Opening April 10th at 6:00 PM–8:00 PM.
The artist will be present at the opening.
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Tegnerforbundet – the Norwegian Drawing Center is pleased to present the first retrospective exhibition of the drawings of Inger Johanne Grytting (b. 1949). The exhibition features works from 1994 to 2024, offering the public a unique opportunity to delve into Grytting's rich and dynamic relationship with drawing, a medium central to her artistic practice. The exhibition is a collaboration between Inger Johanne Grytting, Westwood Gallery in New York, and Tegnerforbundet – the Norwegian Drawing Center. The curator of the exhibition is Lene Fjørtoft.
Deep Roots in Drawing
The exhibition at Tegnerforbundet highlights how Grytting continuously explores the possibilities of drawing, using the pencil as a natural extension of her body. In the 1990s, Grytting’s drawings balanced figuration and abstraction. A recurring theme in these works was the depiction of objects bound together by knots and lines, creating connections between various points. The year 2004 marked a significant development in her artistic career. During this period, Grytting liberated herself from recognizable forms, surrendering to a more meditative repetition of lines. She also explored how the materiality of the drawing tool could influence visual expression, leading her further into abstraction.
A Process Grounded in Introspection and Material Exploration
Grytting’s artistic process is deeply personal and meditative. Her working method is a form of visual dialogue with herself, where the pencil serves as a tool for exploring inner states and personal experiences. In addition, materiality plays a crucial role in her work. Grytting has a particular preference for soft graphite and lightly porous paper, which has an organic quality and offers subtle resistance to the point of the pencil. When the point breaks, she continues drawing until the pencil's wood meets the paper. The continuity of the lines is interrupted where the pencil breaks. This drawing process creates momentary gaps and irregularities, making each work a unique expression of the artist’s thought process while also emphasizing the presence of both material and body.
A Prominent Figure in Contemporary Art
Inger Johanne Grytting has been a significant figure in national and international contemporary art for several decades. Born in Svolvær in 1949, she moved to New York in 1972, where she has lived and worked for most of her career. She studied at City College of New York and worked as an assistant for the renowned sculptor Chaim Gross. While painting dominated her practice throughout the 1980s, it was drawing that became her primary form of expression from the 1990s onward. Her works are included in several public and private collections, including the National Museum in Oslo and Stavanger Art Museum. Grytting is currently represented by Westwood Gallery NYC.
Curator: Lene Fjørtoft.
Exhibition producer: Hilde Lunde.
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Files to download:
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Photo: Inger Johanne Grytting, Studio 2022. Photograph by Ruth Mirsky.
