On Saturday, the 137th version of the Autumn Exhibition opened, which every year attracts both people and the cultural elite. Although the exhibition is popular, it is also highly controversial. Voices in the art world regularly advocate scrapping the entire project. I myself think that the muster certainly has its justification, all the time it actually hits so exceptionally widely. It is of course all the more important that you manage to create a good exhibition. A little too often it becomes a lobster and canary pattern without head and tail. Statens Høstutstilling In 1882, a group of artists led by Christian Krohg decided to boycott Christiania Kunstforening, and to create an alternative display arena inspired by the Salon in Paris. The exhibition was a great success – there was no art academy and there were few art institutions in Norway at the time. The 2024 edition is the 137th in a row. This year, 87 artists and artist groups are participating in the Autumn Exhibition. The exhibition has largely been an annual event, which gained greater importance after it was able to move into Kunstnernes Hus in 1930. The exhibition should preferably show new works, i.e. works completed within the last two years. Submitted works are judged by the National Jury. These have the judging of the state art exhibition “as their most important area of work, and the artistic responsibility for the exhibition. The jury’s artistic decisions must not be justified and cannot be reviewed,” it says on the exhibition’s website. All works are assessed by the National Jury (DNJ). The jury consists of artists who are chosen for a period of two years through majority voting by Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK) members. Membership in NBK is not a requirement for the members of the jury. The National Jury 2024 consists of: Lasse Årikstad (chair), Hanan Benammar (deputy chair), Hilde Honerud, Ingeborg Annie Lindahl, Fredrik Raddum and Hanna Roloff. Sources: Store norske lexikon / Wikipedia / The autumn exhibition That is why I was so happy when I entered Kunstnernes Hus and immediately felt that this time they have actually managed to create a whole based on the selected works. The artisanal, material-oriented and artful nature runs like a sensuous red thread through the whole thing. Art critic Mona Pahle Bjerke says sensuous, material-related works characterize the Autumn Exhibition 2024. An organic wave A great example is Johannes Espedal Engelsen’s “Brottsjø”. Here he has created a very large sculpture from dark parts of an old wooden fence. Each rectangular wooden element consists of the same number of fence posts. Although the whole is made up of identical square form elements, they are placed so that together they create an organic wave shape that seems to tower over us and seemingly defy gravity. The planks are full of moss, lichen and dirt. It gives a varied but restrained play of colors to the expression. Art critic Mona Pahle Bjerke has a feeling for Kari Hjertholm’s sculpture during the Autumn Exhibition 2024. Another rather space-consuming installation is Kari Hjertholm’s “Puls”. The blue base fabric is dotted with tiny shiny red loops that give the whole a shimmering burgundy colour. Light plays an important role in the experience of this work. If you get close and see the surface from the side, you can see how the light makes the colors sparkle and glow. More works from the Autumn exhibition: Mathias Hellberg, “The Musical 4”. I think I’ve seen this about a hundred times before. But it’s a bit of fun, even if it’s forgotten as you move on. Photo: Norske Bildedkunstnere I like this view, the hole in the “Glittertinden” that Line Bøhmer Løkken shows us through her two large photographs. Photo: Vegard Kleven/NBK Kari Anne Helleberg Bahri is one of many who create sensual, material-based works. This sculpture appears to be made from old garments. It is exciting that clothes can carry many stories that the viewer can compose into the expression. Photo: Vegard Kleven/NBK Oliver Hambsch, “Non volatile memory”: Apart from the fact that this is a woodcut and not a blurry screenshot, it is perhaps not very interesting. But the very fact that the work pretends to be something other than what it is, arouses some interest. Photo: Vegard Kleven/NBK The textile sculpture by Hjertholm consists of a rounded rectangle and an upright oval. Unfortunately, I think these geometric shapes bind the experience a bit and make the work more static and boring than it could have been if it had been given a freer, perhaps asymmetrical shape. Art critic Mona Pahle Bjerke demonstrates Reinhard Haverkamp’s “Bølgebad” (2024), one of the autumn exhibition’s interactive works. From mystical meditation to disco On the way out, I stand and look at Oscar Eriksson Furunes’ installation “night watch”, which fills the darkened room at the top of the stairs. On small shelves at different heights, he has placed smaller and larger owls in porcelain. The owl is an enigmatic animal that we associate with wisdom, but also with the eerie world of the night. One by one, the owls begin to light up and create small smoldering pockets in the darkness. I like the strange, somewhat mysterious and meditative atmosphere that is created. Eventually, however, all the owls light up and flash at once, and then I think it loses a bit of its excitement, and falls into something more banal and disco-influenced. “Strong cough” by Tom Kosmo. This is a powerful sculpture with a lot of nerve in its expression. The body, which is shaped in wood, is truly impressively alive and animalistic. I’m a little unsure about the creepy thing happening with the animal’s face. Is there something coming down, or perhaps something rising. I’m not sure if the sculpture wins on this particular one. A simplified dog’s head would have been sufficient. Photo: Tone Gjerde / news Of course, this year’s exhibition also has a lot of less interesting works, but in general I think the quality is high. Here, the jury has really done a brilliant job, and this despite the fact that the big, well-known artist names this year mostly shine by their absence. “Mink II” by Tove Kommedal. I think this is a powerful expression. Small mink furs sewn together into this disintegrating organic circular shape. I also like the play of shapes between the curved shape and the strict, square stand. I just don’t understand why she has chosen the shrill yellow color that takes way too much focus. Photo: Tone Gjerde / news Few shock effects There is hardly anything in this exhibition that is suitable for creating shock headlines. Odd Nerdrum is neither included nor rejected. There are no works that are apt to shake or upset. The fascinating thing about Kristin Austreid’s oil painting is that it looks like a perforated metal work. She has really managed to create the illusion of a different material. In addition to the work pretending to be something other than what it is, a starry sky is also created which is quite beautiful. Here there is something very earthly at the bottom of the picture that is transformed into something heavenly. Photo: Vegard Kleven/NBK It is simply just a really good exhibition that meets our longing for the slow, artful and physical, which has become a scarce commodity in our digital and screen-based reality. Swipe here for more works from this year’s Autumn exhibition: Jara von Lüpke: “Circlusion” (2022). Sculpture. Dominique Nachi: “Love Letter” (2022). Photograph. Margrete Netland: “piper” (2024). Sound, textile, plaster, chicken wire and papier-mâché. Heidi Kristiansen: “Gloubi-boulga” (2022). Blown and sculpted glass. Vilde Eskedal: “Priapus” (2024). Air-drying clay, found rubbish, plastic bags, insulation foam, wood, canvas, glue, varnish, oil paint, acrylic paint, spray paint and glass. Marie Saure: «Pissvin» 1-5 (2023-2024). Recycled clay. Snorre Sjønøst Henriksen and Kornelia Remø Klokk: “Supporting Act” (2024). Performance. news reviews Photo: Tone Gjerde / news Title: “The Autumn Exhibition 2024: The State’s 137th art exhibition” Who: This year 87 artists and artist groups are participating in the Autumn Exhibition. Organiser: Norske billedkunstnere Institution: Kunstnernes hus City: Oslo Time range: 7 September – 13 October 2024 Estimated time: 60 – 90 minutes Published 10.09.2024, at 09.44
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“Autumn exhibition 2024” at Kunstnernes Hus – news Culture and entertainment
