Kristin Tårnesvik
Ro i rett linje (Row in a Straight Line)
Exhibition spaces on the 2nd floor
11.01.24–18.02.24

In the exhibition Ro i rett linje (Row in a Straight Line), Kristin Tårnesvik presents a series of new drawings with marker pen and dry pastels on paper, as well as several wooden sculptures. The intuitive process and play with abstract forms are prevalent in her artistic practice.

Starting from one line followed by another, the motif gradually emerges on the sheet without a predetermined plan or endpoint. Coincidences that occur during the process are welcomed and may lead to a new expression, which the artist then continues to develop. Tårnesvik is concerned with finding a rhythm in the slow-paced work and reaching alignment with the materials at hand. The work unfolds as a meditative process, where conscious and unconscious states bleed into one another.

What happens here and now, both in the work itself and in the long run, is significant to Tårnesvik. She continues to work on a drawing until she deems it ready for display, yet she is not concerned with the piece becoming static, confined to a fixed place in history. Without any sentimental attachment, she might continue working on the piece or repurpose the materials for new projects. In the exhibition, both the works and the artist are thus given a momentary pause. The processing can range from simply drawing in new lines to scrubbing the pieces in the shower, followed by adding new layers of marker pen, paint, or other materials. When subjected to these transformations, the materials may take on new functions. Having been raised in an environment where repair and frugal reuse were highly valued, this dynamic approach represents something familiar to the artist.

Tårnesvik refers to her abstract works as languageless. The process entails leaving language behind, entering into the realm of emotions. This is also connected to her upbringing in a Sea Sámi village, strongly affected by the Norwegianisation policy. Traditional craftsmanship and the intuitive come together in the wooden sculptures, which were carved at her father's home in Dálvesvággi/Olderdalen. In the exhibition, the sculptures also offer an opportunity to experience a spirituality and a sphere where time and place cease to exist.

Kristin Tårnesvik (b. 1964) is a Norwegian-Sámi artist from Gáivuotna/Kåfjord, currently based in Oslo. She completed her studies in photography at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design in 2004. Tårnesvik works across various media and formats, including drawing, graphics, sculpture, photography, and video for installation-based works. Her works often revolve around themes like cultural heritage and memory, as well as reflections on time and manual labour. Tårnesvik has participated in numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally, such as at Sámi Center for Contemporary Art, Stavanger Kunstmuseum, Tromsø Kunstforening, RAM, Stenersenmuseet, Nikolay Kunsthall Denmark, Akershus Kunstsenter, Performa New York, Entrée, and Fotogalleriet. She has undertaken several art commisons, and her works have been acquired by the Norwegian Culture Council and the Sámi Parliament, among others.

The exhibition is funded by Kulturrådet, Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond, and Bildende Kunstneres Hjelpefond.