You know where to be this Saturday at 19:00, right?
I sure know where I'll be.
26 September 2012
19 September 2012
Awakening
Awakening
Monica Winther/Spartacus Chetwynd/Marja-Leena Sillanpää
Preikestolen/Utsira/Burmavegen
21./22./23.9.12
curated by Ruth Hege Halstensen arranged by R-Open
Performances by three artists on three spots on three days
There are three possible approaches to this story. I could write about the artist from London coming to this remote island in the Nordic sea, I could also write about the 215 inhabitants having a great artist visiting their island, or I could write about mainlanders travelling far to experience both the performance and the island.
I will write about the last one, because that is my story.
R-open invited Ruth Hege Halstensen to arrange a happening with performance art. She first chose three special spots in Rogaland, then she invited artist to do their performances there. The spots were Preikestolen (the Pulpit Rock) - the absolutely most visited spot in the region, Utsira - the smallest municipality in Norway - far out in the Nordic sea, and Burmavegen - a road crossing Karmøy island - a road both connected to nature experiences and mystique.
Transport was provided to all the three performances this weekend, I attended the Saturday trip to Utsira, to see the performance of Spartacus Chetwynd. To get there from Stavanger the bus took us in two and a half hour to Haugesund, through two sub-sea tunnels and a ferry. From Haugesund there was a ferry going for 70 minutes straiht west out to the sea, to the solitary, rocky piece of land called Utsira. The island's 215 have 6,3 km3 to roam about on, providing all they need. From the harbour we walked 2 kilometres up to the lighthouse, situated on the highest point on the island, 70 metres above sea level. About one fourth of the population was already gathered there.
Each one got a ticket, stating your place in the queue to experience the performance. The audience was taken in in groups, to sit down in a dark, small room. In a makeshift puppet theatre scene of branches and newspapers the legend of the seal-wife was told, in the dim light of flashlights. The visual impressions were completed by a strange creature that emerged from a closet to tell us what was happening on the stage.
The show lasted for about 10 minutes, then it was time to walk back down to the ferry, a boat ride across rolling waves in bright sunshine, and the bus ride back to Stavanger. It may seem a bit strange to spend nine hours travelling to see a 10 minute performance. And it would be if you consider the travelling as pure transport. But this was a crucuial part of the experience. Passing the green islands, the dark tunnels, the bright blue sea and sky, the slight sea sickness - all this was both a joy and a preparation for the climax, and the return with slightly dozing on the bus was part of the comedown after the show. It would have been a totally different experience if it had happened in downtown Stavanger.
This was my story, I would love to hear the version of the artist or the inhabitants.
Changing from bus to boat
From the mainland to Utsira
Arriving at Utsira
The road to the lighthouse
Queueing up for the performance
The performance by Spartacus Chetwynd and locals
*
All info on www.awakening.no and www.r-open.no
Documentation of the performances will also be put here later.
Monica Winther/Spartacus Chetwynd/Marja-Leena Sillanpää
Preikestolen/Utsira/Burmavegen
21./22./23.9.12
curated by Ruth Hege Halstensen arranged by R-Open
Performances by three artists on three spots on three days
There are three possible approaches to this story. I could write about the artist from London coming to this remote island in the Nordic sea, I could also write about the 215 inhabitants having a great artist visiting their island, or I could write about mainlanders travelling far to experience both the performance and the island.
I will write about the last one, because that is my story.
R-open invited Ruth Hege Halstensen to arrange a happening with performance art. She first chose three special spots in Rogaland, then she invited artist to do their performances there. The spots were Preikestolen (the Pulpit Rock) - the absolutely most visited spot in the region, Utsira - the smallest municipality in Norway - far out in the Nordic sea, and Burmavegen - a road crossing Karmøy island - a road both connected to nature experiences and mystique.
