Publisert 7.02.2023

Bærum Kunsthall’s program for 2023 juried by Forum Box

Work ANTIMONY by Sibylle Eimermacher. In collaboration with Iwan Boverhof and Mirte Engelhard.

ANTIMONY. Sibylle Eimermacher in collaboration with Iwan Boverhof and Mirte Engelhard. Photo: Tor S. Ulstein / Kunstdok

Baerum Kunsthall is working together with Forum Box, one of Finland’s eldest artist-run venues, on Kunsthall’s exhibition program for 2023. 

This is the third  year of Bærum Kunsthall’s Nordic look at curating. The jury for 2021 was Kling & Bang from Iceland and the program for 2022 was juried by A Kassen from Denmark. This time it’s Finland’s turn. The jury of the year consisted of Antti Oikarinen, Riikka Puronen and Vesa-Pekka Rannikko from Forum Box, and was led by Oda Broch from Bærum Kunsthall. Together they chose a total of 11 artists/artist groups to exhibit as a part of Baerum Kunsthall’s 2023 program. 

The chosen artists/artist groups are: Sibylle Eimermacher, Qi Tan, Sissel Fredriksen, Samuel Brzeski, Miguel Rozas Balboa, Sanna Helena Berger, Jens Stegger Ledaal, Clara J:son Borg, Johan Urban Bergquist, Jonas Liveröd, and Gorjeoux Moon

The first exhibitions opened on January 5th with Sibylle Eimermacher’s Antiomony and Qi Tan’s Cosmic Garden. Both exhibitions are on display until the 29th of January. 

The jury had the following to say about their choices for the 2023 Program: 

”In the selected projects, we strove to build a diverse and rich whole, where a certain theme or topic would not define the exhibitions. The selected artists and groups represent very different ways of working both in terms of tools and materials and subject matter. We were looking for personal and special ways of perceiving the world through art.

The works emphasized the post-Covid desire to communicate and engage in communal activities. This was reflected in the form of several projects that highlight human activity and working together. The mixing of different art forms, openness and relationality came to the fore as hybrids of, for example, performance, installation and social works.

The uncertain political situation in the world was reflected in the works as an examination of the media world, a personal concern or a re-evaluation of the meaning of the aesthetics of war.

The physical and imaginative way of working was emphasized in the works. Serious current topics such as identity or the state of the environment were often approached in the works through humor, fantasy or play. This was emphasized through the materiality of the works and multi-sensory working methods.”

The jury’s work and Baerum Kunsthall’s collaboration with Forum Box is supported by The Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute.

Read more about Baerum Kunsthall’s Program 2023 here.

Text: Baerum Kunsthall, edited by FINNO