Press release -
Corpus Infinitum opens the exhibition programme at MUNCH in 2024
Exhibition
Level 9
17.02.2024 – 26.05.2024
The first exhibition of 2024 at MUNCH is Corpus Infinitum. Through a series of film installations, this exhibition speculates on what would become of the human if expressed through the elements – water, earth, fire and air.
The artists Arjuna Neuman and Denise Ferreira da Silva have been collaborating on several moving image works over the last decade that propose to decentre the human in how we think about the world.
Spectacular footage of nature mixes with animation and text excerpts with soundtracks that include classic Blues tracks and creole rap music. Together, these elements form a sensual universe where traditional hierarchies are undermined and alternatives to global crises, related to climate change, war and colonialism, begin to take shape. With the four elements of earth, water, fire and air as central the exhibition presents alternative sources of knowledge and ways of thinking inspired by poetry, philosophy, tarot cards, quantum physics and nature itself.
- With sculptural elements such as soft carpets and warm rocks, and spectacular imagery set to pulsating soundtracks, these film installations create a total experience. By addressing the senses directly, they can engender a more holistic reflection around important challenges that concern us all, says curator for the exhibition, Tominga Hope O´Donnell.
The exhibition consists of several works including three of the artists’ films: Serpent Rain (2016), 4 Waters – Deep Implicancy (2019) og Soot Breath // Corpus Infinitum (2020). Each film is accompanied by a tarot card spread next to wall texts in Norwegian, English and Northern Sámi. The reference material for the films is presented in the exhibition, inviting deeper engagement with the broader framework of Corpus Infinitum. Liisa-Rávná Finbog is organising a series of discursive events in the exhibition spaces, which culminate in a conference on 24–25 May 2024 with Denise Ferreira da Silva and Arjuna Neuman.
Corpus Infinitum is organised by MUNCH in collaboration with MACBA Museum d’Art Contemporani. Curator of the exhibition at MUNCH is Tominga O’Donnell.
The title of the exhibition is derived from Denise Ferreira da Silva book Unpayable Debt (2022), which uses African American sci-fi author Octavia Butler’s book Kindred to show the racist and colonialist underpinnings of the concepts of “debt” and “value”.
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MUNCH is home to the world's largest collection of works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. 22 October 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.
