Degrees of urgency
After years of studies, experiments, critique and research, Andreas, Arild, Aski, Aurora, Diva, Elias, Erin, Henning, Icaro, Ingrid, Kamilla, Lorie, Louise, Malin, Mari, Michelle, Nuri, Sara, Sjur, Sofia, Taru, Tia, Tova, Vilde, Yanyi and Åsne will soon open their graduation show at the Bergen Kunsthall, titled triage.
The MFA exhibitions have always fascinated me because they look so different compared to any other group show. Usually, it is not organized so neatly and there is no explicit red thread throughout the show, but these dynamic constellations – sometimes only connected because the artists were in the same class – create a playful and thought-provoking effect, proposing new thoughts and ideas for its audience. The students work individually choosing and developing their projects, but it can still be tempting to look for similar interests or recurring topics amongst the class. Critics seem to view and review MFA shows with this in mind, occasionally suggesting predictions into the future or relating it to the past. How does the graduation class deal with materiality? How do they choose to comment on current affairs? Is it a political statement if they do not? Looking at triage might still reveal something about changing currents in the arts, but even if this is not readily apparent for us at the moment, these graduation shows always makes me feel uplifted and inspired, and triage feels like a vitamin injection.
Working with the artists mentioned above as the triage curator has been a privilege. Their projects are personal, inventive, honest and bold, and they have taught me a lot through countless studio visits and engaged group discussions. The MFA graduation show is highly diverse, and rather than trying to evoke a unifying theme I find myself celebrating the broad spectrum of artworks delving into ecology, material experiments, scientific and philosophical ideas, existentialism and political turmoil.
The title, triage, is a borrowed medical term referring to the classification of degrees of urgency when dealing with numerous patients. Beyond its literal meaning, triage connotes a methodology for making priorities, an open-ended title which sheds light on the spectator as much as the artist. Because after all, we have all made choices leading up to this.
- Espen Johansen
April 7th - May 7th 2017
Bergen Kunsthall, Rasmus Meyers alle 5, N-5015 Bergen, Norway
Opening day
20-22
Exhibition open
Tues - Sun 11-17
Thur 11-20 (free admission from 17)
Exhibition closed during Easter (April 14-17)
Guided tours
Every Sunday at 14
6 April at 18 for members
9 April at 13 for families