Weathering the Storm

This exhibition will present a group of seven leading Norwegian painters spanning three generations to a UK audience at the Art in Perpetuity Trust Gallery in London. Participating artists are Gunvor Nervold Antonsen, Håkon Bleken, Sverre Bjertnæs, Christer Glein, Anna Marie Sigmond Gudmundsdottir, Håvard Homstvedt, and Eigil Nordstrøm.

A connection with nature is felt by many Norwegians to be an intrinsic part of their identity. Our country is one and a half times the size of the UK but has less than one-twelfth of the population, so empty open space is easy to access, and isolation in nature is part of the culture. This is exemplified by the traditional cabin in the mountains: a place of immersion in the wilderness. Balanced against this is the human need for community, a need which has been highlighted by pandemic lockdowns and their associated mental health problems. This struggle between the desire to retreat and the human need for connectedness is one of the tensions that drives the practices of these artists. In times of isolation and loneliness - in spite of all of our virtual connectedness - how do we live together? Through a rich tapestry of experimental painterly processes they carve out a materiality that foregrounds the land and the body, in an attempt to rebalance our relationship with nature and with each other.

Curated by Eigil Nordstrøm.