Transport was provided to all the three performances this weekend, I attended the Saturday trip to Utsira, to see the performance of Spartacus Chetwynd. To get there from Stavanger the bus took us in two and a half hour to Haugesund, through two sub-sea tunnels and a ferry. From Haugesund there was a ferry going for 70 minutes straiht west out to the sea, to the solitary, rocky piece of land called Utsira. The island's 215 have 6,3 km3 to roam about on, providing all they need. From the harbour we walked 2 kilometres up to the lighthouse, situated on the highest point on the island, 70 metres above sea level. About one fourth of the population was already gathered there.
Each one got a ticket, stating your place in the queue to experience the performance. The audience was taken in in groups, to sit down in a dark, small room. In a makeshift puppet theatre scene of branches and newspapers the legend of the seal-wife was told, in the dim light of flashlights. The visual impressions were completed by a strange creature that emerged from a closet to tell us what was happening on the stage.
The show lasted for about 10 minutes, then it was time to walk back down to the ferry, a boat ride across rolling waves in bright sunshine, and the bus ride back to Stavanger. It may seem a bit strange to spend nine hours travelling to see a 10 minute performance. And it would be if you consider the travelling as pure transport. But this was a crucuial part of the experience. Passing the green islands, the dark tunnels, the bright blue sea and sky, the slight sea sickness - all this was both a joy and a preparation for the climax, and the return with slightly dozing on the bus was part of the comedown after the show. It would have been a totally different experience if it had happened in downtown Stavanger.
This was my story, I would love to hear the version of the artist or the inhabitants.
Changing from bus to boat
From the mainland to Utsira
Arriving at Utsira
The road to the lighthouse
Queueing up for the performance
The performance by Spartacus Chetwynd and locals
*
All info on www.awakening.no and www.r-open.no
Documentation of the performances will also be put here later.
Fie von Krogh: Hybrid
Hybrid
Fie von Krogh
1. - 23.09.2012
Kinokino, Sandnes
jewelry
Fie von Krogh's jewel art is not only jewelry, they are also miniature sculptures or wonderful items of combinated material. The everyday material is combined withe the extraordinary, plastic and pearls, wood and metal. A great first exhibition in the new project room of Sandnes Kunstforening.
Fie von Krogh
1. - 23.09.2012
Kinokino, Sandnes
jewelry
Fie von Krogh's jewel art is not only jewelry, they are also miniature sculptures or wonderful items of combinated material. The everyday material is combined withe the extraordinary, plastic and pearls, wood and metal. A great first exhibition in the new project room of Sandnes Kunstforening.
18 September 2012
Hugo Wathne
Hugo Wathne
Sommerutstillingen
24.5.-9.9.12
Ottohuset, Finnøy
Sculptures
I had the opportunity to see the outdoor part of the summer exhibition at Ottohuset on Finnøy, on a cold, rainy morning. A nice selection of works of Hugo Wathne.
Hugo Wathne: Rester av hjem
Hugo Wathne: Nordsjøen + Bevegelse
Hugo Wathne: Vemod
Hugo Wathne: Nytt håp
Sommerutstillingen
24.5.-9.9.12
Ottohuset, Finnøy
Sculptures
I had the opportunity to see the outdoor part of the summer exhibition at Ottohuset on Finnøy, on a cold, rainy morning. A nice selection of works of Hugo Wathne.
Hugo Wathne: Rester av hjem
Hugo Wathne: Nordsjøen + Bevegelse
Hugo Wathne: Vemod
Hugo Wathne: Nytt håp
17 September 2012
Atle Østrem: Chasing Rainbows
Chasing Rainbows
Atle Østrem
7.9.-7.10.12
Reedprojects Gallery, Stavanger
Welcome to the beaugliful universe of Atle Østrem! It has been a pleasure to see how his combination of text and portraits have evolved, now also including collage items. He has an eye for the details, and the details of the eyes are specially interesting. Eyes cut from moneybills(?) and fashion magazines are blended into his unique personas of large heads, bad teeth and bright colours. There is an Østrem avatar for everyone of us, and to the pleasure of the kids some come in reasonable size and price. Don't miss this exhibition! (And you won't miss it if you happen to be downtown Stavanger, his large mural shows you the way.)
