Organizer: Tegnerforbundet
Curator: Elise Storsveen
Visiting venues: Tegnerforbundet, Galleri LNM, Galleri Format, SOFT galleri, Galleri Norske Grafikere, Vigeland-Museet, Kunstnerforbundet, Prosjektrom Carl Berner, ROM for kunst og arkitektur, Kunstnernes Hus and Landbrukets Hus.
The official opening was held in Tegnerforbundet by the curator and chairman, and then opening at Galleri LNM, Galleri Format, SOFT gallery, Galleri Norske Grafikere. The opening night was very well attended, overall the Drawing Biennale was well attended with an audience of around 15,000. The Biennale was presented as a collection of ideas rather than a series of ideas. No chronology or clear narrative, no start or end. One could start anywhere – feel free to see all, or just some of the exhibitions.
Title/ theme: THE SKETCH
Participating artists: The main focus of the Drawing Biennial was on artists from the open call. 50 artists (or artist groups or architects) participated with anything from one to several hundred works at the Drawing Biennial's eleven exhibitions. These were: Azar Alsharif, Merete Joelsen Aune, Idun Baltzersen, Johan Urban Bergquist, Bjørn Bjarre, Liv Blåvarp, Paul Brand, Ebba Bring, Robin Danielsson, Nirmal Sing Dhunsi, Dag Erik Elgin, Lykke Frydenlund, Kalle Grude, Wenche Gulbransen, Hans Kristian Borchgrevink Hansen, Gisle Harr, Sturla Heggedalsvik, Mikael Øye Hegnar, Johanne Hestvold, Ane Mette Hol, Matilda Höög, Sveinn Fannar Johannsson, Tommy Johansson, Tina Jonsbu, Karin Karlsson, Yamamoto Kiyoshi, Sol LeWitt, Mikael LoPresti, Ragnhild Løkke, Marianne Mannsåker, Kristoffer Myskja, Per Kristian Nygård, Gustav Vigeland, Øystein Wyller Odden, Pixelache, Raisa Porsanger, Terje Roalkvam, Susanne Roti, Zdenka Rusova, Sara Rönnbäck, Olve Sande, Stefan Schröder, Eirik Senje, Dag Skedsmo, Kari Steihaug, Bjørn Tandberg Architects, Geza Janos Toth, Third Nature Architects, Lene Baadsvig Ørmen.
The twelfth exhibition, A Collective Psychogeographical Guide to Oslo (EKPGO), an autonomous project initiated and organized by Ida Madsen, Ottar Karlsen and Eirik Senje, featured 212 artists.
Dissemination program in the Drawing Biennale:
• Two guided tour by curator Elise Storsveen in LNM, Format, Soft, Tegnerforbundet , Norske Grafikere. Attendance Tegnerforbundet .
- Artist talk with Stefan Schröder in Tegnerforbundet.
• Artist talk Kiyoshi Yamamoto in Kunstnerforbundet.
- Sabrina Van der Ley talks about Sol LeWitt in Tegnerforbundet.
- Terje Roalkvam talks to Elise Storsveen about 3+1, in Tegnerforbundet.
• Artist conversation with Bjørn Bjarre and Charlotte Thiis-Evensen at the Vigeland Museum.
• Gallery Norske Grafikere: Artist conversation with Zdenka Rusova
• ROOM for art and architecture: Workshop / lecture with Kari Steihaug. Guided tours of the exhibition twice a week.
• Kunstnernes Hus: About 20 guided tours / workshops for school children as part of The cultural school bag. One about viewing / workshop for young people arranged by Plot. Some open tours for the public.
• A full-day seminar in collaboration with Arts and Crafts (KHiO) at Fritt Ord. Lecture by Gunnar Danbolt, Stein Rokseth, Tina Jonsbu, Patrick Amsellem and Ida Madsen. Flash presentations by Idun Baltzersen, Sara Rönnbäck and Kiyoshi Yamamoto. Moderator was Lotte Konow Lund.
Catalog
The catalogue contained necessary information about all exhibition locations, opening hours and names of all artists. The images were organized independently of how the 12 exhibitions were put together and gave more of the feel of an artist book or collection of relevant image material. All artists were represented with at least one image each, but no written presentation, CV, or the like. Introductory text by Janine Magelssen. Texts by participating artists Azar Alsharif, Bjørn Bjarre, Johanne Hestvold, Dag Erik Elgin, Eirik Senje, Ottar Karlsen and Ida Madsen. The catalogue was finished in good time for the opening, functioned well as a link between all the different projects and we are very pleased with the result.
Design: Ulf W. Carlsson.
