Libia Castro, b. 1969 in Madrid Ólafur Ólafsson, b. 1973 in Reykjavik Both lives and work in Berlin and Rotterdam What are they doing ? Lobbyists ( video, 2009 ) opens without picture but with rhythmical noise from a construction site, then sounds coming partly from discussions, traffic, music, and followed by close-ups of people dressed up as cowboys doing something which we at first can’t grasp what is, we see close up view of legs looking like they are puling something heavy. We are met by a hectic system. In this video we are given an insight into the workings of a lowprofile but influential group ; Castro and Ólafsson show the hectic environments in Brussels and Strasbourg in which EU lobbyists operate. As background for this work, the artist duo have probed historic and contemporary sources, interviewed and filmed a variety of people with links to the lobby organizations, public interets groups, ngo’s, public interests organizations and so-called watchdog groups, and looked into popular cultural sources concerning “corridor politicians”. What is it that lobbyists do ? Fundamentally speaking, they seek to persuade decision makers ; they give information ; and try to get politicians to see their angle on some currently relevant issue. One of the lobbyist’s most important tool is language, and a clear and correct appreciation of how communication functions. In Castro and Ólafsson’s work, the most common theme is interpersonal relationships, generally treated with a focus on exposing power structures. The interest is not necessarily in formalized and regulated power structures ( as is the case to some extent in the video Lobbyists ), but usually in power defined by customs and culture.
Since the beginning of their collaboration in 1997, the artists have worked with a wealth of different media. A recurrent feature of their projects is the treatment of social environments. This is also true of Uterus flags ( 2005-2008 ). This work, which consists of small, colourful pennants sporting images of female reproductive organs, has been shown in cities throughout Europe. The flags have similarities both to the pennants that are hung up during festive events and to heraldic shields. This gives them a rich ambiguity, which can be read both as a celebration of the concealed, female reproductive organs, but also as a critique of our tendency to emphasize heredity and lines of inheritance. Heraldic shields are symbols for family groups and are designed according to strict rules, usually involving stylized images of proud animals, armour and weapons, more often referring to masculine representations. Libia Castro and Ólafur Ólafsson also work more situationally, as for example in the work Everybody is doing what they can ( 2009 ). This is a series of video portraits of Icelanders from all walks of life. The project was carried out at Reykjavik Art Museum, where a production studio was set up in the gallery space. Although the people portrayed talk about themselves, the artists employed a variety of film effects during the shooting, such as colour filters, smoke and confetti. This means that the video portraits are as much about the process of constructing and deconstructing images as it is about its human subjects. All of Castro and Ólafsson’s projects presuppose a conceptual understanding of art. Art is not extraneous to society; it comes to grips with society and seeks a debate about power structures. Everyday life and art are integrated, supplementing and enriching each other. Siv Hofsvang