Public mural by the gallery
The F Word + Something Different
Exhibition view
Broken Smile Homage
Low Baller (detail)
Atle Østrem
7.9.-7.10.12
Reedprojects Gallery, Stavanger
Welcome to the beaugliful universe of Atle Østrem! It has been a pleasure to see how his combination of text and portraits have evolved, now also including collage items. He has an eye for the details, and the details of the eyes are specially interesting. Eyes cut from moneybills(?) and fashion magazines are blended into his unique personas of large heads, bad teeth and bright colours. There is an Østrem avatar for everyone of us, and to the pleasure of the kids some come in reasonable size and price. Don't miss this exhibition! (And you won't miss it if you happen to be downtown Stavanger, his large mural shows you the way.)
Public mural by the gallery
The F Word + Something Different
Exhibition view
Broken Smile Homage
Low Baller (detail)
16 September 2012
Ingeborg Kvame: Folding Darkness
Folding Darkness
Ingeborg Kvame
13.-30.9.12
Galleri Sult, Stavanger
Drawings and installations
For this exhibition I expected to see her beautiful, intense, detailed pencil drawings. And I was not at all disappointed. In addition the exhibition has a lot of other works, a massive mound of origami birds, weaving, sewing, textile, rubble. Kvame's extreme eye for detail seems to be crucial in all she creates, even in the design of the exhibition rooms, changing them totally. I can hardly imagine the time and effort involved in drawing the wonderful folded hair of the double portrait, the folding of a thousand origami birds, or the landscape-like sewing. She is allowing us to enter a universe of intense beauty, but also of darkness, uncertainty and fear.
Eg vaknar + Folding darkness + Skjult
Eg vaknar
Oppreise + Stolen
Utvaksne
Ingeborg Kvame
13.-30.9.12
Galleri Sult, Stavanger
Drawings and installations
For this exhibition I expected to see her beautiful, intense, detailed pencil drawings. And I was not at all disappointed. In addition the exhibition has a lot of other works, a massive mound of origami birds, weaving, sewing, textile, rubble. Kvame's extreme eye for detail seems to be crucial in all she creates, even in the design of the exhibition rooms, changing them totally. I can hardly imagine the time and effort involved in drawing the wonderful folded hair of the double portrait, the folding of a thousand origami birds, or the landscape-like sewing. She is allowing us to enter a universe of intense beauty, but also of darkness, uncertainty and fear.
Eg vaknar + Folding darkness + Skjult
Eg vaknar
Oppreise + Stolen
Utvaksne
Visitt
Visitt
Prosjektrom Normanns, Stavanger
15.-23.9.12
Visit from an artist collective in Oslo showing their art
Prosjektrom Normanns invited an artist collective in Oslo to present their individual work. Seeing the long list of participants and knowing how limited in size the exhibition room is, I was seriously wondering how it would be possible. It was a success. Somehow most of the works has got a spot where it gets your full attention, and in addition there are some works almost hidden due to their small size. Entering the exhibition is like entering a box of wonders, or a candyshop. Wonderful surprises await you on all sides. This is not an exhibition of a strict theme, this is rather an experience of wonder, joy, puzzlement and exploration.
I would have liked to present every piece, but you should rather go and have a look for yourself. Anyway, here are some impressions:
Exhibition view
Exhibition view
Aksel Høgenhaug: Uten tittel
Putting on one of these headphones I hear a man talking, but vagely, like there is bad connection. Some moments the sound is clear, the other not. I start moving around, hoping to find a spot with better connection, but as soon as I find it it is lost again. The sound is triggering me to act strangely, powered by my curiosity.
