18.9.14.-1.2.15
Astrup Fearnley Museet, Oslo
Art impressions from Berlin, Brussels, London, Lisbon, Oslo, Paris, Prague and Zürich
It is a massive task: Trying to show an overview on the frontline of European contemporary art. First of all 8 important and prospering art cities were chosen: Berlin, Brussels, London, Lisbon, Oslo, Paris, Prague and Zürich. From here on the exhibition will move on and add and extract cities from the list. The curators chose two artists and one local curator from each city, and the result is a grand mess of art and artists more or less connected to those places.
Is there some kind of European Contemporary Art? Probably not. Why exactly these cities? Would it have been shockingly different with Ljubljana, Dublin, Bergen, Thessaloniki, Cagliari, Marbella and Tartu? Probably just as different as it would have been with other curators.
So maybe I should not be too preoccupied to find the Pan-European line in this, also not trying to distinguish one city from the other. Instead I may just enjoy a wide variety of art. It feels like visiting an art fair, without the over-friendly gallery people trying to push art on you, just the art.
In this chaos some artworks just fade in the light of others, some crave a lot of attention, others not. But then again each visitor have their own preferences, and here the cliché "something for every taste" could not be more fitting. If you find it all relevant and interesting, there might be something wrong - or you may be a real European.
These are my impressions:
Tori Wrånes: The Rock
A rocking rock with a squeaking sound, hanging above the entrance area, is the first sculpture visitors meet.
André Romão: Europa
As we are talking about Europe, we might as well start with the myth of Europe - the Phoenician princess whom Zeus abducted in the shape of a white bull.
Simon Denny: New Management
And then we suddenly meet the biggest competitor to Europe, the Asian tiger - in the shape of installations, board rooms, slogans and corporate strategies in the Samsung company.
André Romão: Ghost Holding a Shell (Oslo version)
Sometimes the simple solution is the best
Katja Novitskova: Approximation (shoebill) + Emil M Klein: Untitled LXV (Titanium Buff)
Camille Henrot: The Descendants of Pirogues
Halvor Rønning: Untitled
Joakim Martinussen & Halvor Rønning: Room Divider
Joakim Martinussen: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Shelly Nadashi: A Hidden Quiet Pocket
During quite brutal massage, the masseuse and the massaged have a conversation about a hidden place and its features and history, with strong voices as a result of the massage.
Richard Loskot: Another Place
Seen straight on there are only light plates, but seen from the side shapes appear.
Alternative Spaces: Abilene, Brussels:
Louis Clais: 666
Artist run galleries in the chosen cities are invited to fill this space on short terms during the exhibition period
Richard Parry: Art Zimbabwe
David Douard: UP BEAT UP" rendition (detail)
The most massive and varied installation of the exhibition: with animation projections on mannequins, billboards, dreamcatchers with tiny buildings, and milk cartons.
David Douard: UP BEAT UP" rendition (detail)
Caroline Mesquita: Windsurfers
Petter Buhagen: Moments
Printer toner and archival varnish on paper
Gabriel Abrantes & Katie Widloski: Olympia I & II
Videos showing new versions of the Olympia painting by Manet. Here in both a female and male version.
Pavla Sceranková: Open Closed Open Closed...
In this building the doors are constantly open closed open closed ... by the force of the wind
Pavla Sceranková: Mixer
The artist is turning an installation, changing shape by gravity and centrifugal force
Eloise Hawser: 100 Kev - Truck Scanned Crossing the border
