Chita monument

Research background: This international exhibition was curated in response the German phrase "auf den punkt", which according to curator Christoph Dalhausen means to be clear and direct, or to graphically refer to a point or issue. Dr Kosloff's video contribution 'Chita monument' depicts local people walking past and casually interacting with a soviet monument in Chita, Siberia. The deadpan, distanced quality of this video footage corresponds with Dalhausen's notion of a "direct" approach. By 'directly' recording the monument as it stands today, Kosloff draws attention to the temporal nature of ideology and the marginalised status of the monument over time. This is the first time that 'Chita monument' has been exhibited in Europe. Research contribution: Dr Kosloff's video work 'Chita monument' continues her research into the aestheticization of politics, and the politics of the everyday. Dr Kosloff uses the video medium to poetically explore these topics in relation to time and gestures of framing. In this instance, an imposing soviet monument is observed as a physical backdrop to contemporary activities such as shopping and the use of mobile phones. The presentation of this work within a European context makes a distinctly new and significant research contribution due to the European audience for this work and the historical context of Nazi fascism and war monuments situated throughout Europe. Viewed within the conceptual and geographical framework of the 'Auf den punkt' exhibition in Germany, Kosloff's video re-frames the European monument as a transitory 'moment', as distinct from a permanent fixture, thereby questioning the authority of such monuments and their shifting presence over time. Research significance: This international exhibition featured seminal artists from Europe and the USA, including Sigmar Polke, Dan Flavin and Dan Graham. (cont. on revised research sment)