NÚNINGUR / FRICTION

On-going: 14th of April – 13th of May 2012, Listasafn ASÍ (Reykjavik)

The visual art in the city — The city in the visual art

It can be hard to define what is sociopolitical art. But as far as I know  — all art in public sphere have political implication. And since our flavor of this month is sociopolitical art;  it is a must to mention the ongoing project; Núningur (e. Friction).

The project is build upon ideas by couple of artists and scholars and have been under way for a while. Together — the project deliberates about the many-sided connection between visual art and the urban community.

“Veghelgunarsvæði” by Ósk Vilhjálmsdóttir

“Heyr mína bæn” by Katrína Mogensen

“Kleine Welten” by Christian Hasucha

Photographs are taken from the project´s Facebook site

Listasafn ASÍ is working as a kind of center for the project but the the work will be published all over Reyakjvík city this year. An ambitious exhibition catalogue have been released and many open symposium are scheduled in relation to the show. So stay tuned!

Date: 14th of April – 13th of May 2012

Artists: Ásdís Sif Gunnarsdóttir, Ásmundur Ásmundsson, Berglind Jóna Hlynsdóttir, Brynjar Helgason, Christian Hasucha, Elin Wikström, Gunnar J. Árnason, Hjálmar Sveinsson, Hlynur Hallsson, Indriði Arnar Ingólfsson, Ingirafn Steinarsson, Ívar Glói Gunnarsson, Karl Torsten Stallborn, Katrín Eyjólfsdóttir, Katrína Mogensen, Margrét H. Blöndal, Nikulás Stefán Nikulásson, Nína Óskarsdóttir, Páll Haukur Björnsson, Ósk Vilhjálmsdóttir, Ragna Sigurðardóttir, Stefán Óli Baldursson, Una Ösp Steingrímsdóttir, Unnar Örn J. Auðarson, Þorvaldur Þorsteinsson, Þröstur Valgarðsson, and Æsa Sigurjónsdóttir

Curators: Einar Garibaldi Eiríksson, Kristinn E. Hrafnsson and Ólafur Gíslason

Place: Listasafn ASÍ,  Freyjugötu 41, Reykjavík

APRIL ACTIVISM

Flavor of the month: Sociopolitical art

“Liberty is about our right to question everthing” (Ai Wei Wei)

Over almost a year of blogging, we have visited numerous of exhibition touching on sociopolitical issues and interviewed artists who convey political messages through their work — our latest artist talk being a direct example. Other exmaples include interview with Páll Haukur Björnsson and Erla Silfá Þorgrímsdóttir, as well as exhibitions such as; The good, the bad & the anti, The world won’t listen, Memories / In between and Social Cleanup.

Still we wonder — what is sociopolitical art? Isn’t all conceptual art sociopolitical? Is it really possible to define?

This month we are hoping to explore and get some answers!

Below you can see an example of what might be concidered a sociopolitic art. Tips, suggestions and possible answers are of course appreciated. Stay tuned …

“From series of drawings by Nina Hemmingsson (photo taken from google images) 

Get Rich by Diann Bauer (photograph taken from Paradise Row)

Pharmacy herbs by luzinterruptus (photograph from the artists blog)

Work by Barbara Kruger (photo taken from google images)

Sunflower seeds by Ai Wei Wei (photograph by Konsthopp)

Political street art – Artist unknown (photo by Joshua Rappeneker)

GARDEN & WC

Vernissage: 8th of July 2011, Gallerí Klósett (Reykjavík)

Have you ever been on an art opening were all you want to do is to skip the mingling, keep quite and enjoy the artwork privately? Or have you rather let the mingling get in the way of ever actually seeing the artwork?

Gallerí Klósett (Gallery Toilet) is an artist-run exhibition space, located in an atelier on Hverfisgata 61 in Reykjavík. Being more specific – in a tiny room inside the atelier that is normally used as the facilities. The only official opening hour is on opening nights and one of the main idea behind the gallery is to find the “balance” on these nights between art and socializing.

 The aim is to let the visitors enjoy their nights with the traditional mingling and networking but also giving them the possibility to reflect on the artwork in private, ruminate behind closed doors and of course, do the things you normally do on the toilet.

The gallery was opened last Friday, displaying work by the local artist Páll Haukur Björnsson. The exhibition, called Garður (Garden), was created on the artist’s travel around Iceland, perceiving people’s notion and ideas of nature and territory.

To love the country and then to love the country – what is the country?    – Páll Haukur

The artwork touches upon money and power, consumption, questioning the nature and the reality of the nature, showcasing maps, videos and “babbling” money. But if the money could talk, what would it say?

That “… recycling is very important too!”?

Or that “to apply human quality to a system that is in itself meaningless is but one of our many failures to comprehend our natural reality”?

Photographs by Konsthopp

Money talking or not, the opening night at Gallerí Klósett was vivid and the atelier full of people. Even though no-one had the urge to close the gallery’s door this time, visitors were enjoying both the artwork and each other. The exhibition space is a great addition to the visual art-scene in Reykjavík that seems to be vibrant and lively at the moment. Its existence also gives people the opportunity to be a part of an artwork, loose themselves in thought and proofs once again that with or without fancy white spaces, art belongs anywhere.

Date: 8th of July 2011

Artist: Páll Haukur Björnsson

Place: Gallerí Klósett

Opening hours: Opening nights. Or when bursting to pee.