31 May 2012

Streetart in Bergen: ....capitalism?

....capitalism?
M-City, Eine, Escif, Hyuro
Norges Handelshøyskole, Bergen
Commissioned streeart on new building

When the Norwegian School of Business built a new building, Reed Projects was engaged to take care of the artworks that every public building must have. Instead of some works inside, just visible for the employees and students, the public outer walls were chosen. And what better than to invite streetart artists for the job. Under the topic "....capitalism?" all made distinctive works.

building view - work by Eine, Hyuro and Escif
Building view - work by Eine, Hyuro and Escif

work by Eine
Eine

work by Hyuro
Hyuro

Escif: Economical Values (detail)
Escif: Economical Values

work by M-City
M-City

Streetart in Bergen: In the center

Bergen center
Streetart

Streetart are there to be found all over Bergen. Most important are the pieces by their very own Dolk, but also a fantastic several years old work by M-City, a quite old one by Pøbel, many stencils, and some important messages to the public.

work by M-City
M-City

Protected work by Dolk
Protected work by Dolk

work by Argus
Argus
- this one is next to the Aquarium, famous for its penguins (minus one)

work by Argus
Argus

work by Pøbel
Pøbel

They'll kill you for nothing!
They'll kill you for nothing! - in the trainstation parking house

sticker by Eclipse / dotdotdot
dotdotdot

Stencil (and sculpture) at McDonald's
A rather cryptic stencil on the McDonald's entrance (and a weird sculpture)

Tølpere! Vokt Eder!
Tølpere! Vokt Eder!

Du har mange som er glad i deg - Love Crew
There are many that love you - Love Crew

Chalk flower
A nice flower drawed in chalk

Question bunny
A curious bunny at the train station


Streetart in Bergen: Bergen Kunsthall

Bergen Kunsthall outside walls
Muskelpust, Pøbel, Dolk, Argus, La Staa, JohnXC
Streetart

The art hall in Bergen is a great spot for street art spotting. The pillars offer great surprises by the top level of Norwegian artists like Dolk, Pøbel, JohnXCMuskelpust, Argus and La Staa.

work by JohnXC
JohnXC

Mirror art
Unknown

work by Dolk
Dolk

work by Muskelpust
Muskelpust

work by La Staa
La Staa

work by Pøbel
Pøbel

Being ball
Unknown


Streetart in Bergen: Sentralbadet

Sentralbadet, Bergen
Streetart/graffiti legal wall

On the public swimming pool building in the center of Bergen there are legal walls for everyone to paint on. It is even described on an official sign where painting is allowed. What a great opportunity for the inhabitants, both artists and viewers! This is part of the official, politically approved plan for public art in Bergen, stating where and what art is allowed or prohibited. 

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Sentralbadet legal walls

Oil On Water Calming Effect

Oil On Water Calming Effect
Cory Arcangel, Mikkel Carl, Luca Frei, Yngve Holen, Christian Jeppsson, Morten Norbye Halvorsen, Rasmus Høj Mygind, Rolf Nowotny, Sandra Vaka Olsen, Aude Pariset, Tove Storch, Torben Ribe, Jessica Warboys
Skur2, Stavanger
25.5.-24.6.12
Group exhibition of installations, prints, drawings, paintings, photos - all related to oil, water or both

The exhibition is arranged by Sandra Vaka Olsen and Rasmus Høj Mygind in the great space Skur 2 on the seafront in downtown Stavanger. From this location the sea is very present, and the passing offshore ships are reminders of the economical importance of oil. This is probably why the exhibition is inspired by oil, water, and their effect on each other. Or rather just the calming effect of oil on waves, not the effect of water on oil (which is probably quite limited) or the pollutional effect of oil on water (which is massive).

In some works the connection is obvious through the direct use of water or in oil-based products. Everything seems to be made by oil, like plastic, synthetic material, even oil paint. Water is present, like in the plastic (made by oil) tubes, or remarkably missing, as in the installation "Parasagittal Brain" of empty water containers.

Rasmus Høj Mygind: Untitled
Rasmus Høj Mygind: Untitled

Water life represented by frogs and fishes are trapped on plastic tape glued onto a mirror. Or actually backwards taped on, because what we see is the reflection of the front side. Is the tape or the mirror most important here? A mirror without the tape would have been quite boring, unless you have narcissistic tendencies.


Sandra Vaka Olsen: Drop Horizon
Sandra Vaka Olsen: Drop Horizon

A weird pattern of multiple colours, with some kind of drop structure. This seems to be a similar technique to her photo "Pixel drops (Stromboli)" at the group exhibition "Arcadia" at Rogaland Kunstsenter last August? Then she photographed water drops on a tv screen. Here the drops are magnified to become enormous. The color effect in each drop has become visible.



Yngve Holen: Parasagittal Brain
Yngve Holen: Parasagittal Brain

In this installation water containers are split in halves. As the term "parasagittal" denotes a splitting of a human body in two halves, the containers are split. This is revealing the large volume dedicated for water and a small volume dedicated to electronics, heating or cleaning. Just like the human body is mostly water, just a small portion of brain, nerves and organs.



Aude Pariset: Learning from Development
Aude Pariset: Learning from Development

The plastic tubes are controlling the water. Outside the tube the amounts of water would become a flat poodle on the floor, but inside tubes water become pillars. The printed materials inside may seem important, especially as it is magnified by the water, but actually their greatest purpuse is to make us aware of the water present. Without the papers we would not have noticed the water.

