28 May 2014

PMR

PMR / In the State of Limbo
Documentary
Directors: Meelis Muhu, Kristina Norman
2014
A documentary about the unrecognized state Transnistria

Have you ever heard about Transnistria? No? You are not the only one. A narrow strip of land on the eastern shore of the river Dnestr, which gives the official name PMR - The Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic. A part of Moldova since the peace treaty in 1992 after the war between PMR and Moldova, where they where supported by Russia. Now they are longing for help from Russia again to gain independence for the somewhat 500 000 inhabitants on 3 500 square kilometers.

I watched the film with the eyes of someone that has never heard about Transnistria. That was easy. No Norwegian has ever heard about Transnistria. And I feel that the documentary gave me a satisfactory insight in both the existence and the mood of the state.

The documentary had me getting get sympathy for these people, so strongly wanting their independence. But at the same time, the film makes me understand how impossible that is. I see a state that is set back about 30 years to the Soviet time, a child that would not survive being exposed to the real world. But then again “this can not possibly become an independent country” knowing that this was exactly what was said about Estonia, Latvia, and probably also Moldova.

It is at the same time exotic, amusing and frightening that their consider their big saviour Russia. With the background of the Russian invasion and stir in Ukraine, I understand how important Transnistria may be in the future for an aggressive Russia as a foothold on the border of the EU and NATO.

The documentary follows the transition from one president to another. The former one has been in the chair since 1992, and has the support of the veterans. But then the younger seem to support the new candidate. The film makes me curious on how the change of government will turn it into a different state. I am given some clues, but still I wonder what will happen to all the nice old ladies that supported the former president. And what about the younger generations? We meet one revolutionary man, that wants a real change.

The documentary has recently become frightenly relevant, and before we know it, Transnistria may be the center of the news, when Russia make their next move.

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv
Lisa Him-Jensen
Studio 17, Stavanger
22.-25.5.14
Poetry and postcardcollages

Do you remember postcards? We used to spend time picking the very right ones for the receiver, scribble a decent description about the place where we spent our vacation, struggle to buy postmarks and the "airmail"-sticker, and trying to find a mailbox. And after some weeks our friend got it in the mailbox. Or the thrill of suddenly finding a postcard in my own mailbox in between the bills (yes, they were actually sent in the mail before). It could have the photo of a famous landmark, a nature view, or a beachfront hotel, where the sender had marked her hotel room.

Some even send postcards today, as a curiosity, and it an even greater thrill to get it now. It is a way of saying "Look where I have been!", or "Now I have been here too!". It is a statement, a proof, something that beats the Facebook "check-in" option.

For those who are not able to travel, postcards from exotic spots may be either exiting or annoying. Lisa Him-Jensen has used these postcards to create her own stories and her own travels - in her mind. In minute collages and weird combinations she has created new destinations that nobody have seen before her. And then she has topped it with poems concerning travel, and life in general, intermingled with the postcard motives.

This is an exhibition with items small in scale but large in concept. I am thankful for being reminded of the time of postcards, and I am thankful for having seen the exotic spots where her mind has been.

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

Lisa Him-Jensen: Reisedagbok for et stillestående liv

25 May 2014

Sum - KiR graduation exhibition

SUM
graduation exhibition Kunstskolen i Rogaland
Skur 2, Stavanger
14.5.-2.6.14

Every year I have high expectations for the graduation exhibition of the students of Kunstskolen i Rogaland. I always expect to find some works that amuse, surprise, challenge or please me. So is the case also this year. The artworks that impressed me most also happen to be those of the artists who where present then. That is no coincidence. The school obviously not only focus on making great art, but also in making it personal, relevant and challenging, and being able to talk about it. Listening to this adds so much more to the energy of the artworks. Thanks to Gjøa Drabløs Orheim and Åshild Nordahl for creating a great art experience!

The exhibition offers paintings, installations, videos, found material, photos, experiments, beauty, uglyness, feminism, nature, history, madness, joy, anger and despair. Here are some of the impressions:

Anastasiya Serdyukova: Geometri 08:47
Anastasiya Serdyukova: Geometri 08:47

Ordinary landscape photos are doubled and put into a unique pattern.

Trine Seldal Nessa: Sjømannen + Kongsdatter + Passasjerer + Mayhem + Trollgauleren
Trine Seldal Nessa: Sjømannen + Kongsdatter + Passasjerer + Mayhem + Trollgauleren

Portraits, wild colors and an artist gone wild with the chainsaw.

