Applied Science Fine Art (TAMK) and Tampere University Photojournalism (TAU).

Venues and opening hours

3.6.–31.7. Photographic Centre Nykyaika, Kauppakatu 14, Tampere
Mon-Fri 12PM-6PM, Sat-Sun 12PM-6PM, free entry  
3.6.–2.7. Gallery Koppelo, Kauppakatu 14, Tampere
Tue-Fri 12PM-6PM, Sat-Sun 12PM-3PM, free entry  
3.6.–2.7. Gallery Saskia, Pirkankatu 6, Tampere
Mon-Fri 12PM-6PM, Sat-Sun 12PM-4PM, free entry  
17.6.–15.10. Tampere Art Museum, Puutarhakatu 34, Tampere
Tue-Thur 9AM-5PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-6PM, entry fee 13/8/6€  
7.6.–31.7. Demolition Art House Pinni47, 2nd floor, Pinninkatu 47, Tampere
Wed-Sun 12PM-7PM, free entry to the second floor  

*The exhibitions are closed during Midsummer between June 23 and 25.

Backlight’23 artists

Fiona Amundsen and Kanariya Eishi (New Zealand and Japan)
Solmaz Daryani (Iran/UK)
Veli Granö (Finland)
HNV Collective: Felicia Honkasalo, Akuliina Niemi, Sinna Virtanen (Finland)
Susanne Kriemann (Germany)
Noelle Mason (USA) 
Ali Akbar Mehta (India / Finland)
Anastasia Mityukova (Switzerland)
Susan Schuppli (UK)
Anaïs Tondeur (France)
Toshio Fukada  (Japan)
Eiichi Matsumoto (Japan)

Curators
Marko Karo
Harri Pälviranta

Producers
Photographic Centre Nykyaika
Majaoja foundation
Tampere Art Museum

The festival have also been supported by Arts Promotion Centre Finland, the City of Tampere, Finnfoto, the Patricia Seppälä foundation, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and the German Cultural Centre. 

Backlight X
In addition to the Backlight exhibitions, other galleries in Tampere have also chosen photography for their exhibition program in June.

Backlight X Galleria Rajatila: Sirja Moberg & Elina Hämäläinen 3.6.-20.6.2023
Hämeenpuisto 10, Tampere. Mon-Fri 1PM-6PM, Sat-Sun 12PM-4PM
Backlight X Galleria Ronga: Terjo Aaltonen, Jenni Hurmerinta & Aija Salovaara 3.6. – 22.6.2023
Rongankatu 1, Tampere. Tue-Fri 12PM-6PM, Sat-Sun 12PM-4PM
Backlight X Kulttuuritalo Laikun Studio: Jasmine Färling 20.5.–22.6.2023
Keskustori 4, Tampere. Tue-Fri 9AM-8PM, Sat-Sun 10AM-6PM

Side Program

17.6. 12PM Artist Talk with Susanne Kriemann at Photographic Centre Nykyaika
17.6. 1PM Artist Talk with Anaïs Tondeur at Gallery Saskia
17.6. 3PM Artist Talk with Susanne Kriemann, Noelle Mason and Anastasia Mityukova at Tampere Art Museum

18.6. 2PM-5PM Movie Screening at Art House Cinema Niagara, Kehräsaari B