A woman stands turned away from us, dressed in classic black dressage pants – hair gently gathered under her helmet by a hairnet. The sleeves of her white blouse are rolled up, torso slightly arched, shoulders together. Her leather riding boots are securely grounded beneath her, preparing to confront the dark void ahead.
The Rider Vol. 1 is an ideological progression from Anja Niemi’s previous series The Blow (2019), in which a female boxer has the lead role. The Blow is an allegory for struggle, and the countless number of conflicts we as humans wrestle with. As with all of Niemi’s work, the narratives she constructs and then performs act as allegorical amplifiers to the conversations that lie beneath.
In her latest series Niemi recreates her character’s struggle in the form of a rider and her horse. Trust and the will to understand each other are essential to their mutual bond. In good times they are one, connected in trust and respect. They are on an open-ended journey, a journey that requires perseverance and the suspension of fear.
Involuntary disembarkation (2021). A jodhpur trapped in a stirrup, with its leather strap tangled and hanging in thin air, hints to events of the past. Reminding us of the traumas that haunt us. The Rider is about the freedom found in progress and the ability to displace fear even if it’s temporary.
The Rider Vol. 1 is a declaration of love, for the creatures the artist simultaneously fears and adores.
Anja Niemi (1976) studied at Parsons School of Design in New York and has exhibited in galleries worldwide. Four monographs of her work have been published and her images are part of various public and private collections. Recent museum exhibitions include Fotografiska (Stockholm and Tallinn), MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Lisbon), Des Moines Art Center (Iowa) and Figge Art Museum (Davenport).
Anja Niemi
The Rider Vol. 1
30 October 2021 – 8 January 2022
THE RAVESTIJN GALLERY
Westerdok 824
1013 BV Amsterdam
www.theravestijngallery.com
Anja Niemi Lightness in solid black, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper, mounted, framed with museum glass 100 x 75 cm / framed 102 x 77 cm/ Edition of 12 plus 2 artist’s proofs
Anja Niemi Meadow at Dusk, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta paper 112 x 150 cm / framed 115 x 153 cm Edition of 12 plus 2 artist’s proofs
Anja Niemi The Lake, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta paper, mounted, framed with museum glass 70 x 52,5 cm / framed 72 x 55 cm / Edition of 12 plus 2 artist’s proofs
Anja Niemi The Portrait, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta paper 100 x 75 cm / framed 102 x 77 cm Edition of 12 plus 2 artist’s proofs
Anja Niemi THE SHOW JUMPER AND THE HORSELESS RIDER, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta paper Special edition frame with smaller frame inside (behind the glass): 112 x 150 cm / inset 45 x 60 cm Edition of 3 plus 1 artist’s proofs
Anja Niemi The Stallion, 2021 Inkjet on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta paper 52,5 x 70 cm / framed 55 x 72 cm Edition of 12 plus 2 artist’s proofs
