EXCITING WEEKEND AHEAD

Friday — the 20th of January 2012

There is an exciting weekend ahead for art lovers and aesthetes in Reykjavik. Santiago Sierra initiate the program with a performance, The Black cone in Austurvöllur today at 13.00.

For those who hunger for more Sierra, there is an exhibition opening with his work and polemical documentaries in Reykjavik Art Museum, Hafnarhúsið tonight at 20.00

No pope © Santiago Sierra, photograph courtesy of Estudio de Santiago Sierra 

Saturday — the 21st of January 2012

The unusual exhibition; Cyborg(s):Strange Creators and Creations will be launched in Kópavogur Art Museum, Gerðarsafn tomorrow at 15.00.

The curators of the show are Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir and Helgi Hjaltalín Eyjólfsson but the exhibition is based on the synonymous book by Úlfhildur which explores man´s fearful fascination with machines and technology. The exhibition will be opened by the Icelandic writer, Sjón.

The cover of the book; Sæborgin: Stefnumót líkama og tækni í ævintýri  og  veruleika. Photo taken from Spássían.is

At 17.00 same day, Gallery Kling og Bang will open their first exhibition of the year; Powerful picture (obsession-original) by Erling T. V. Klingenberg.

Sunday — the 22nd of January 2012

The exhibition, Under Deconstruction by Libía Castro and Ólafur Ólafsson is now running in the National Gallery of Iceland. In relation to the show,  a lecture by the literary scholar; Hjálmar Sveinsson will be held on Sunday at 14.00.

Under Deconstruction was commissioned by the Icelandic Art Center for the Pavilion of Iceland at the 54th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2011 and was curated by Ellen Blumenstein.

Your Country Doesn´t Exist – 2011. Photograph courtesy of Libía and Ólafur

Happy art weekend everyone!

7 DAY DRUNK

Performance: 1st of October 2011 at 9 pm, ANTI  Festival (Kuopio)

We all like a drink, right?

Bryany Kimmings (UK)

Photograph by Konsthopp

She appeared barefoot on the stage, dressing like a cloud  — but still sophisticated.  “I´m a seriously bad drinker,” she shouted to the audience. “And I sleep around when I´m drunk”, Kimmings continued with a finesse “do-you-want-a-cup-of-a-tee” accent.

Let´s forget the sophistication I mentioned.

“Pussy, vagina, mirri, pillu, cunt” … “tampon socket, sausage wallet, hairy pie, nob gobbler” — Kimmings knows all the English and Finish terms for pussy. Her rich imagination float naturally, while she counted up words for our private parts like schoolchildren reciting the alphabet.

Approximately two hours later…

The viewer could book an intimate moment and share a drink with Miss Kimmings. Either the queue was too long or the drinks too strong because when it was my turn — the artist was totally wasted. She said she would only go out for one cigarette but never came back. For the first time in my life, I was stood up.

Maybe she disappeared with a hottie, one-night stand or an exotic Kuopian. Because you know — she sleeps around while she is drunk.

But sometimes you get too drunk to fuck. And Bryany Kimmings was for sure one of those people that night.

And I don´t blame her. She had been drunk for seven days.

P.s. I still miss my date with Bryany Kimmings!

DO NOT ENJOY ART

The day of none-art: 1st of November 2011 (Reykjavik)

THE FIFTEEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Do not go to museums, design museums or galleries that holds any art works.

2. Do not look at art works, including paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations — whether it is inside or outside.

3. Do not go to concerts.

4. Do not listen to music — either from CD´s, vinyl records, cassettes, digital music players or smart phones (ringtones included).

5. Do not play video games with graphic images.

6. Do not go to dance performances.

7. Do not read novels, poetry or any other text that might be considered literature.

8. Do not go to theaters.

9. Do not watch a film — neither in a cinema, nor in computer, television or at any other screen.

10. If any kind of artwork is displayed on television; f. ex. in the news or in some advertising — you should close your eyes or look away.

11. If you hear music on the television or in the radio — you should turn it down.

12. Do not look at buildings which are designed by architects.

13. Do not watch or walk in gardens which are designed by landscape architects.

14. Do not watch or wear clothing by fashion designers.

15. Do not do anything or enjoy anything that could be interpreted as art or have artistic value, including work of dancers, designers, actors, artists, writers and musicians.

This text is translated by Konsthopp from the Sím homepage (The association of Icelandic visual artists).

Could you live without art?

A society without art is bound to be truly poor.

Photograph by Konsthopp

ART COPENHAGEN

Nordic art fair: 16th – 18th of September 2011, Forum (Copenhagen)

Ólafur Elíasson – Andersens Contemporary (DK)

A total of 81 Nordic galleries gathered together last weekend in Forum — a huge event-building — where The Nordic Art Fair, Art Copenhagen was held for the 15^th time. Like in recent years, the Danish art scene was in the foreground, represented with 52 art galleries while 29 of the exhibitors came from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands.

