Karina Kazlauskaite: Blåbærkunst

Blåbærkunst
Karina Kazlauskaite
21.-23.8.14
Studio 17, Stavanger
Blueberry art, sardine box, palmtrees, pig bladder disco balls and a story about making life slightly more beautiful.

The story of this exhibition is the story of a meeting. Working in a health institution the artist noticed a glass with a colored papertower placed in a resident's window. This is art, he stated. He had colored it by using the contents of a blueberry extract pill. Suddenly a boring window in an institution had got a personal, creative touch. 

The following conversations and creative exchanges resulted in this exhibition. Here are more blueberry art in colored papertowels, but also the familiar works of Karina Kazlauskaite, guilded everyday material like a sardine tin or an earplug. And inflated pig bladders transformed into disco balls. But the highlight is the very thought that a small detail can change the whole picture. Not only by turning one part of palm tree pictures, but especially in the installation "Steinar Eikje": where nostalgic personal furniture is made playful and energetic by adding one pig-bladder-disco-ball and light.


Blåbærkunst / Tre i eit tre


One Star is Twinkling


Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil


Three Stars are Twinkling


Steinar Eikje


Disco Balls

Institutt for Farge: Solo

Solo
Institutt for Farge
21.8.-5.10.14
Rogaland Kunstsenter, Stavanger
Collaborations, concrete curtains, cocktails and colors

"Solo" is, disregarding the title, another exhibition at Rogaland Kunstsenter with focus on collaboration and collectives. This time we experience the works of the collective or artist group "Institutt for farge" (Institute of Color). This makes me expect works exploring the possibilities of colors.

The importance of collaboration and creative exchange is rather difficult to read in the artworks. The artist is noted on each title, and the materials are very different: Concrete, textile, building materials, paper, murals. But I do not sense how this exhibition of a collective differs from an exhibition of individual artists. That is, I do not find the spirit of the collaboration in the works. To understand this I will probably need to talk with the artists or attend an artist talk if there will be one.

I end up with my impressions of the artworks: Here is a playfulness with materials. A construction of bricks has become a bench for us to sit on. What seems to be curtains are actually made of concrete, revealed by the heavy chains they hang from. Construction bricks have become cubistic animals. Collages of drawings, quotes and poetry are patched onto the walls. And carpets with colorful threads both hang on the wall and lay on the floor. Even colorful cocktails were served. There are several different colors, but I am uncertain what role they play. Maybe there is a clue to this in the room with the sculpture called "Trapp" (Staircase): From the entrance no colors are seen, but if you enter the room and get to the inner corner, the colors on the bricks become visible. 


Steffen Håndlykken: Benk / Ingrid Lønningdal:Form III-V


Elizabeth Schei med Silje R. Hogstad og Arna Lund-Johnsen: Uten tittel (chickenshit)


Silje Hogstad: Trapp / Elizabeth Schei med Silje R. Hogstad og Arna Lund-Johnsen:Vegger


Steffen Håndlykken og Ingrid Lønningdal: Gardin / Oval (grønn)/(oransje)/(brun)


Silje R. Hogstad: Dyr (puddel)