- Læner mig ømt mod natten, 2022
The exhibition Læner mig ømt mod natten, curated by Amalie Vestergaard Olsen, presents eight
young artists with diverse approaches to the medium of drawing. Common to these artists is
that drawing functions as a tool to conjure up images of another world.
The title of the exhibition is borrowed from Inger Christensen’s (1935-2009) poem of the same
name. Here, Christensen refers to the enigmatic structures of the world, and the figure of the self
that leans towards the uncertain, towards the future. Christensen was known for writing systemic
poetry, where form was decided through adherence to strict rules and systems. Despite this there is nothing forced in the content or language, on the contrary, the poems are expansive and rich in
perspective.
In the same way, the works in the exhibition are decidedly different,
though they all relate to drawing in one form or another. It follows that drawing must here be understood in an expanded sense. The exhibited works relate to the various forms of alienation that
can reveal themselves in a society when individuals no longer fit into existing structures, and thus
have to create their own alternatives. Drawing can be a form of expression that arises in response
to something difficult to articulate.
Through drawing, the artists shed light on dysfunctional conditions, but there are also narratives
of humor and ingenuity that spark hope for the future. By working in the tension between reality
and fiction, varying perceptions merge and help to seed the thought that humanity is capable of effecting change. Like Christensen, the artists also describe humankind’s close ties to nature. There
is a feeling that something is corrupt in the structures of the world, but this coexists with a conciliatory envisioning of future scenarios. Through curiosity and wonder, the artists look both inwards
and forwards, but also refer back through history to find answers to contemporary questions. Here
they explore how modern technology affects the way we engage with the world. By examining both
external and internal conflicts, the focus is on political issues related to identity, as well as reflections on different ways of living and working.
Curatorial project, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, Norway
March, 2022
Photo: Tegnerforbundet / Øystein Thorvaldsen
Participating artists: Esra Duzen, Unn Devik, Aske Thiberg, Clara Aldén, Muhammad Shahid, Oda
Skaathun, Oscar Häggström and Linda Hærnes.
Opening speech: Lærke Grøntved
Visual identity: Tonje Lona Eriksen
Curator: Amalie Vestergaard Olsen
Read more about the exhibition here
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