ARS Showroom #71: Martin Buschmann and Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo "The Matter of Play"
- indrekkoster9
- 3 days ago
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ARS Showroom Gallery 6.–30.05.2025
Mon–Fri 12–18
Opening event – exhibition tour: 7 May, 18:00
At the exhibition at ARS Showroom, artists Martin Buschmann and Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo revisit themes that have long been central to their artistic practice. The exhibition centres on gamification and the transition of materiality from one environment to another.
Martin Buschmann’s work addresses the phenomenon of gamification, focusing on the body as material. In his earlier works, he has explored gender roles, body weight, and social hypocrisy; this time he turns his gaze towards his own body and the process of weight loss. A sports watch, artificial intelligence, and self-motivation function simultaneously as mechanisms and materials of gamification within the piece.
Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo’s work examines the ephemerality, immateriality, and intangibility of his earlier projects. In his recent works, he has mainly employed spatial sound, kinetic light, and the passage of time, inviting viewers to engage imaginatively with the borderlands between reality and virtuality. Once again, the relationship between digital virtuality and real-world experience remains central to his focus.
Acknowledgements: Estonian Cultural Endowment, Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonian Artists’ Association, EKA Department of Photography, Andre Joosep Arming, Bob Bicknell-Knight, Madis Kaasik, Indrek Köster, Märt Liivik, Alyona Movko-Mägi, Taavi Varm, Maribel Vääna.
Martin Buschmann (b. 1980) obtained his Master’s degree in Contemporary Art from the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2021, having previously completed studies in the Department of Photography. His artistic practice has addressed issues of equality, though more recently his focus has shifted towards critically engaging with photography and its uses in virtual environments. Martin has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 2021 and has worked as a visiting lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts since 2020.
Reimo Võsa-Tangsoo (b. 1976) earned his Master’s degree from the Department of Photography at the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2011 and has been teaching in the department since 2003. His artistic work explores photographic perception, politics, and interaction. From these interests has grown a focus on augmented and virtual reality, as well as the digital afterlife of exhibitions in physical space. He has been a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association since 2010.
