I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013) — Avhandling / Av_handling (Dissertation / Through

For the three-day action I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013) Malin Arnell invited nine lives to spend an hour in silence with her, one-on-one, in the foyer of the exhibition space. According to four short instructions unique to each meeting, they occupied the space as volume, mass and weight. Using each other as transitional objects and providing each other with psychological comfort. As part of the action and after the hour spent with Arnell, each of the lives spent ten-minute in a free writing exercise. This writing became one of the ways of documenting the action, in addition to Lia Lowenthal, who was present in the space throughout with her still camera.

The invited participants were Vanessa Anspaugh, Jess Arndt, Fia Backström, Paula Garcia, Robyn Hillman Harrigan, Katherine Hubbard, Clara López Menéndez, Ulrike Müller and Jen Rosenblit. On the evening of the third day all lives came together, united for the first time to share another hour - the tenth hour.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013). Three day-long action, as part of the group exhibition Descartes’ Daughter (2013), curated by Piper Marshall at the Swiss Institute Contemporary Art, New York City. Documentation of the action has been published in Paletten Art Magazine #295, 2014. I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (again) (2016) was performed during Avhandling / Av_handling (Dissertation / Through_action) (2016), then the invited nine lives where Claude Blüna, Åsa Elzén, Mario Fjell, Magdalena Górska, Annica Karlsson Rixon, Leffe Kronlöf, Jorun Kugelberg, Clara López Menéndez, and Andrea Svensson.

In action written and read text / PDF

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013)

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Katherine Hubbard. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Jess Arndt. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Robyn Hillman Harrigan. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Fia Backström. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Paula Garcia. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Vanessa Anspaugh. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Ulrike Müller. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Clara López Menéndez. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Malin Arnell and Jen Rosenblit. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.

I am not quite sure. This is an arduous terrain (2013), three day-long action. Here Vanessa Anspaugh, Jess Arndt, Malin Arnell, Fia Backström, Paula Garcia, Robyn Hillman Harrigan, Katherine Hubbard, Clara López Menéndez, Ulrike Müller and Jen Rosenblit. Photo: Lia Lowenthal.