A number of galleries were on board for the first time; Lautom Contemporary (Oslo), Björkholmen Gallery (Stockholm) and Andersen’s Contemporary gallery (Copenhagen) were all newcomers to the Nordic art fair. Regulars included Andréhn-Schiptjenko (Stockholm), Elastic (Malmö), Galeria Anhava (Helsinki) and I8 (Reykjavík). The fair also passed a milestone, as art collectors from all around the world participated in a special organized VIP program. The fair is owned by Forum Copenhagen, which together with a fair committee is responsible for artistic management as well as selecting all of the participating galleries.

Konsthopp was in Copenhagen over the weekend, so of course we couldn’t miss the chance to check it out. It was our first time there, and believe me when I say that it was HUGE.

Assa Kauppi – Andersson Sandström (SE)

Thordis Adalsteinsdottir – Galleri Specta (DK)

Smike Käszner – Gallery Poulsen (DK)

Andreas Golder – Galleri Larm (DK) 

Maria Rubinke – Hans Alf Gallery (DK)

Bojan Radojcic – Galerie Pi (DK)

Yoko Ono – Wanås (SE)

Photographs by Konsthopp

These photographs hopefully give a little glimpse of what we saw at Art Copenhagen but are just a tiny piece of our whole “art experience” in the city.  So stay tuned, there is more to come!

VILLA CONTEMPORARY ART

On-going: 8th of July – 27th of August 2011, Pop-up store at Galleri Jonas Kleerup (Stockholm)

A few years ago I first heard about pop-up market in my hometown, Reykjavik. Shortly after, the concept of pop-up expanded with pop-up stores, pop-up galleries and pop-up restaurants. And pop-up is popular.

Villa Contemporary Art recently opened their second pop-up store, dedicated to contemporary artists. The store provides a great selection of original work, prints, publications, sculptures and other art work by artists from all around the globe. Even on a grey Monday afternoon, the pop-up store was filled with curious tourists, art lovers and ordinary citizens. No wonder — the window display alone was enough to seduce most strollers.

Photographs by Konsthopp

The atmosphere inside the pop-up store was nothing compared to a general gallery visit. The sensation was rather like being a kid at the amusement park — surrounded by exiting toys and colorful candy — and more than willing to break the piggy bank open.

We are already looking forward to the next pop-up conceptual art store!

Villa Contemporary Art

Date: 8th of July – 27th of August 2011

Artists: The Designers Republic, Lucky Thief, BAST, Christian Coinbergh, SEEN, Yoshi Sodeoka, Damien Hirst, Christian Saldert, Delta (Boris Tellegen), Faile, Thomas Ruff, Marcel Strüwer, Ola Rindal, Vivianne Sassen, Harmony Korine, David Shrigley, Kid Acne, Blu, Jeff Koons, Shepard Fairey (Obey), Chris Johanson, Exergian, Jesper Waldersten, Tauba Auerbach, Elmgreen & Dragset, Fiona Banner, Gerry Johansson, Takashi Murakami and others.

Place: Galleri Jonas Kleerup, Jakobs Torg 3, Stockholm

“AGAIN… WORDS WILL PASS THROUGH OUR BODIES, ABOVE OUR HEADS”

Vernissage: 30th of July 2011, Studio 44 (Stockholm)

Stockholm’s art life is gradually waking up after its long and pleasant summer vacation. In fact, everybody seems to need a brake —even Swedish newspapers and TV channels— but happily, Konsthopp is back on track!

Studio 44 did the honors last Saturday, when the first “autumn” opening was launched, the extremely-long-titled-exhibition; “Again… Words will pass through our bodies, above our heads.” 

 Two sofa talks in one, a video loop by Jenny Grönvill (2007)

The exhibition is a mixture of a video installation by Jenny Grönvall, along with drawings and sketches made in a collaboration with Julia Björnberg and Ellen Suneson. Combined with Pride 2011, the artists map out the exhibition space with words, sketches and drawings —as well as video loops— questioning the “normative” structure of power within the cultural sphere. With clip art and personal diary notes, the main theme of the work touch upon feminist utopia and gender equality within the art world, diagnosing for instance the frames of their artistic work.

The gallery´s winter program is packed with promising exhibitions. With this exhibition, as well as the gallery´s past events, Studio 44 clearly falls in as one of the city´s coolest exhibition space.

Our advice: Experience it! Put a Bowie record on and “let´s dance”…

Dance with it, a video loop by Jenny Grönvall (2007)

Photographs by Konsthopp

Want more? You can see all of our photos from the vernissage here!

