In Sanity
with Scene at Officinet, Copenhagen
3. JUNI – 28. AUGUST 2011
Officinet / Danske Kunsthåndværkere
Bredgade 66
1260 København K
http://www.danskekunsthaandvaerkere.dk
Scene is a collaborative trio of ceramics artists that was founded in 2009. We have a lot of common artistic ground as we all work with clay in a more experimental, way than the majority of the ceramic community. Jennifer Woodin uses new technology such as digital imaging and fabrication as tools and part of her artistic expression and in Henny Linn Kjellberg’s work ceramics are used in stage designs, performance and land art projects. Ane Fabricius Christiansen uses ceramics in combination with photography, video and ready-mades.
Our first collaborative show took place in Philadelphia, USA, in the early spring of 2010, during the international ceramic conference NCECA. The concept for that specific show was to examine different performative aspects of the ceramic object, using photography, installation and performance to activate the typically static ceramic art object, with the aim to change the audience’s awareness of and interaction with the gallery as public space. We were interested in how our perceptions are challenged as we consider the transition of private to public, actor to audience or author to reader.
Officinet, our latest exhibit space, is the association Danske Kunsthåndværkere’s main gallery. The space, situated close to Kunstindustrimuseet and next to the theatre Grønnegårdsteatret, was once used as a pharmacy, serving patients from the connecting sanatorium. Over the last 400 years it has been used to serve the general public’s mental health, either through medication or culture. The history of the space has dealt with our basic human need of sanity.
The space was shared with the neighboring Grønnegårdsteatret, which will expose the exhibition to a larger and slightly unusual audience than the average craft show. This is something that we have been taking in consideration when designing the parameters for the show. We are exploring the performance aspect of culture by inviting the gallery visitors to enter a stage-like scene that draws parallels both to the history of the exhibition space and to it’s current function/situation.
The exhibition is investigating the notion of self-identity, the illusion of sanity and insanity, the history of place, stories and memories. Throughout life we collect images in our mind of familiarity and assign certain identities to everything we encounter. Some objects elicit fear, some are neutral and others can bring great joy. All of these projected memories of objects throughout our life become part of our culture and the way we perceive it.
As part of the exhibition, each of the artists has developed ceramic objects that represent the familiar and mundane reality of life that we use to build our identities. The placement and implied function of these familiar forms, then taken out of context, call into question what we believe to be solid. The strange new representation of trusted objects cause an unsettling moment of groundlessness.
The show consists of a mix between ready-mades, ceramic objects and sound installation. Each artist presents individually made ceramic objects, but the over all design is formed collaboratively.
Wire Works III / Rolös with Jennifer Woodin’s Earhorn
Wire Works III / Rolös, detail
Exhibition overview