Nordic Outsider Craft har kommit till Harstad i Norge

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Konst ⁄ Utställningar

NORDIC OUTSIDER CRAFT

Galleri Nord-Norge, 30 November 2019 – 10 January 2020

Couple of hundred kilograms of massive-knit made of plastic bags, free crochet wolf hybrid,

60 pieces of needlepoint of Swedish districts. In addition, geometrical yarn mobiles and aphorisms twisted of iron wire. These are a preview of the works in the Nordic Outsider Craft exhibition.

Welcome to the exhibition opening on Saturday November 30 at 1 pm in the Galleri Nord-Norge (address Normanns gate 1, Harstad).

One can dive into the massive-knit installation by Danish Kenneth Rasmussen and Icelandic Erla Björk Sigmundsdóttir’s tightly packaged dolls tempt to play with them. Norwegian Wenche Nilsen’s figures are shouting in the storm, and the light bulb tiles by Torstein Nilsen are conversing smoothly with them. Rikhard Koivisto from Finland has made series of skillful wooden sculptures presenting paradise and ordinary life, whereas Swedish Magnus Östling respects his homeland by the series of needlepoint works about the different corners of the country with their special characteristics. In addition, the textile works by the Kellokoski Princess Anna Lappalainen are seen in the exhibition. The exhibition features works from 25 artists from each Nordic country.

Nordic Outsider Craft shows what happens when handicraft does not follow the conventional rules, but goes wild with the joy of techniques and materials. However, self-expression goes hand in hand with the esteem of uncompromising skill and diligence that are required from the practicer of slow and laborious handicraft techniques. The techniques of the works range from soft textiles to ceramics and wood sculpting.

The exhibition of outsider art in Galleri Nord-Norge in Harstad challenges the verges of creativity and promotes the expressive power of handicraft techniques, the daring and the self-expression of the individual. Nordic Outsider Craft exhibition breaks the boundaries of handicraft tradition and surprises the audience by revealing craft based outsider art from the Nordic countries.

Nordic Outsider Craft defends soft values in art. Outsider art refers to such margins in art as self-taught artists and artists with disabilities. The exhibition declares that art belongs to everyone, and that there is not a single way to make works of art. Everybody has an equal right to express themselves with visual arts and creative artistic handicrafts. Attention has been paid also to the accessibility of information materials.

The curators of the exhibition are Art researcher Minna Haveri and Curator Elina Vuorimies from K. H.Renlund museum.

NORDIC OUTSIDER CRAFT PROJECT

First Nordic Outsider Craft exhibition was in the Craft Museum of Finland last year. It was a start in the wider Nordic Outsider Craft project, which presents Nordic outsider craft. After Jyväskylä the exhibition travels to all the Nordic countries as a smaller curated composition. Now it will be shown in Norway, in Galleri Nord-Norge in Harstad. Main partner in Norway is Sør-Troms Museum and its department of Trastad Samlinger-

The project is based on a strong Nordic partnership network. The project and exhibition tour are administered by the K.H.Renlund museum in Kokkola. In addition to the Sør-Troms Museum the partners are the Craft Museum of Finland, Danish Bifrost Art School and Studio in Randers, Swedish Inuti Foundation in Stockholm, and Icelandic Safnasafnið Museum in Akureyri. Additionally, as a guardian and networker for artists with learning disabilities and experts and professionals in the field the Kettuki Art Centre offers the project its expertise on art by disabled people.

The Nordic Outsider Craft project was started with the help of OPSTART grant from the Cultural Foundation. Later it has been supported by the foundation’s HANDMADE themed funding and by the help of the Swedish Cultural Foundation.

The Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Foundation and the Nordic Culture Point have assisted the curator visits. The Uusimaa Regional Fund has supported the production of the part of the exhibition presenting the art embroidery by the Kellokoski Princess Anna Lappalainen.

ARTISTS IN THE EXHIBITION

DENMARK

Kenneth Rasmussen

NORWAY

Brit Lisbeth Johnsen

Herleik Kristiansen

Torstein Nilsen

Wenche Nilsen

SWEDEN

Camilla Holmqvist

Chang Im Ohlson

Patricia Sigurd