Øyvind Mellbye: Special Mobile Group
There is a strange sound in the room, and after some searching I understand it comes from this installation. It is some kind of resonance sound, generated from mobile to mobile? But it is the other way around. If the environment sound gets louder, the noise stops. On the other side of the box is a map of the placement of the mobiles, but it looks like a mind map or a demographic study.
Merete Dille: Don't be fooled by the bright light - it ain't love
A large charming combination of drawing and installation, with a solid dose of humour.
Rina Charlott Lindgren: Portrett
A found portrait that has been beautified by the tape, the mould and the dust.
Magnus Oledal: Hylle
A wonderful minimalistic piece, you need to go close to understand what is form, what is shadow and what is paint.
Nicklas Gahnström: Uten tittel
This could have been an abstract painting, but adding the bubbleplastic it turns into an installation, where the painting just plays one part.
Ingri Haraldsen: Visitt
This pencil drawing was made after a photo of some distant relative, drawed on an crumbled piece of cardboard. The portrait is so beautiful and touching, of a widower at his wife's grave. His own name and birth year is already on the stone, but the death date not yet.
Trond Hugo Haugen: NoCode, Kunstbokforlag
These art books were published through Trond Hugo Haugen's label "NoCode".
Sara Christensen: Listen Now
This is just one of the many small surprises in the exhibition. The artist did not come here herself, but she sent a kit of all thing needed, with drill and all, to drill a hole and put the earplug in. The process and the tools are far larger in size than the final artpiece. But it is all one performance extracted into just this visible part of an earplug.
True Solvang Vevatne: Dual - exit
For safety reasons the exhibition also has an exit sign, but apparently you need to wind it to make it light up. I really did not want to exit, so I did not try if it worked.
Prosjektrom Normanns, Stavanger
15.-23.9.12
Visit from an artist collective in Oslo showing their art
Prosjektrom Normanns invited an artist collective in Oslo to present their individual work. Seeing the long list of participants and knowing how limited in size the exhibition room is, I was seriously wondering how it would be possible. It was a success. Somehow most of the works has got a spot where it gets your full attention, and in addition there are some works almost hidden due to their small size. Entering the exhibition is like entering a box of wonders, or a candyshop. Wonderful surprises await you on all sides. This is not an exhibition of a strict theme, this is rather an experience of wonder, joy, puzzlement and exploration.
I would have liked to present every piece, but you should rather go and have a look for yourself. Anyway, here are some impressions:
Exhibition view
Exhibition view
Aksel Høgenhaug: Uten tittel
Putting on one of these headphones I hear a man talking, but vagely, like there is bad connection. Some moments the sound is clear, the other not. I start moving around, hoping to find a spot with better connection, but as soon as I find it it is lost again. The sound is triggering me to act strangely, powered by my curiosity.
Øyvind Mellbye: Special Mobile Group
There is a strange sound in the room, and after some searching I understand it comes from this installation. It is some kind of resonance sound, generated from mobile to mobile? But it is the other way around. If the environment sound gets louder, the noise stops. On the other side of the box is a map of the placement of the mobiles, but it looks like a mind map or a demographic study.
Merete Dille: Don't be fooled by the bright light - it ain't love
A large charming combination of drawing and installation, with a solid dose of humour.
Rina Charlott Lindgren: Portrett
A found portrait that has been beautified by the tape, the mould and the dust.
Magnus Oledal: Hylle
A wonderful minimalistic piece, you need to go close to understand what is form, what is shadow and what is paint.
Nicklas Gahnström: Uten tittel
This could have been an abstract painting, but adding the bubbleplastic it turns into an installation, where the painting just plays one part.
Ingri Haraldsen: Visitt
This pencil drawing was made after a photo of some distant relative, drawed on an crumbled piece of cardboard. The portrait is so beautiful and touching, of a widower at his wife's grave. His own name and birth year is already on the stone, but the death date not yet.
Trond Hugo Haugen: NoCode, Kunstbokforlag
These art books were published through Trond Hugo Haugen's label "NoCode".
