We ought to be time machines

Studio17 is proud to present Jone Tou’s first solo exhibition that sets about to examine sleep as an environmental, cultural, social, and political matter. In particular, Tou is interested in the blurring of boundaries between reality, delirium, fiction, and chaos one experiences when suffering from an inability to sleep.

Through his installation, composed of sculptural objects and moving image, Jone Tou narrates a story about altered states of mind brought about by sleep deprivation. He asks: in a cultural environment where wakefulness and stimulation – particularly relating to both mental and physical productivity – is aspired to, what then happens if one demonstrates an ambivalence towards contributing to society and taking responsibility for oneself?

In exploring the subject matter of sleep, Tou undertakes a study of the body-mind complex, which he considers from a point of view that perceives the mind and the body as separate. His earlier works have dealt with questions of identity and performativity, as well as mortality and disintegration. Tou has worked though these themes by means of using an array of materials that resemble features and expression of the body.

Jone Tou is a recent graduate of the Rogaland School of Art (KiR) and is currently pursuing a BA degree in the Department of Fine Art at the University of Bergen (KMD, UIB).

The exhibition is supported by Rogaland School of Art (KiR).