The exhibition "La table, l'océan et le fruit" consists of six solo exhibitions side by side in a production space of an old brewery in Stavanger, Norway.
La table, l'océan et le fruit / The table, the sea and the fruit
Artists: Cato Løland, Ida Madsen Følling & Markus Li Stensrud, Henrik Olai Kaarstein, Lars Korff Lofthus, Ingrid Toogood, Liv Tandrevold Eriksen
November 2 – November 26, 2023
Ølhallene, Tou, Stavanger
The title of the exhibition is borrowed from René Magritte's painting from 1927 "La table, l'océan et le fruit" (The table, the sea and the fruit), and serves as a common platform for the six exhibition spaces. Magritte's painting depicts three objects; a leaf, something that resembles a stone or a pear and a jug, with each word from the title painted above it. There is apparently no connection between word and object. Margritte's surreal juxtaposition of words and motifs functions more as a key to unlocking a new and larger mental space than as a clue to understanding a riddle. The absurdity of the title offers a broad understanding and experience of reality.
This open-minded attitude towards definitions and categories and the unclear lines between genres have been a common denominator for the artists in this exhibition.
The six rooms have in common that they explore the physical image materially, spatially and conceptually, where the flat can be sculptural and the sculpture can be painterly. Each exhibition appears as a separate version sprung from common motivation and situation.
Henrik Olai Kaarstein (b. 1989 in Oslo) lives and works in Oslo and Brussels. He has studied at Nordland Film and Art School in Kabelvåg and Städelschule in Frankfurt. Kaarstein has exhibited at a number of galleries and museums in Norway and abroad, including Etablissement d'en face, Brussels; Gether Contemporary, Copenhagen; T293 Gallery, Rome; Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, Kristiandsand Kunsthall and Stavanger Art Museum.
Cato Løland (b. 1982) lives in Bergen, Norway. Løland completed his MA from Bergen Academy of Art and Design in 2009. Recent solo exhibitions include Chests at Paris Internationale, Paris (FR), Reservoar at The Textile Industry Museum, Salhus (NO), Før, før, etter, etter at Tag Team, Bergen (NO), Albogerom at SOFT Gallery, Oslo (NO) and Folded Lines, Battle and Events at Entrée, Bergen (NO). Current group exhibitions include Uncertain Weavings at The Address Gallery, Brescia (IT)The Queer Gaze at KODE Art Museums, Bergen (NO) and Contextile at the 6th Contemporary Textile Art Biennial in Guimarães (PT). Løland’s work is included in the collections of KORO Public Art Norway, KODE Art Museums and Composer Homes, The Bergen Municipality Collection, Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum, University of Bergen, National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Norway, as well as several private collections.
Lars Korff Lofthus (b.1978) has an extensive exhibition practice and is also engaged in writing and curation. His work is represented in several collections including The National Museum, Bergen Art Museum KODE, Oslo Municipality and Equinor. He divides his time and work between Bergen, where until recently he was a senior lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts. He has a studio in Hardanger where he lives.
Liv Tandrevold Eriksen (b.1976) lives and works in Oslo and has an education from KHIO, MA at the institute for color 2004, and is currently represented by QB gallery in Oslo. She has also exhibited at the Kunstnerforbundet, Tegneforbundet, Akershus Art Center, Stavanger Art Museum, LNM, Tag Team and Hordaland Art Center in Bergen, Skåne Art Association in Sweden, and Enter Art fair in Copenhagen. Her work is included in a number of private and public collections, including the Norwegian Arts Council, The Swedish Art Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Equinor and KLP.
Ida Madsen Følling and Markus Li Stensrud both have a master's degree from Oslo Academy of the Arts and live at the same address in Oslo. Their duo project began with the exhibition DOMESTISISME at Podium in Oslo in 2021, and this year they were represented at Chart Art Fair in Copenhagen with ISCA Gallery. They also collaborate on larger collective projects, such as Et A Collective Chaos at Kunsthall Oslo in 2020.
Ingrid Toogood (b.1976, Sola) lives and works in Stavanger. She holds a MA from The National College of Art and Design in Oslo (2002). In addition to several solo- and group exhibitions in Norway, including at The National museum, Galleri LNM, Stavanger Art museum, Elephant kunsthall, Kristiansand kunsthall, Galleri Soft, her work has been included in the collections at Stavanger Art Museum, The University of Oslo, St.Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Haugesund Art Collection and Equinor.
The exhibition is supported by the Norwegian Directorate of Culture, Rogaland County Municipality and Stavanger Municipality
Photo: Erik Sæter Jørgensen