Steven Hay Djup: Målet er å uttrykke seg, mediumet er målet å utforske
Steven Hay Djup: Målet er å uttrykke seg, mediumet er målet å utforske

A wall filled with items representing the joy of creating, following no rules.

Anna T. S. Enoksen: Ensom hjort
Anna T. S. Enoksen: Ensom hjort

Benedicte Eie Goa: Etter livet
Benedicte Eie Goa: Etter livet

Items with paintings offering a new view on things.

Gjøa Drabløs Orheim: Den gangen da jeg fønte kroppen og syntes det var deilig
Gjøa Drabløs Orheim: Den gangen da jeg fønte kroppen og syntes det var deilig

How can you resist such a title on an artwork? The title is an artwork itself: "When I blow-dried my body and it felt wonderful". The movie itself is also worth the attention, as the protagonist is in fact blow-drying her body, enjoying it. She poses like in the wind-tunnel-shampoo-commercials, but in this case nothing is for sale, we are just invited to share her joy, for free.

Gjøa Drabløs Orheim: Takk for meg og vaginaen min
Gjøa Drabløs Orheim: Takk for meg og vaginaen min

Resting on feminist litterature from the public library, a wooden board shows the projected photo of the middle part of a female body. The underwear is covering vital female body parts, but for those who are not informed, a model is carved into the board beside it. Brutal force may have been used for making this, and my thoughts go to the brutal acts done against women and their sexuality through circumcision, rape and repression.

Åshild Nordahl: Ovanfrå og ned + Eg tek det herifrå + Då det som var mitt blei vårt
Åshild Nordahl: Ovanfrå og ned + Eg tek det herifrå + Då det som var mitt blei vårt

An empty frame on a desk resting in female boots, a mountain separating and putting a heavy load on the two individual frames, and a fragile tower of items, held together and kept from collapsing only by female underwear. Here are stories of despair, uneven balance in relationships, families on the verge of collapsing, stories that will never be told, and the power of women.

Åshild Nordahl: Ovanfrå og ned (detail)
Åshild Nordahl: Ovanfrå og ned (detail)

Christine Sikveland: Alt det ord kan gi deg
Christine Sikveland: Alt det ord kan gi deg

Poetry both on the wall and on origami-pieces

24 May 2014

Under 40

Under 40
Young Norwegian Architecture 2013
Møteplassen, Sølvberget, Stavanger
8.5.-3.8.14
Architecture projects by young architects

The exhibition from Nasjonalmuseet for arkitektur is now in Stavanger. (http://virtualwallworld.blogspot.no/2013/05/under-40.html)

The massive exhibition is transformed into a stackable mini-version of the original. For me who has seen the original exhibition this is mainly a nice memory of what I have experience. The model of the large biotope and the few birdhouses are just relics. But then again for those who see only this version, this is a great opportunity to get some insight of the creativity of the young Norwegian architects. And this is a great idea of sending an exhibition on tour.

Under 40

Under 40

Under 40

Else Leirvik: Dans

Dans
Else Leirvik
Oljemuseet/Geoparken, Stavanger
Public kinetic sculpture and floating wind power generator

A continuous, environmental sustainable, dance is now taking place in front of the Oil Museum in Stavanger. In the sea a small wind power generator creates power, which is stored and used to keep a sculpture revolving. Else Leirvik created a sculpture of metal frames turning inside each other, continously creating different sculptures each time you blink. No fossile power source is exploited to create the power, and the power disappears as the sculpture moves, leaving only a tiny friction energy in the air. What comes from nothing goes to nothing, or rather, what comes from the wind creates wind. In between is the creation of a movement that is for us to enjoy.

Else Leirvik: Dans

Else Leirvik: Dans

Else Leirvik: Dans

Strøk: Depth of Field

Depth of Field
Anders Gjennestad aka Strøk
Reed Projects Gallery
4.-31.5.14
Stencil portraits on found materials

Anders Gjennestad, also known as Strøk, is taking the stencil art further, by adding an unusual point of view. Literally an unusual point of view, as his objects are seen from above. Perched on a high monument or building he observes the life below, and the impressions are transferred to surfaces found, in rubbish containers and in the ditches. He also left his mark in town during his stay, often choosing not so visible spots, for you to discover.

