We are participating in the group-exhibition Lights On - norsk samtidskunst at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art in Oslo. The exhibition runs from January 12 to March 23.
Lights On features the following artists
Jesper Alvær/Isabela Grosseová, Thora Dolven Balke, Siri Berqvam, Kyrre Bjørkås/Rune Andreassen, Ole Martin Lund Bø, Bjørn Båsen, Jan Christensen, Gardar Eide Einarsson, Ida Ekblad, Jan Hakon Erichsen, Matias Faldbakken, Jan Freuchen, Ivan Galuzin, Anna Sigmond Gudmundsdottir, Ane Mette Hol, Håvard Homstvedt, Lars Kjemphol/Espen Henningsen, Maren Juell Kristensen, Hjørdis Kurås, Ingvild Langgård, Jørgen Craig Lello/Tobias Arnell, Trine Lise Nedreaas, Martin Skauen, Eirin Støen, Stian Ådlandsvik and Øystein Aasan.
For more information about the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, please visit their website
Press release
After Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art first directed its attention towards up and coming American artists, through the exhibition ‘Uncertain States of America’ (2005), and this last autumn devoted an exhibition to some of the youngest Chinese contemporary artists, the time has come to look at things closer to home and to put together a presentation of Norwegian contemporary art.
Through the last decade we have witnessed a steadily increasing globalization of contemporary art. Artists throughout the world focus on research problems with similar contents, forms and artistic languages, even if not exactly the same. Norwegian artists are acknowledged as being part of a larger artistic milieu – a milieu in which they, with increasing enthusiasm, have become more visible and active participants.
Young Norwegian contemporary artists, most with an impressive academic education, seem more concerned with object-based rather than process-oriented art. Most work from post-conceptual premises and realize their artistic ideas through sculptures, architecture/installations, videos, sound works, photographs and paintings. Most artists in this exhibition work with a narrative pictorial language, often including text references and pictograms firmly rooted in everyday memories and popular culture. Some reflect over the appropriation of pictures, objects and art-historical references, others focus on perception and the physicality of objects. Another tendency is to explore the metaphysical and mystical realm. Yet in spite of the copious variety and forms of expression, in almost all the artist one finds a critical closeness to society and a will to create meaningful, socially relevant art.
Aiming to arrange a dynamic exhibition concept the museum has invited young curators to create ‘exhibitions within the exhibition’. From this starting point, we have reserved one central exhibition room in the museum and called it ‘the Guest Room’. It will be devoted to temporary exhibitions under the aegis of artist-driven, non-commercial galleries. Throughout the exhibition period we will present exhibitions by Bastard (based in Oslo) curator: Anders Smebye (12 Jan. – 27 Jan.); Blunk (based in Trondheim) curators: Lina Berglund, Kristoffer Henriksson, Freia Uta Beer and Aylin Soyer Tangen (31 Jan. – 10 Feb.); Rakett (based in Bergen) curators: Åse Løvgren and Karolin Tampere (14 Feb. – 2 March); and Rekord (based in Oslo) curators: Thora Dolven Balke, Ingvild Langgård and Eirin Støen (6 March – 23 March). These galleries have a ‘carte blanche’ to present what they see as the most interesting and significant contemporary Norwegian art. In this way the exhibition will extend beyond the curator’s initial intentions, and will, for short periods, add surprising glimpses into Norwegian contemporary art that were not initially planned as part of the exhibition.