Opening Thursday 20.06., 18-20.
During the summer period 21.06.–15.09.2024, Tegnerforbundet - The Norwegian Drawing Center presents the exhibitionAbstract Drawing.
Tegnerforbundet wishes with this exhibition to explore the relationship between abstraction and drawing through the works of seven artists who have been associated with Tegnerforbundet as loyal members for many years.The exhibition is curated by Lene Fjørtoft.
Participating artists: Irma Salo Jæger (b. 1928), Liv Dessen (b. 1935), Anne Rolfsen (b. 1946), Wenche Gulbransen (b. 1947), Lykke Frydenlund (b. 1951), Heidi Skjerve Kennedy (b. 1954) and Mette Stausland (b. 1956).
Abstraction as the core of drawing
Seperated by a generation, the artists have distinctive contributions that together tell a single chapter in the history of Norwegian abstraction and drawing. Can this form of artistic expression bring us closer to the core elements of drawing: the hand, the line and the surface? In the working process, the sheet becomes the framework where the artist explores and expresses themselves through strokes, lines, shapes, surfaces and colors. Each work is the result of a dialog between material and artist.
Varied approaches to abstract drawing
The artists in this exhibition have different approaches to abstract drawing, processes and contentin their own practice. Frydenlund explores pure color fields, sharp lines and geometric shapes setagainst each other. Through layer upon layer of charcoal and pastel, Dessen builds up forms withgestural lines and a strong use of colour. Salo Jæger’s drawings extend beyond the boundaries ofthe paper, which creates an almost ”breathing” surface. Rolfsen combines elements from traditionalcraft traditions with an understanding of metaphysics and the symbolic power of the mandala.Time is an important concept for Kennedy and time is shown through traces visible in the drawing.In Gulbransen’s works, form, color and the visual are reduced to a minimum, and Stausland usesthe eraser as a tool equal to the pencil, which shows, like a shadow, that the traces of the hand While each of these artists has an own unique approach to abstract drawing, there are clearcommonalities that bind them together. There is an immediacy and intimacy to their work, driven by an intuitive approach that requires confidence and experience.
Women and abstraction
As we focus on the individual practices of the seven artists, we also want to reflect on the larger context within which these artists operate at the same time – both as women and as artists with long and active careers. The idea of art as a social practice emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the artwork itself and instead exploring the complex relationships it has with the society of which it is a part of. Women and abstraction are two interesting realities. They act like an oxymo-ron. Abstraction is an area that has been characterized by female pioneers throughout its more than a century of history. Yet, abstraction is coded as something male, defined and determined by men. The participating artists’ experiences and achievements deserve to be highlighted and recog-nized. We hope this exhibition can be a step towards giving them the attention they deeply deserve.
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Files to download:
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Events during the exhibition period:
Curator tours: Wednesday, June 26 at 12 noon / Saturday, July 13 at 12 noon / Friday, September 13 at 7 pm (Oslo Culture Night).
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Image (section): Mette Stausland. Photo: Tom Bisig.
