M HKA Ensembles

Photography, 132 x 122 cm.

Collection: Collection M HKA, Antwerp (Inv. no. BK7565_M365).

*Hiker’s Bliss* is, according to some, the most cheerful piece in the M HKA collection. A perfect start to spring. Althea Thauberger is a Canadian artist who makes semi-documentary photos and video installations. Recurring themes in her work include romantic ideas about nature, popular culture, the fear and self-consciousness of teenagers, and the role of gender and spiritual belief in forming identity. The young woman in *Hiker’s Bliss* is not a professional photo model. The gestures she makes, the actions she carries out, the clothing she wears: everything originates from the girl herself. The artist does not direct, she simply frames what she sees. Thauberger investigates how someone can still express themselves authentically in our visual culture, which is defined by the popular conventions of the media. As a spectator, we ask ourselves: did she pose for this photo or is the girl really so happy and contented? Is this melodrama or an expression of straightforward happiness? Thauberger’s work doesn’t offer straightforward answers; she does however invite us to ask questions.