Date: 30th of July – 7th of August 2011

Artist: Jenny Grönvall

Place: Studio 44, Tjärhovsgatan 44 B, 1st floor, Stockholm

“IN STAGES”

Closing: 1st of July 2011, Wetterling Gallery (Stockholm)

In my third attempt looking for the well-hidden Wetterling Gallery, it suddenly appeared “out of nowhere” on a small corner at Kungträdgården (I have to admit, I can be quite retarded when it comes to directions!). My former fetish for dummies drew me specially to the gallery, where a must-see exhibition by Allen Jones, “In stages”, was recently launched.

But who is the man that legendarily turned down a request of designing the set for the classical film A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick? The man who was the first to portray the liberated and swingingly provocative women of the 60´s? The man who was among the first to see the Beatles film, Magical Mystery Tour, while partying with Paul McCartney in London?

That´s Allen Jones. A major protagonist of British Pop Art, best known for his erotic sculptures. Jones belongs to generation of visual artists who used a popular philosophical term, as a part of their working methodology. Other icons using the same method includes for example Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann and James Rosenquist.

With his exhibition “Chair”, “Table” and “Hat Stand” in 1969, Jones made the most famous forniphiliac (human furniture) artwork around. Some scholars even claim that the memorable sculptures overshadowed the rest of Jones’ career and work as an artist.

Photographs by Konsthopp

Olle Granath, a Swedish writer and critic has stated that with his paintings, Jones tells us that “the show must go on.” Allen Jones is now over 70 years old and has produced an enormous amount of work, both painted and sculpted. He currently lives and works in London.

 In his latest exhibition “In Stages”,  Allen Jones has once and again proofed that “the show certainly goes on”.

Date: 31st of May – 1st of June 2011

Artist: Allen Jones

Place: Wetterling Gallery, Kungsträdgården 3, Stockholm

Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11.00 – 17.30 ; Saturday, 13.00 – 16.00

“OLD BOOTS, NEW LACES”

Closing: 26th of June 2011, Pop-up gallery above VIBE Bar (London)

Are shoes one of your “guilty pleasure¨? Then you probably have one of those.

Many were literally bowled over by the return of Dr. Martens couple of years ago. For some people, a “screaming” reminder of the fashion experimentation of their teenage years, that we usually make fun of. Shortly after, when it was obvious that the shoes were in fact, very trendy, everyone stopped joking about them, bought a pair and became addicted (well we still make jokes about Buffalo´s!).

Now, even in new form, Dr. Martens were the focal point of a newly passed group exhibition at Brick Lane.  10 pairs were supplied by Doctor Martens, re-designed by the exhibition artists and sold on the behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support. Only few pair were left when Konsthopp was there.

Photographs by Konsthopp

It was a truly broad-based exhibition in general, displaying unique oils, aerosol works, ink drawings, urban glass sculpture and limited edition prints. And last but not least, a few colorful pair of the “eternal” Dr. Martens.

The conceptual artist, Ben Oakley curated the show but he also runs “The Ben Oakley Gallery” in Greenwich (London).

Date: 17th – 26th of June 2011

Agent provocateurs: Rowan Newton, Asboluv, Stuart Mcalpine Miller, Carne Griffiths, Gonny Van Hulst, Ben Oakley, Mark Perronet, GaryAlford, Theo Szarowicz, Yvonne Wayling.

Place: Pop-up gallery above the VIBE bar, 91-95 Brick Lane, London

ANYWHEREBUTTHERE

Vernissage: 13th of May, GSB (Stockholm)

It was Konsthopp’s first time at Gallery Steinsland Berliner (GSB) and we didn’t really know what to expect. But at the moment we entered the place we already knew that we liked it. The impressive drawings on the floor done by the artist of the night and the people gathered together reminded us once again why we like what we do. It’s this meeting between people and art that just creates some kind of a holistic atmosphere.

GSB focus on young art and how it relates to popular and urban culture, introducing artists from all over the world. “ANYWHEREBUTTHERE” is an exhibition by Ragnar Persson, a Stockholm based artist. Detailed pencil drawings, sculptures and collage are inspired by depicting animals, skulls, girls and the teenage- and hard rock aesthetics.

Photographs by Konsthopp

Gallery Steinsland Berliner published their first paper this year, GSB paper, and in the issue the theme is on meetings:

“We at GSB do not believe that it is possible to find that specific second half that makes us whole again. We do, however, believe that meetings and associations create a kind of kinship that can be likened to the act of merging. The more meetings you experience, the more whole you become”.

GSB might get the point? At least we like it!

More photographs from Ragnar Persson’s exhibition and other displays from this night can be seen here

Date: 13th of May- 10th of June 2011

Artist: Ragnar Persson

Place: Gallery Steinsland Berliner, Bondegatan 70, Stockholm

Opening hours: Wednesday – Friday, 12.00 – 17.00 ; Saturday, 12.00 – 16.00. Or by appointment.