Pressemelding -

The 5 corners of the world by Steinar Christensen.

On Steinar Christensens appropriation of Jan Van Kesesls the four Continents.

Text by Arnt Fredheim.

In a world of changes, where words like ’storms’ and ‘floods’ are seen in daily use and the magnetic north pole is fixed somewhere over Canada and moving full ahead against Sibiria, a modern version of the Four Continents by Jan van Kessel may no longer dwell on the fixed vision of the four continents. Turbans are to be swapped by fire extinguishers. The lingering brown hued Arcadian landscapes are to be filled with snow. Anonymous moths must take the place formerly occupied by Oriental butterflies.

Chilly Nordic landscapes must be given the ambiguous apparition of snow-scapes from a postcard-world, with anonymous Arran Browns and reminiscences of low-voiced vegetation counteracting its icy magnificence. Van Kessels basic context and his excuse to commit his brushes to the painting of natural history collections, namely the possibility to revere in powerful symbols and an triple-eyed iconography, is scraped to the skin, yes maybe even to the bone. And so we are left with empty industrial halls filled with silent white light, a solitary spade or a row of windows watching us with all their knowledge. We are left with concrete walls bereaved of its former make-up and an understanding that the times people inhabited these premises are long past.

The particular structure created by van Kessel by filling a center panel with a voluptuous and life-enjoying vivacity, and by framing this center panel with 16 smaller sister panels communicating with its larger brother in the middle, easily finds a place in our world of digital pull down-menus. In the same manner our world has become globalized – our sense of directions has changed from south to north rather than west to east, so the continents or what we commonly call the four corners of the world, is anonymized in Christensen’s pictures. We are left with what the Chinese would call ‘mo jüan’, ink traces, a word they used to describe both painting and calligraphy. And in the same manner Chinese calligraphers put their pride in performing true art with their writing, but at the same took the care to hide the hard labour and the deep understanding behind every trace of ink on the silk paper, Christensen’s world of pictures seem a little haphazard, muscularly un-precise and yet deadly to the point.

The pictures are pure concept art, based on long studies, thorough planning and a synthesis of many years of thinking around aesthetic questions. When the whole composition is ready in the mind of the artist, he calls his photographer, Gunnar Mjaugedal, who under thorough – but silent – instruction helps him to visualize his projects.

Emner

  • Event

Kategorier

  • ellen-k fine art photography
  • ellen-k syverstad
  • kultur og næringsliv
  • kunst og næringsliv
  • kunstfotografi
  • pug//1
  • roger ballen
  • samlere
  • steinar christensen

Regions

  • Akershus

ellen-k FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY - INVTASJON TIL 7th LANE:

Kontakter

  • Steinar Christensen er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Roger Ballen (SA) er aktuell med utstilling på Stenersenmuseum.
    Lisens:
    Bruk i media
    Last ned
  • Roger Ballen (SA) er aktuell med utstilling på Stenersenmuseum.
    Lisens:
    Bruk i media
    Last ned
  • Joyce Tenneson (USA) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Joyce Tenneson (USA) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Christian Houge er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Christian Houge er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Steinar Christensen er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Robert Sannes er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Robert Sannes er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Lisa Holden (NL) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Lisa Holden (NL) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • William Ropp (FR) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • William Ropp (FR) er aktuell i utstillingen 7th LANE.
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • Humor, skjønnhet og dypt alvor - opplev alt dette og mer til i 7th LANE..
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
  • 7th LANE - INVITATION
    Spill av video
    7th LANE - INVITATION
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
    Filformat:
    .mov
    Lengde:
    2:00
  • 7th LANE - the catalogue
    7th LANE - the catalogue
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
    Filformat:
    .pdf
  • Markante menn fra moss i nyskapende kunstprosjekt - artikkel i Moss Avis.
    Markante menn fra moss i nyskapende kunstprosjekt - artikkel i Moss Avis.
    Lisens:
    All Rights Reserved
    Filformat:
    .pdf

Relatert innhold

  • 7th LANE - Photography from heaven and hell

    Åpner 2. juni kl 19:00 i Lilleakerveien 4B, Oslo. Roger Ballen (SA), Steinar Christensen, Lisa Holden (NL), Christian Houge, William Ropp (FR), Robert Sannes and Joyce Tenneson (USA). En gammel fabrikk (1.000 kvm) på Lysaker fylles med fotografi, skulptur og videoinstallasjoner i juni og juli. Det er lagt opp til et tett program i hele Juni - med foredrag, boksigneringer mm, se program.

  • 7th LANE – Events and opening hours.

    The exhibition 7th LANE - Photography from Heaven and Hell opened on June 2nd - with 1.000 m2 filled with work created by 7 amazing artists showing photography, sculpture and video. Over 300 people attended the opening reception. We welcome you all to the following events in June;

  • Join us for a guided tour through 7th LANE ...

    Our curator Arnt Fredheim guides us through the mysteries of 7th LANE, JULY 12th at 7 pm. 7th LANE is located in a beautiful factory building in Lilleakerveien 4B, Oslo - 1.000 square meters with photography, sculpture and video created by Roger Ballen, Steinar Christensen, Lisa Holden, Christian Houge, William Ropp, Robert Sannes and Joyce Tenneson. The factory will be demolished on July 26.

Relaterte events