Press release -
SCREENS, LOCKDOWN AND THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE ARE SOME OF THE THEMES EXPLORED IN A NEW ONLINE EXHIBTION SERIES
For many of us, screens dominate everyday life, whether it be for work, school or leisure. We are constantly available on our phones, tablets and PCs. Through these devices, the world is just one click away. During the coronavirus pandemic, the screen has also become the only way to maintain social contact for many people.
MUNCH is proud to present the museum’s first online exhibition of contemporary art. Contemporary Art Digital Shorts (CADS) is an exhibition series in three parts, each clustered around a different topical theme. The first is entitled “Screen culture” and features works by artists such as Camille Henrot, Sofia Caesar, Stine Janvin, Milad Forouzandeh and Lex Brown.
CADS consists of 15 works of art in total, presented on munchmuseet.no. The exhibition series explores the relationship between our physical and virtual realities through digital artworks of relatively short duration. Each part of CADS is on display for four weeks and consists of work by five or six artists, brought together around a shared thematic.
The artists participating in the first part of CADS highlight different aspects of current screen culture. They demonstrate how difficult it is to put your phone away, or how absurd it is to try to relax on a “workation”. They also show how the Internet has become a sorely needed extension of the home during the pandemic, and how information from unexpected sources can enhance our understanding of the world.
“I am delighted and proud to present some of the most significant young artists working today in the CADS series. These are artists who we will see more of in the coming years. Contemporary art will play a central role when MUNCH opens, and will feature prominently in both our exhibitions and events programme at the new museum. During lockdown, it is important to maintain and offer engaging art experiences online. It is also part of our responsibility to open up our digital channels for contemporary artists and curators when other art institutions are closed”, says Stein Olav Henrichsen, director of MUNCH.
CADS #1: "Screen Culture". On display from Thursday 11 March – 9 April CADS
Camille Henrot Grosse Fatigue (2013) 13:46 min.
Camille Henrot, Stillbilde fra Grosse Fatigue (2013)
© ADAGP Camille Henrot. Courtesy of the artist, Silex Films and kamel mennour, Paris/London
Grosse Fatigue, produced during Henrot’s fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution in 2013, is a 13-minute long re-interpretation of the origin story of the universe. The film layers images of zoological specimens, Google searches, and books on anthropology, cats in art history, Keith Haring, and Sky Mall magazines, among other objects, to offer a critique of the museum’s impossible claim of neutrality in the quest to represent the totality of life. The film is structured around a poem voiced by multidisciplinary artist Akwetey Orraca-Tetteh, written in collaboration with Jacob Bromberg, with music by Joakim Bouaziz. Last year, ARTnews named Grosse Fatigue one of the most important artworks of the 2010s. Experience the artwork here
Camille Henrot (b 1978) is a French artist, based in New York. As the recipient of the Edvard Munch Art Award, Camille Henrot will have a solo exhibition at MUNCH.
Sofia Caesar Workation (2019) 9:50 min.
Sofia Caesar, still from Workation 2019
Through a slow, humorous choreography, Sofia Caesar shows how absurd the term “workation” is in practice. The artist clutches her phone as she tries to relax in a deckchair, in a hammock, on a hotel bed. Rather than enjoying her holiday, she appears exhausted and gradually collapses before our eyes. Experience the artwork here
Sofia Caesar (b. 1989) is a Brazilian artist and choreographer, based in Brussels. Workation is also being shown as a four-channel installation at Transmediale in Berlin in 2021.
Stine Janvin Always With You (2020) 4:17 min.
Stine Janvin, still from Always with you 2020
Stine Janvin asks us to close our eyes and take a deep breath. The instructor’s meditative voice acknowledges the paradox in asking someone to leave the screen – via a screen. Instead, she proposes to see the handheld device as an extension of the body, and Janvin grips her phone as she performs the suggested exercises. The zen-like soundtrack is supplemented by little computer noises. The screen is always with you. Experience the artwork here
Stine Janvin (b. 1985) is a Norwegian artist based in Berlin. Always With You is a commission for MUNCH, and premiered at Performa Telethon (2020) on the occasion of Performa’s 15th anniversary. Stine Janvin will also present new work at MUNCH.
Milad Forouzandeh Signals from the rooftop! (2020) 3:03min.
Milad Forouzandeh, still from Signals from the rooftop! 2020
During the pandemic, Milad Forouzandeh reflected over the Iranian architecture that surrounded him. “Andaruni” was traditionally the innermost space of a residential building where women could move about privately without using a veil. Forouzandeh draws a parallel between such “safe” quarters and the online rooms that became an extension of his home during lockdown. Experience the artwork here
Milad Forouzandeh (b. 1987) is an Iranian artist, based in Shiraz.
Lex Brown Finding Belief in Life Again (2020) 36:19min.
Lex Brown, still from Finding Belief in Life Again 2020
In Finding Belief in Life Again Lex Brown offers advice on how to find meaning during and after the pandemic. Brown’s soothing voice, coupled with calming images of butterflies and water formations, offers a break from the constant flow of information on our screens. Adopting a spiritual, non-religious approach, Brown invites us to glean meaning from the rhythms and patterns of nature. Experience the artwork here
Lex Brown (f. 1989) is an American artist, based in New York. Lex Brown was one of the participating artists in TROLLKREM IMPORT, a part of Munchmuseet on the Move (2018)
The next two sections of CADS will be on display in April and May 2021, respectively, and include works by artists such as Bendik Giske, Cory Arcangel, Sondra Perry and Simone C. Niquille.
The programme has been curated by Vilde M. Horvei and Ilavenil Vasuky Jayapalan and consists of a mix of commissioned and existing works.
MUNCH is home to the world's largest collection of works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. In Spring 2021, MUNCH will open in a brand new building on Oslo’s waterfront. The bespoke structure, designed by estudio Herreros, will house more than 26,000 works that Edvard Munch bequeathed to the City of Oslo. The museum also manages collections donated by Rolf Stenersen, Amaldus Nielsen and Ludvig Ravensberg.
The new museum will trace the artist’s profound influence both on modern art and on artists through to the present day. Alongside displays of iconic artworks from the renowned permanent collection, temporary exhibitions will show Edvard Munch’s lasting influence in his own contemporary society, as well as on today’s generation of artists.
Visitors will experience the highlights of Edvard Munch’s oeuvre, in parallel with a wide-ranging programme of cultural events and experiences for visitors of all ages. From its location in Bjørvika, with unparalleled views of the Oslo Fjord, the museum will offer an extensive program of art and cultural experiences across thirteen floors.
