MANMADEGOD

2nd of August - 1st of September

With

Amir Chasson

Gorka Mohamed

Haroun Haward

Soheila Sokhenvari

With the gallery open I have little time to write on the blog, but I thought that at least I should keep it going with posts about the exhibits that I am having at ArtEco Gallery.

MANMADEGOD started with me contacting Soheila as one of the first that I told that I am planing to open a gallery. Energetic as Soheila is, it did not take long for her to say she wants to do an exhibit with 3 other artists, Haroun, Gorka and Amir that she was thinking highly about, and that perhaps we then could do it at my gallery.

Soon enough we all 5 were sitting at Tate Modern drinking beer until closing and the exhibit began to take shape.

6 months later the exhibit opened and now I think that we will all stay friends for a long long time and the exhibit was a big WOW! And a great success for my Gallery.

Here are a few images of the exhibit, enjoy:

Haroun Haward

"The Narcissism of small differenced"

(Acid house version)

Soheila Sokhanvari

from the "Midnight Climax" series

Amir Chasson

"A whiff of Evidence"

Amir Chasson

"Nazis and Astronauts"

Gorka Mohamed

"Advisor"

Great memories!

With Love

Kristin

After Munch

AFTER MUNCH

Opening at ArtEco Gallery

June 28 2012

Unni Askeland, Crispin Gurholt and Markus Brendmoe

ArtEco Gallery has opened it's doors and it has taken me nearly a month to post the first blog about it.

It has been overwhelming on all fronts. 

First I would like to mention my luck at working with Unni Askeland, Markus Brendmoe and Crispin Gurholt in my first show. All of them putting the often repeated comment that Artists are difficult to shame. They have all three been positive, supportive and also fun to be with. At the opening even bringing friends and family over from Norway. 

Yes, because the opening was quite an event with an incredible turnout of people making it impossible to close the gallery after the scheduled three hours preview that lasted for 5 hours but still with nobody considering that it is over... could it not last for ever, oh yes I wished as well, but we continued the party across the street until the darkness brought us home.

The aftermath was quite something else, the party was over and the work about to start. Being nervous and actually shaking of exhaustion I began my new life. Although it is quite a shock to realise how quiet galleries can be on a normal day, every day has brought me a new interesting person into my life. Every day has had good news in it. Now it is time to build up the gallery slowly, with care and with artists that I believe have a long future ahead. Ambitious as I am I will try my best at becoming the best, even how long it is going to take me, I am here to stay.

"The Scream" by Markus Brendmoe

"After Munch" has been a fantastic way to launch ArtEco Gallery. To go back to my roots and to start from where it all began feels right. With the stunning exhibit "The Modern Eye" at the Tate Modern, Edvard Munch is also taking over other nations hearts as well... although some say it is a bit dark.
It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to show Norwegian Contemporary Artists to London in a very interesting perspective. After having seen the Munch exhibit twice, I am even more convinced about how important this exhibit will stand in the future. You might think I am over my self here, but time will show, I might be wrong but at least it will be standing strong as ArtEco Gallery´s first show.
As this is my first show it will be an incredibly hard task to take it down this weekend. I have grown a strong bond with all the art work and the artists.

"Separation"

Unni Askeland

With my wonderful friend and help the first week Synne Ravel

"Darkroom"

Crispin Gurholt

"The Sick Child"

"Night at Ekely"

Markus Brendmoe

"Captain, my Captain"

Unni Askeland

"Sunday 17:45"

Crispin Gurholt

The good thing is; this is only the beginning!

There will be a great program this fall as well, and I hope it will bring a lot of people together and great opportunities for all involved.

With Love,

Kristin

- Images by Liam Rogers

Paper Splash

PIA MYRVOLD

"Paper Splash"

Off/dOCUMENTA (13)

Kassel

7-9th of June

In a few hours I am on the Eurostar to Paris where I will meet Pia Myrvold. We will be discussing the directions of her future show in London this October at ArtEco Gallery. 