IMG_1531

IMG_1529

IMG_1532

IMG_1537

IMG_1542

Stencil by Strøk

Stencil by Strøk

19 May 2014

Pussy Riot in Stavanger

Mordovlag
Pussy Riot / Zona Prava
15.-16.5.14
Sølvberget / Kunsthall Stavanger
Political activism / protest art / documentary / performance / concert

During two days artists from the Pussy Riot movement from Russia visited Stavanger. The movement is most known for their performance concert in a church protesting against their president, and is probably the best internationally known opposition to the regime. During the visit's artist talks, exhibition, performance and presentation of a fresh documentary we got to know their background and aims better. Their protest is not only against the current regime, but also about the commercialisation of the church, its ties to the regime, the female rights, and now also the prison system. In other words, they have plenty of tasks to attend to.

It is interesting to realize that the only sfere in Russia where protest is slightly allowed is in art. 

Movie presentation and artist talk
Movie presentation and artist talk at Sølvberget

Mordovlag
The Mordovlag exhibition 

Mordovlag
The Mordovlag exhibition

Mordovlag
The Mordovlag exhibition 

Mordovlag
Performance by Aleksei Knedlyakovsky

Mordovlag
Performance by Aleksei Knedlyakovsky

Mordovlag
Speech by Maria Alekhine

Mordovlag
Artist talk with Luzine Dzhanyan and Aleksei Knedlyakovsky

Icone in Camposanto

Icone streetart festival 2013
Camposanto (MO), Italy
streetart

Camposanto, a village of about 3.000 inhabitants on the Po pianura, was close to the epicenter of the 2012 earthquakes. The village is still reminding us of this, with its destroyed buildings or buildings under repair. This was one of the villages the Icone festival visited during the 2013 edition, adorning the walls with wonderful murals.

Camposanto train station
Camposanto train station

Mural by Bastardilla & Erica il Cane
Bastardilla & Erica il Cane

Icone 2013
Eleuro Countryside Graffiti

Icone 2013
Mr. Fijodor

Icone 2013
Corn 79

Icone 2013

Icone 2013

Mural at Fermata 23 by Pape+TF
Mural at Fermata 23 by Laurina Paperina & Tatiana Festi

Mural at Fermata 23 by Pape+TF
Mural at Fermata 23 by Laurina Paperina & Tatiana Festi

Mural at Fermata 23 by Pape+TF
Mural at Fermata 23 by Laurina Paperina & Tatiana Festi

Icone streetart festival

Icone streetart festival
Modena, Italy
2013 and earlier
streetart

The city Modena in Emilia-Romagna, Italy is the spot for the Icone Graffiti festival. The mastermind of the festival, Pietro Rivasi, has several times managed to gather an impressive range of both Italian and international graffiti/streetart artists to beautify the walls in the city. Sooner or later the city administration must understand and appreciate the effort of this, but in the meantime it is for us and the inhabitants to enjoy. 

The 2013 festival followed a year of devastating earthquakes in the Modena province. Several villages in the countryside were seriously wounded by several quakes. The Icone festival decided to appreciate these villages by offering them a gift in form of wonderful murals.

Here are some murals from Modena. More can be found on the festival webpage www.iconemodena.org, now also with a map of the murals at http://goo.gl/maps/d3Nh8

Under the bridge:

Mural by Bastardilla & Erica il Cane
Bastardilla & Erica il Cane

streetart in Modena
Etnik

streetart in Modena

Francesco Barbieri

streetart in Modena

At the sport palace:

Mural by Bastardilla & Erica il Cane
Bastardilla & Erica il Cane

Mural by Escif
Escif

Mural by Escif
Escif

Mural by Escif
Escif

streetart in Modena
James Kalinda

streetart in Modena
Nunca & Blu

Mural by Blu & Erica il Cane
Blu & Erica il Cane

Elsewhere in town:

Mural by Erica il Cane
Erica il Cane

Mural by Herbert Baglione
Herbert Baglione

streetart in Modena

Mural by Ozmo
Ozmo

Old mural by Erica il Cane
Old mural by Erica il Cane

Old mural by Blu
Old mural by Blu

streetart in Modena

streetart in Modena
CT

Mural by 108
108

streetart in Modena

Mural by Mosone
Mosone

Mural by Zamoc
Zamoc

streetart in Modena
Requia

streetart in Modena