Cory Arcangel: A few casuals
Cory Arcangel: A few casuals

These boots are NOT made for walking. They seem comfy enough, which is their main purpose. When the Ugg boots are made uncomfortable, what is left? Inside is put lead bars, which makes it hard to put your feet in, and if you do, it will be quite hard walking. And the oil/water connection here? They are made of synthetic material based on oil. But actually here water is the crucial factor, as rain and mud pools will probably destroy the boots.

29 May 2012

I Helheim

I Helheim
Event No 1
Sidsel Christensen, Susanne Christensen, Tove Kommedal, Kenneth Varpe
Prosjektrom Normanns, Stavanger
25.5.06
Performance, reading, installations - inspired by the novel "Haugtussa" by Arne Garborg

We all have our bag of references, our backdrop for perceiving our impressions. Some are imposed on us through our education, some we have actively gained ourselves. One issue of the imposed impressions is the literature we are supposed to read and analyze in school. Most indigenous Rogalandese have been through the poetry in "Haugtussa" by Arne Garborg. As a domestic immigrant, I have not. Thus I do not have the mental context that is the inspiration of the project "I Helheim" (In Hell) at Prosjektrom Normanns. What is then the outcome?

The project by Sidsel Christensen, Susanne Christensen, Tove Kommedal and Kenneth Varpe, consists of public events based on or inspired by Haugtussa. Event no 1 consisted of opening talk, exhibition, reading of extracts from Haugtussa, and performance. 

It was frustrating not to have a clue what it is all about when extracts from the book was read. It is kind of mbarrassing admitting that I really have not read this cornerstone of Rogaland literature. So I stick with the impressions of an exhibition with the artwork as they are, isolated from their context.

Tove Kommedal: Definisjonsmakt I , II
Tove Kommedal: Definisjonsmakt I , II

Two dead birds, on different stages of decay. The crow is still having the same features as alive, at least the parts that are visible in its positure. The other bird is unrecognizable, only the bones remain. Only a specialist can tell if this was a crow too, or another bird. In identity and taxonomically both may be equal, but in chronology they are different. Both can easily be defined as birds, corpses, decomposing material. It is all up to the viewer. The birds would be totally indifferent to how we define them.

Kenneth Varpe: Dilutions, delusions
Kenneth Varpe: Dilutions, delusions

An animation of waves flushing over a rock, manipulated to be an almost abstract session.

Sidsel Christensen: Mary Anne Atwood - Full Circle
Exhibition view with installation by Sidsel Christensen: Mary Anne Atwood - Full Circle

The background and installation for the performance, where the artist went swinging in the large metal ring.

Kenneth Varpe: Dilutions, delusions
Kenneth Varpe: Dilutions, delusions

A bunch of papers containing scenes similar to the video above by Kenneth Varpe. All held together by a measuring device.

Reading performance + Susanne Christensen: Down Under
Reading performance: Kenneth Varpe read extracts from "Haugtussa"
Video projection: Susanne Christensen: Down Under

The circular video show a movement through a nighttime forest, where there is no way out, and it it hard to tell what is up or down. This is like a claustrophobic horror movie, until you realize that this what makes it so weird is that it is upside down. The witch-like forest becomes an interesting journey on the floor of the forest. The fear is defeated.

27 May 2012

Stuart McGarey: Optimistic Voices

Optimistic Voices
Stuart McGarey
Atelier No6, Stavanger
24.5.12 -
Paintings, drawings, prints of humanoids with weird features

I enjoyed discovering this new exhibition space in the silversmithy at Nytorget. A brilliant location in downtown Stavanger, and with great potential. This exhibition by Stuart McGarey shows two different types of pictures. In dark coloured, mystical scenes humanlike creatures are wearing weird features. His newest works are collages of light drawings on transparent paper, with intricate illustrations underneath, giving his sketch-people depth. An intriguing exhibition of great use of technique and with a great world of fantasy in the motives.

Stuart McGarey: Optimistic Voices

Stuart McGarey: Optimistic Voices

Stuart McGarey: Optimistic Voices

25 May 2012

The Rejects

The Rejects
Dolk / Vhils / Roa / Dan Witz / Escif / Brad Downey / Evol
Reed Projects Gallery, Stavanger
24.5.-22.7.12
Streetart in a brand new gallery

Martyn Reed, mr. Nuart, opened his new Reed Projects Gallery with works from world famous streetart artists that have earlier visited the Nuart festival. In addition to a great selection of works, the narrow, hidden alley became a party zone, of almost Mediterranean atmosphere in the early Summer evening. This is great news for Stavanger. This event will remember for a long time, but it is probably just the start of something very interesting and important.

The Rejects: Exhibition view

The Rejects: Exhibition 
view

Dolk: Winner + Toy
Dolk: Winner + Toy

Dolk: Mushroom Girl
Dolk: Mushroom Girl

Dolk: Dollboy
Dolk: Dollboy

IMG_8854a
Evol: Der Vermieter Informiert

Vhils: Overload Series #02
Vhils: Overload Series #02

 Vhils: Disintegration #6
Vhils: Disintegration #6

Brad Downey: Broken Horizon
Brad Downey: Broken Horizon

Escif: Market + The Border
Escif: Market + The Border

Dan Witz: Humming Bird Fragment
Dan Witz: Humming Bird Fragment

 Roa: Rat Head
Roa: Rat Head


The Rejects: Exhibition view

The Rejects: Exhibition view