We will then cruise down to Kassel for off/documenta to put up a three day improvised art action:

In “Papers Splash”, Pia MYrvoLD uses urban spaces and public

areas as large scale canvases, placing and creating patterns with

printed paper in various sizes as ephemeral large scale collages,

usually made as a performance using added effects within a time

span of 30 to 60 minutes, according to scale and participating

crew. The surface of “Paper Splash” is then gradually

transformed and eventually destroyed by weather, the passing

public, traffic, and the regular users of the space.

In connection with the opening week of dOCUMENTA (13), Pia

MYrvoLD proposes "Paper Splash" as an unofficial improvised art

action that celebrates non-conformity, fantasy, imagination and

freedom in contemporary art, and reminds us that art often

happens first at the margins of organized culture and in an unofficial

capacity.

Pia Myrvold

The happening is sponsored by ArtEco Gallery.

Make sure you check ArtEcoGallery on Twitter for specific locations.

With "Excited" Love 

Kristin

Confessions of an Art Addict

PEGGY GUGGENHEIM

Who would I have wished to invite for dinner? Peggy Guggenheim of course!

Slowly turning into an absolute Art Addict myself, without the same capacity to collect as her, but soon I will be able to present and show great artists that I believe in.

Interestingly enough she opened here first Gallery at the same age as me, or should I say inspiringly for me. Her gallery did not last long in London because of the second world war, and changes like creating a little museum instead. But, Peggy continued in New York, where she must be given the credit of bringing out some of the greatest artist of the last Century.

The list is long but she is probably best known for her support to Jackson Pollock and her interesting marriages and affairs that includes among others Laurence Vail, Samuel Beckett and Max Ernst.

Later Peggy decided that Venice was going to be where she would like to live, she bought a Palace and started showing Art right out of her home. Sometimes to the confusion of both visitors and staff.

The books is a refreshing comment on her addiction, she writes freely and honestly.

Quite entertaining at times.

As with her phallic horseman sculpture by Marino that she was showing:

"When the nuns came to be blessed by the Patriarch, who on special holy days, went by my house in a motorboat, I detached the phallus of the horseman and hid it in a drawer. I also did this on certain days when I had to receive stuffy visitors, but occasionally I forgot, and when confronted with this phallus found myself in great embarrassment. The only thing to do in such cases was to ignore it. In Venice a legend spread that I had several phalluses of different sizes, like spare parts, which I used in different occasions."

When it comes to it my biggest wish is not to have Peggy come to my dinner party, but that I could have been at one of her guests, it must have been extraordinary. But I will have to be grateful that I get to read about it.

With Love

Kristin

Catlin Award 2012

Soheila Sokhanvari

Google TPAJAX to find the title

Taxidermy, jesmonite, car paint, metal

CATLIN AWARD 2012

Last night was the final ceremony for the Catlin award. It is an award given to recent graduates from UK art schools. First they pick 40 artists that they see as the most talented of that year, later it triggers down to 10 of these that goes on to be part of the final award. 

Soheila Sokhanvari, that I am so lucky to have a chance to show work by in August at my Gallery was one of the finalists. Soheila is an incredible person as well as an artist. Coming from Iran where every prominent governmental figure is shown proudly and statuesque sitting on a horse, she is here showing a horse that has been taken over, a horse that is lying on it's back overwhelmed by its time. How Soheila has managed to create this piece continues to baffle me, I have seen another of her horses before, but when I came to the award I was pulled back by it and the only thing I could exclaim was "WOW!". Her background in biology is probably one of many links to her impressive craftsmanship.

Greta Alfaro

Invencion #1-3

Plasterboard construction covered in edible meringue

Greta Alfaro drew my interest with these photographs and the exciting work that has been done to make it. To think she made this scenario out of edible meringue is quite baffling.

Adeline De Monsegnat

Mother HEB/Loletta

Vintage fur, pillow filler, glass, motor, wood, sand

Adeline de Monsegnat won the viewers price, unfortunately this image is not giving it the credit it deserves. In real, the furry balls are both beautiful and a bit frightening.

Johnny Briggs

Comfort Object

C-type Lambda prints individually mounted

Johnny Briggs, takes photographs reflecting on relationships, especially his relationship to his parents. They are haunting and touching at the same time.

Johnny Briggs

Un-seeing

C-type Lambda print

Julia Vogl

Coloured carpet tiles, vinyl.

