Concept
The exhibition «Joan Jonas: Beyond the Juniper Tree» is dedicated to the artist’s fantastical world, which features recurring motifs of masks and costumes, transformation, animals, mirrors, doppelgängers, forests, and water, dating back to the late 1960s.
The exposition is structured as a journey through this mythology: starting with the Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Juniper Tree—one of Jonas’s key literary sources—it moves through three thematic rooms: «Characters and Transformations, ” „Mirror and Double, ” and „Landscape and Water”—culminating in a final performance of The Juniper Tree held in the domed circular hall, where the viewed images coalesce into a live action reminiscent of a ritual.
Exhibition Venue
Тон-Центр
The architecture mirrors the exhibition’s concept. The building is circular: the halls radiate outward from the center, and all pathways lead back toward it. The exhibition follows the same structure: three motifs diverge from the fairy tale and converge in a final performance. The building’s center thus becomes the exhibition’s core, requiring no additional construction.
The central hall is perfectly suited for performance. It functions as an amphitheater surrounding a circular stage area, designed for live action accompanied by sound. For The Juniper Tree, there is no need to build a stage or arrange seating; the audience is already positioned around the perimeter, and the necessary dimming and sound are handled by the hall’s technical capabilities.
Exhibition Structure
A Story of The Juniper Tree
Первый зал знакомит зрителя со сказкой братьев Гримм The Juniper Tree, лежащей в основе перформанса.
Characters and Transformations
Джонас исследует превращение идентичности через маски, костюмы, персонажей и сказочные сюжеты
Mirror and Double
Зеркала и экраны раскрывают исследования Джонас о теле и границе между реальностью и изображением
Landscape and Water
Многоканальное видео объединяет природу, животных и человека, подготавливая к финальному перформансу
Under the dome. The Juniper Tree Performance
Финальный перформанс The Juniper Tree объединяет сказку, костюм, музыку в ритуальном пространстве
