Pilvi Takala: ‘Can You Keep a Secret?’
At Frieze New York, the artist’s participatory performance The Pin challenges the norms of inclusion and exclusion in public spaces
At Frieze New York, the artist’s participatory performance The Pin challenges the norms of inclusion and exclusion in public spaces
‘Can you keep a secret?’ is the first question that performers ask fair visitors for Pilvi Takala’s latest project.
Takala’s The Pin initiates conversations between strangers, with eleven performers spontaneously approaching visitors to The Shed and the High Line during Frieze New York. If the participant confirms they can be confided in, they are gifted with a pin.
‘I would like people to consider why they put on the pin, how they feel being acknowledged by other people with the pin. Where else does this happen? We all belong to some kind of insider group... Inclusion, exclusion, it happens all the time.’
The Pin is inspired by Takala’s experience of attending an invite-only Finnish National Defence course, during which confidential information was shared and its completion was marked with the award of a pin.
Challenging social norms and codes, Takala is interested in how we create and conform to ‘rules that are often unwritten’, establishing a new mode of interaction with The Pin.
The Pin is a co-commission by High Line Art and Frieze, curated by Taylor Zakarin (associate curator, High Line Art).
About Pilvi Takala
Pilvi Takala (b.1981, Helsinki, Finland) lives and works in Berlin and Helsinki. Takala represented Finland at the 59th Venice Biennial in 2022. Her work has also been shown at FACT Liverpool (2024); Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zurich (2023); Goldsmiths CCA, London (2023); Pavilion of MUNCH Triennale, Oslo (2022); Seoul Mediacity Biennale (2021); Moscow Museum of Modern Art (2021); Künstlerhaus Bremen (2019); Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki (2018); CCA Glasgow (2016); Manifesta 11, Zurich (2016); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2015); MoMA PS1, New York (2014); among others.
Further Information
Frieze New York, The Shed, 7 – 11 May 2025. Tickets are on sale – don’t miss out, buy yours now. Alternatively, become a member to enjoy premier access, exclusive guided tours and more.
A dedicated online Frieze Viewing Room will open in the week before the fair, offering audiences a first look at the presentations and the opportunity to engage with the fair remotely.
Frieze New York is supported by global lead partner Deutsche Bank, continuing its legacy of celebrating artistic excellence on an international scale.