Sara Christensen: Listen Now
This is just one of the many small surprises in the exhibition. The artist did not come here herself, but she sent a kit of all thing needed, with drill and all, to drill a hole and put the earplug in. The process and the tools are far larger in size than the final artpiece. But it is all one performance extracted into just this visible part of an earplug.
True Solvang Vevatne: Dual - exit
For safety reasons the exhibition also has an exit sign, but apparently you need to wind it to make it light up. I really did not want to exit, so I did not try if it worked.
15 September 2012
Adele Vibeke Fatland: Bak meg
Bak meg - litt om sårbarhet
(Behind me - something about vulnerability)
Adele Vibeke Fatland
14.-19.9.12
Trykk 17, Stavanger
Etchings of the beautiful and the ugly things in life
A charming exhibition of etchings of portraits of beautiful people and things, but also of the ugly situations and people. I find the first nice, but the latter most interesting. Here are etchings of children portraits, little girls' dresses, but also nuns, drunk people, crazy people, and my favourite, a walking aid and wash mop installation.
Again the Trykk 17 gallery does a great job in both presenting the local print artists and the various printing techniques.
Novisen
(the novice)
Fyllefesten
(the drunk party)
Stativet
(The stand)
Dansekongen + Kokte Rotta + Loretta med kammen
( The dance king + boiled rat + Loretta with the comb)
(Behind me - something about vulnerability)
Adele Vibeke Fatland
14.-19.9.12
Trykk 17, Stavanger
Etchings of the beautiful and the ugly things in life
A charming exhibition of etchings of portraits of beautiful people and things, but also of the ugly situations and people. I find the first nice, but the latter most interesting. Here are etchings of children portraits, little girls' dresses, but also nuns, drunk people, crazy people, and my favourite, a walking aid and wash mop installation.
Again the Trykk 17 gallery does a great job in both presenting the local print artists and the various printing techniques.
Novisen
(the novice)
Fyllefesten
(the drunk party)
Stativet
(The stand)
Dansekongen + Kokte Rotta + Loretta med kammen
( The dance king + boiled rat + Loretta with the comb)
Streetart in Sandnes
It does not happen often, but I am so pleased when it does. Suddenly a fresh artpiece appeared in Sandnes center, on an abandoned gas station. A great work and a great spot for this pasteup. I hope to see more from this artist in the future.
13 September 2012
Collection of Desires
Collection of Desires. Privatized Art
EKKM - the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn
28.7.-26.8.12
Contemporary Estonian art from private collections
As the curator put it: this is like entering the mind of an art collector, or in fact five. I am both surprised and not surprised what I find there. There are not surprisingly mostly paintings or other stuff for hanging on the wall, only one video as an exception. There are also not surprisingly a massive amount of female motives, as all the collectors are male, in fact one large room is completely covered in pictures of women. But there are also suprising works by known artist, early works, and paintings from artists more known for other techniques.
This is both an exhibition showing a lot of the Estonian contemporary artists' works, but also an opportunity to see works that are usually unaccessible. At the same time it shows what sells, what has the largest market value.
The selection from the collections is made by the curator. It would be very interesting to see a selection made by the collectors themselves. Or by the artists. They have already made their selections, but would they have done the same today?
Photos of offices with art in place
The room of women - the far most popular motive for the collectors
More women
Jaan Toomik: Armin
- a painting from an artist I mostly know for his video works
Marko Mäetamm: Left First Corner
Early work from the artist that now draw repulsive, violent scenes.
Alice Kask: Crawler
- and here an example of familiar works from a great artist
Laura Põld: Scene with the Apple
-the jewel of the exhibition, a video/painting installation by Laura Põld
more impressions from the exhibition here:
EKKM - the Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn
28.7.-26.8.12
Contemporary Estonian art from private collections
As the curator put it: this is like entering the mind of an art collector, or in fact five. I am both surprised and not surprised what I find there. There are not surprisingly mostly paintings or other stuff for hanging on the wall, only one video as an exception. There are also not surprisingly a massive amount of female motives, as all the collectors are male, in fact one large room is completely covered in pictures of women. But there are also suprising works by known artist, early works, and paintings from artists more known for other techniques.