Julia Vogl was the winner of the award, I must admit I felt a bit cheated... It is a fun piece and has a great way of interacting with its audience, but seems a bit unfinished and rather simple compared to the other contestants work. 

Soheila and I

Still happy even if she did not win, but in my heart she did.

With Love

Kristin

SCREAM

EDVARD MUNCH

Sotheby's evening sale 2nd of May 2012

Just turned on the Sotheby's evening sale online viewing... and I find myself terribly excited. In one minute begins the sale and "The Scream" is lot number 20. The most talked about Art sale of the year. How much will it go for? Who will buy it?

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seat".

So there it begins, with Matisse, Picasso, Leger all selling at good, if not over estimates with a bit of a dip with Soutine.

Feeling like I am having some sort of personal relationship with this painting, like it is the Norwegian soul being sold somehow, but telling myself there are others at "home", also it is quite amazing what this sale of "Scream" is doing for Edvard Munch's placement in the history of art. Suddenly all are talking about the Scream, even the ones who clearly do not care that much about art.

As another reason for my excitement is the Munch exhibit that is happening at the Tate Modern this summer, but really and honestly I am most excited about the opening exhibit of ArtEco Gallery with an exhibit called "After Munch".

In direct response to the Tate exhibit I have arranged an exhibit with acclaimed Norwegian Artists that will represent the feeling of Munch in us now.

.... And there the internet is down and no online viewing is possible... will have to wait patiently (not my strongest quality) and hope that it will pick up again before lot 20. I have only 5 lots to go on...

What?  I am getting the response "This auction is over" is it possible? No... finally I get back in and I can't get a picture but I can hear the auctioneer trying to get a higher bid than $107 Million... but it is not working so $107 Million it is. With the Buyers premium it ends up being 119,922,500 USD.

As I understand this is the highest paid painting at auction. *Auction houses has been involved in higher sales as an example the Gustave Klimt painting in 2006 "Portrait of Adele Blochbauer I" sold at $135 Millions, but as a private sale via Christie's. You can now find that painting at the Neue Galerie in New York. But now the question that lingers is, will we get to see "The Scream" again...? maybe we will know tomorrow.

Now I will follow the London time and slowly fall asleep, but first I have to show you Markus Brendmoe's version of the "Scream" That I will be showing at Art Eco Gallery's grand opening the 28th of June.

Markus Brendmoe

Skrik (Scream) 2009

Markus who has been influenced by Munch, has also here in this painting used images from the devastating 7/7 terrorist bombing in London, so very appropriate that I get to show it here.

Last year Markus Brendmoe had a very successful exhibit called "Munch etc." at the Stenerersenmuseumet in Oslo. ArtEco Gallery is thrilled to have him be part of the opening exhibit together with Unni Askeland and Crispin Gurholt! You will hear more about it later:)

With all this excitement, do you think I can sleep?

Well I will try,

With Love

Kristin

Out of Body

Installation view

Photo: Andy Keate

©South London Gallery

Alice Channer

South London Gallery

To take a trip to South London Gallery has been on my to do list for a long time, I was glad when I finally got to visit the space on Friday. In the large bright room, is beautifully printed crepe de chine suspended from the cathedral ceiling, that gives you a bit of a Wow! effect at arrival.

With the "Out of the Body" Exhibit Alice Channer brings together both the humanly and the spacial elements. I feel I can see muscles in the drapery and other parts like ears and eyes are sort of deconstructed on the walls and along the floor. Altogether you have Alice Channer body sort of existing in the room with you, while you do your discoveries.

Warm Metal Body

Photo: Andy Keate

©South London Gallery

Eyes, 2012

Photo: Andy Keate

©South London Gallery

Installation view

Photo: Andy Keate

©South London Gallery

Channer says: 

“I am not trying to oppose or find alternatives to the things that separate us from ourselves – the machine, the industrial, the virtual, the commercial.  Instead, I am seduced by these things and am becoming part of them through the work. The work is me, breathing, feeling and thinking with, through and as part of the processes and materials that make up the industrial and post-industrial late-capitalist world that I live in and that constitute my work.”

- South London Gallery

With Love

Kristin