in progress |

15 — 25 June

Amalia Fonfara, Carlos A. Correia, Ellen Sofie Griegel, Håvard Stamnes, Kristina Karlsen, Linn Halvorsrød, Madeleine Heyman, Per Formo, Per Stian Monsås, Polina Chernitskaya and Veslemøy Lilleengen
Curator: Kasia Sobczak

Opening: 15.06. at 19.00
Performance by Carlos A. Correia June 17th at 12:00 at Torget

The group exhibition in progress presents works that are experiments, unfinished projects or drafts. What is important is the thought process and the idea of trying something new. Often they consist of reused elements of other artworks, with new concepts slowly being set in motion.

in progress features twelve artists whose works represent the artistic collective of Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder seen through the eyes of an outsider. This variety of perspectives is just an example of artists who are housed in the community. Like any other living organism, the collective houses many faces and practices. For the period of the summer exhibition, BABEL will temporarily transform into an artist’s studio.

The works on display will be activated by the public and the artists themselves. As an extension of the works at BABEL some of the projects will also take place outside the gallery, to show the spectrum of possibilities in which art can unfold.

The exhibition celebrates the 30th anniversary of Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder and was supported by Fritt Ord.

lkv.no

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Notes on the process perception

Kasia Sobczak

Artistic communities around the world have been a popular form of collective creation for many years. Artists tend to form groups to support their art and friends. In my opinion, the most powerful quote in the art world from 2022 is ‘make friends, not art’. As the major events of the art world played out over the past year, we saw this emergent focus as an interesting shift in trends in the global narrative. Yet relationships were put on a pedestal, not the physical art object. From the perspective of a newcomer and passing visitor, which I am for the artists at Lademoen Kunstnerverksteder, I see a community of like-minded people who want to foster their passions and share that experience with others. They all share similar values and ideas – community, process, research, practical approach, and caring for common space.

This 2023 Summer Exhibition celebrates the anniversary of 30 years of cultivating and nurturing the LKV community. 30 years can be a lifetime. It’s three decades of trends and movements in art; a significant amount of time in the political and social history of the country. It is the time when artists have come to LKV and left it, probably each has left something behind, and together they have built its identity. Like, for instance, a collection of elephants, who live on all the floors of the old school.

What can you do collectively? Build narratives, nurture individuals, support creativity, share important moments, develop artistic discourse, prepare lunch, and much more. Please continue with your own list.

The creative community of friends and collaborators could not function without creating a supportive and open space for experimentation. A space where everyone has the time and opportunity to share ideas and speak freely. The LKV building, which houses the artist community, is like a core and a reference point where everything comes together. The basement is full of workshops, the ground floor is where the communal activities take place, and the rest are separate studios dedicated to personal practices.

in progress is an exhibition composed of video, paintings, hanging and standing installations, prints and, performative actions inside and outside of the gallery space.

Amalia Fonfara’s work is a homage to found objects and spirits. In the video we watch a sequence of items, intuitively read and followed by the narrator. The off-scale of the video reinforces the perception.

Carlos Alberto Correia researches repetitive activities through the example of games and community building – visually and performatively. Correia invites the viewer to reflect on sports and cultural funding at the same time examining the sense of belonging.

Ellen Sofie Griegel conceived a new version of an earlier project. The installation twists and turns and circulates continuously as Griegel’s research, testing, and production process.

Håvard Stamnes presents work in progress that resonates with fragments that can fit together – letters, machine, metal and foam – through eclectic style and surreal forms.

Kristina Karlsen invites us into a daydreaming mood and journey through time. The “Dream Catcher” is meant to appeal to the inner child and encourage playfulness. Used materials respond to the idea of multipurpose functions of everyday objects.

Linn Halvorsrød has proposed a series of participatory actions that can transform the gallery space and its surroundings over the course of the exhibition. The core of the work is a design piece, almost like a stage set, a map of activities and elements.

Madeleine Heyman’s painting is the result of a pre-programmed yet uncontrolled work that took place in her studio over a limited period of time. The painting is an attempt at how to follow the initial idea and accept its outcome. It tackles the issues of acceptance and decision making.

Per Formo’s precision is a meditative process of applying paint in lines and shapes that are assembled into luminous objects into the form of polygons. The rules of geometry and the logic of the material are the basis for the perception of the work.

Per Stian Monsås plays with the illusion of a sunset placed on a popular architectural and decorative element. A simple gesture to comment on the banality of the world and to mark the artist’s mindful and critical attention to the surrounding reality.

Polina Mihajlovna Chernitskaya proposes for the audience to take a moment and be part of her performative project – a relief from mental heaviness and stress. Follow the artist’s instruction to ‘’Let the weight go”.

Veslemøy Lilleengen experiments with a new-old technique, of using her own urine to make potteblå. The final piece is a creature that is both decorative and functional. A rabbit that is both a symbol of folklore and a weapon that can cause great harm.in progress can be seen as an overview of practices but it can also be understood more poetically as a glimpse into the normally inaccessible world of artists’ studios. Visitors are invited to link the works, activate them, and imagine how they would continue with unfinished projects or in other forms of reuse.