This is both an exhibition showing a lot of the Estonian contemporary artists' works, but also an opportunity to see works that are usually unaccessible. At the same time it shows what sells, what has the largest market value.
The selection from the collections is made by the curator. It would be very interesting to see a selection made by the collectors themselves. Or by the artists. They have already made their selections, but would they have done the same today?
Photos of offices with art in place
The room of women - the far most popular motive for the collectors
More women
Jaan Toomik: Armin
- a painting from an artist I mostly know for his video works
Marko Mäetamm: Left First Corner
Early work from the artist that now draw repulsive, violent scenes.
Alice Kask: Crawler
- and here an example of familiar works from a great artist
Laura Põld: Scene with the Apple
-the jewel of the exhibition, a video/painting installation by Laura Põld
more impressions from the exhibition here:
Silent Revolution
Silent Revolution
Curatorial project of the Tallinn drawing triennal
Kunstihoone, Tallinn
1.8.-9.9.12
Art based on drawings, but with a wide range of different techniques
One of the large happenings at Tallinn Art Hall this summer was the drawing triennal exhibition "Silent Revolution". It is apparent that drawing is not just drawing, it can be a lot of things. It can also be drawings, of course, like in the wild marker drawings on the walls by Dan Perjovschi, the beautiful but splitted people by Alice Kask, the text interiors by Thomas Broomé, the ironic magazine frontpages by Eve Kask, the portraits on cut-out paper by Aline Thomassen, the interiour installation/walldrawing by Ulvi Haagensen, the political satire by Kristina Norman and the drawed citations by Kiwa. But it can also be the filmed live drawings by Jaanika Peerna, the stencil-like unemployed people by Flo Kasearu, the disturbing and hilarious installation and animation video by Marko Mäetamm, and the wonderful geometric interior with tape by Aam Solleveld. All in all a great exhibition worth several visits.
Drawings by Dan Perjovschi
Flo Kasearu: Unemployment will tear us apart
Alice Kask: Untitled
work by Thomas Broomé
work by Eve Kask
Jaanika Peerna: Live Light
KIWA: "/.../" I-VI
Kristina Norman: Operational Culture
Installation by Marko Mäetamm
work by Ulvi Haagensen
Aam Solleveld: sitespecific installation
work by Aline Thomassen
Curatorial project of the Tallinn drawing triennal
Kunstihoone, Tallinn
1.8.-9.9.12
Art based on drawings, but with a wide range of different techniques
One of the large happenings at Tallinn Art Hall this summer was the drawing triennal exhibition "Silent Revolution". It is apparent that drawing is not just drawing, it can be a lot of things. It can also be drawings, of course, like in the wild marker drawings on the walls by Dan Perjovschi, the beautiful but splitted people by Alice Kask, the text interiors by Thomas Broomé, the ironic magazine frontpages by Eve Kask, the portraits on cut-out paper by Aline Thomassen, the interiour installation/walldrawing by Ulvi Haagensen, the political satire by Kristina Norman and the drawed citations by Kiwa. But it can also be the filmed live drawings by Jaanika Peerna, the stencil-like unemployed people by Flo Kasearu, the disturbing and hilarious installation and animation video by Marko Mäetamm, and the wonderful geometric interior with tape by Aam Solleveld. All in all a great exhibition worth several visits.
Drawings by Dan Perjovschi
Flo Kasearu: Unemployment will tear us apart
Alice Kask: Untitled
work by Thomas Broomé
work by Eve Kask
Jaanika Peerna: Live Light
KIWA: "/.../" I-VI
Kristina Norman: Operational Culture
Installation by Marko Mäetamm
work by Ulvi Haagensen
Aam Solleveld: sitespecific installation
work by Aline Thomassen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)