Yesterday we had to make the decision that Babel visningsrom for kunst will not open again this spring. The reason for our temporary closure is to limit the risk of spreading the corona virus according to measures adopted by the Directorate of Health. This means that the three exhibitions that were to open this spring (Martinus Suijkerbuijk, Nanna Klith Haugaard and Hans Egede Scherer) will be postponed and new dates will be announced as soon as we know the way forward.

Since we do not have the opportunity to open again until after summer this unfortunately also means that the exhibition Blue Chip Baby by Duckert Detroit must be taken down after only being open for two days after the opening on March 6. We know that many galleries, art institutions and artists are in the same situation, but it is nevertheless with a lump in our throats that we say goodbye to an exhibition that barely reached the light of day. Fortunately, many people visited Blue Chip Baby at the opening and the two following days. And now we would like to give a big thank you to Kjetil Detroit Kristensen and Helene Duckert for the extensive work they have put into the project. Looking at the great documentation of the exhibition, from our house photographer Susann Jamtøy, is obviously not the same as experiencing the exhibition in reality, but it is an incredibly good substitute at least. We would also encourage you to read the interview with Duckert Detroit, written by Agnieszka Foltyn, for an insight into the exhibition’s themes.

We will see you again soon, and until we open again after the summer we are as usual available by mail and telephone. Please contact us if you have any questions or requests!

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2020/2021 2021/2022
ATELIER BABEL

Babel visningsrom for kunst is excited to present the 3-year project Atelier Babel, where a Trondheim based artist is offered the opportunity and challenge to use Babel as their studio for two months (December/January), followed by an exhibition in February. The selected artist will receive a total fee of 100 000 NOK, meant to cover the artist’s salary for these two months of work. Atelier Babel is an initiative that aims to address questions regarding the politics of artist’s conditions by providing healthy and good working conditions.
We have now finished processing several highly qualified applications for the two first editions of Atelier Babel. The Babel Committee has collaborated with Kalle Eriksson, leader of Trøndelag Visual Artists, in reviewing the applications and it is with great pleasure that we announce Veslemøy Lilleengen and Yanir Shani as the selected artists to use Babel as their workspace in 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 respectively.
The practices of the two artists, although different, represent a shared interest in developing a clear dialogue with their audiences. Even if the methodologies vary, the intention of both artists is to do so by creating socially engaging moments and settings.

Veslemøy Lilleengen has applied for a strong and refreshing project, which represents a pressing and different approach to issues such as place and identity. With a practice where audience participation is fully integrated into the artistic process, Lilleengen becomes the right candidate to enter the gallery at the start of Atelier Babel.

Yanir Shani, with a body of work that deals with a pertinent contemporary topic, challenges not only the exhibition space, but also his own artistic practice. He has applied with a well balanced, humorous yet serious, and ambitious project. We are very much looking forward to seeing the further development of his project over the next two years.

Congratulations to the two artists!

The third round of the project (2022/2023) will be announced at the beginning of 2021. Read the previous announcement here.
Thanks to Trondheim Municipality’s Kulturfondet for making this project possible, and thanks to all the artists who applied to participate.