Masterutstillingen 2021
a little larger than the entire universe
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Opening Weekend
Sat 17 Apr 11:00 – 20:00 with free enry
Sun 18 Apr 11:00 – 20:00 with free entry
Opening Hours
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 17:00
Thur 11:00 – 20:00 (with ree entry 17:00 – 20:00)
Depending on infection prevention and control regulations, the show will either create an air pocket in a time marked by restrictions and social distancing; or stand as a creative monument for the dream of a near future; where collectivism, collaborations and social interaction function as glue in communities and in society in general.
Despite all circumstances, the 27 artists are:
Ida Westberg sets the tone for the exhibition with yellow silk flags at the entrance to Bergen Kunsthall. Yellow flags are also used at sea to signal that there is no infection on board and require permission to dock. There are several artists in the show working with identity issues and engaging in topics with political undertones. Terje Abusdal shows a project about Sea Sámi history and Norwegian assimilation policies with a sound installation, photographs and a video work. Wiktoria Gazda addresses the current socio-political situation in Poland. Derek Sargent initiates a historical archive of influential LGBTQIA figures. Both Sigurd Aas Hansen and Sigrid Lerche address gender issues: Hansen’s paintings and sculptures explore representation of masculinity and fitness; Lerche’s video performance engages with digital culture and role-playing through a camgirl website.
Giulia Mangione, Madihe Gharibi and Muhammad Shahid work with migration and identity issues. Mangione has explored Ole Bull’s history and Oleana, a Norwegian settler colony in Pennsylvania. Her video installation is based on documentary material. Shahid’s and Gharibi’s projects spring from their own experiences with migration: Shahid explores the intersection of the Eastern miniature painting tradition and Western visual universe; Gharibi shows a multimedia work lingering with guilt for emigrating from her home country, Iran.
Sanne Frostensson’s installation Practicing life reflects an ascetic life that intertwines art practice with daily exercises of a philosophical, psychological and deeply religious nature. Attentiveness for the materials and for the sensorial is evident in Dan Brown Brønlund’s installation and sculptures, Terese Stenhjem’s kinetic installation and Noah Hallström’s painting and compositions. Gunhild Sannes Larsen researches the qualities and possibilities of painting.
The Bjerknes Center for Climate Research forms the basis for Alex Hamish Millar’s speculative narrative connecting science and the supernatural. Margrethe Kühle’s pop-up book gives the internet a physical form and examines digital words and phenomena, such as trolls, Trojan horses, sock puppets and bugs. Kristoffer Martensen has for several years worked with boxing and its main icon Muhammed Ali. The photographic series Animals by Vegard Ekberg offers an intimate and challenging visual narrative about a couple’s life. Auður Ómarsdóttir’s paintings and sculptures contain references ranging from popular culture to sports and art history.
Ingrid Forland’s sculpture is an intervention in the gallery’s space. The project examines biopolitical aspects of fatigue, and focuses on resting as a radical counterposition to expectations of social participation and productivity.
William Kudahl’s video essay dwells on the intangibility of the concept of “love is in the air”. Unn Devik’s paintings and ink drawings use the Bergen mountains as a starting point for processing thoughts about time and unpredictability. Cheng Ting Ting displays a selection of paintings from her extensive series Night Walk. Jonas Greni’s paintings play on parallel perceptions of reality.
Sofie Hviid Vinther is concerned with how work, career choices and identity are intertwined. In her MA project, the artist has developed sculptures and a workwear collection with references to industrial workers. She has also logged and structured her own time allocation between artistic work and life in general.
Medieval prophecies and contemporary doomsday narratives are the subjects of Sigrún Hlín Sigurðardóttir’s knitted textile work, addressing contemporary challenges with a historical perspective. Fergus Tibb’s art is often associated with collectivism and the development of new communities: On the gallery’s second floor, a DIY construction will be built as a collaborative initiative, where a number of social activities are planned, from radio broadcast to chess games, dinners and performances.
Curator: Adriana Alves
Artists:
Terje Abusdal
Sigurd Aas Hansen
Sigrún Hlín Sigurðardóttir
Giulia Mangione
Unn Devik
Muhammad Shahid
William Kudahl
Terese Stenhjem
Ingrid Forland
Sanne Frostensson
Sigrid Lerche
Alex Hamish Millar
Wiktoria Gazda
Cheng Ting Ting
Fergus Tibbs
Derek Sargent
Gunhild Sannes Larsen
Vegard Ekberg
Kristoffer Martensen
Auður Ómarsdóttir
Ida Westberg
Dan Brown Brønlund
Madihe Gharibi
Sofie Hviid Vinther
Jonas Greni
Noah Hallström
Margrethe Kühle
Take care of yourself and your fellow visitors. To prevent the spread of infection we remind everyone to keep 2-meter distance and good hand hygiene. We recommend that you wear a face mask during your visit. Do not attend if you feel unwell or have symptoms of respiratory infection.
