In 2004 we were delighted to present Lasso, Thriller and Cave, the critically acclaimed trilogy of short 35mm films, made between 2000 and 2003, by the outstanding young artist Salla Tykkä.
In this large-scale installation, a female protagonist features in all three films that reference classic film genres. Lasso (2000), a highlight of the 2001 Venice Biennale and the most celebrated of the films, provides an introduction to the main character's life. The girl's earlier life is explored in Thriller and Cave concludes the trilogy, projecting us into the future.
In all three of the visually stunning and dramatically cinematic films we follow this character's pursuit of the unknown and unravel the transition from girl to adulthood and the end of innocent passivity. The mesmerising films reference distinct soundtracks and devices associated with conventional movie making; Lasso borrows Ennio Morricone's soundtrack for Sergio Leone's a Once Upon Time in the West, Thriller draws upon the formulaic tension of horror films (Halloween and Carrie); and Cave engages with elements of the genre of science fiction.
Through exploring the dynamics of these genres, Tykkä exploits the effects of ambiguity, memory and fantasy and subverts thresholds of desire, power and violence.
