Retrospective: Film- & Video Art, Norway,1960 - 90
“Retrospective: Film & Video Art Norway” is a long-term research project of Atopia involving exhibitions, screenings, seminars and publications.
This project aims at providing an in-depth examination of the historical development of artists’ film and video works in Norway, and to explore the idea of introducing new historical references for this practice.
Local references for film & video art in Norway are almost non-existent. We borrow such references from other parts of the world where the history of this practice is documented and claimed. Nevertheless there are many renowned artists in Norway, who have been experimenting with the apparatus of filmmaking from the early 1960s, and with video from the 1970’s.
A national archive of artists' film and video works is yet to exist in Norway. In our efforts to locate the film and video works we have tried to make a far-reaching call to artists and art institutions across the country that can help us locate the individual works. We have been receiving information along with the works since the mid 2008, and to this day we continue to receive additional works from individual artists. We are also working towards tracking down and studying the existing collections. Our goal is to produce an all-embracing and reliable compilation of film and video works as the research ground for the project.
This project is organized in three sequential parts, with each part resulting in a series of exhibitions and a catalogue. The first part of this trilogy with the works produced during the thirty years of 1960-90 will go on exhibition at Stenersen Museum in March 2011.
We believe this project will contribute to the enrichment and diversification of the history of fine art in Norway. This project wishes to explore the idea of introducing new artistic references for experimental film and video art within the geographical frames of Norway. An engagement with the discourse of production of histories, construction of identities and the state of collective memory are among the underlying concerns of this research project.
We have invited several other researchers and writers to work with us on this project. For textual contributions we are inviting a number of national as well as international voices within the contemporary art history and criticism.
This project includes publication of three books of articles analyzing the works and discussing their historical significance both in a global as well as in a national context. These books will include a DVD containing short clips from the actual works in the exhibition and several artist portraits.
In the production of these video portraits for the first part of the project (1960-90) we have invited several younger film and video artists to collaborate with us. These commissioned works will be manifestations of cross-generational dialogues between artists and they will be a part of the main exhibition as well.
Retrospective. Part 2
With the first part of the Retrospective project well on the way, we have begun the initial phase of collecting the works for the second part. The second part will focus on the period between 1990 and 2000.
At this point we invite artists to send us their works for preview in the form of DVD or VHS tape. We accept single screen works as well as documentation of installation works. The exhibition venues and dates of the second part will be announced later in 2011. We should instruct all interested artists to refrain from sending us any original material.
- The “Rretrospective Exhibition” was initiated as an Atopia project by Farhad Kalantary in 2007, who acts as the project leader.
- Project assistants include: Synne Holst-Pedersen, Linn Lervik and Tone A. Gellein
- Project advisors include Toril Simonsen, Kjell Billing and Nina Schjønsby.
- Atopia Stiftelse is the producer and publisher of this project.
- Sponsors include: Norsk kulturråd, Fritt Ord, Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond Prosjektstøtte, and Bildende Kunstneres Hjelpefond.
Retrospective Exhibition, Part 1
30 Years of Motion
This hard cover book is the first publication of Atopia concerning the history of film and video art in Norway. It covers the period 1960 to 1990 and it offers an in-depth analysis of the art works by many national and international writers. This is a fully bilingual book in Norwegian and English with images taken from the works along with biographical information about 35 artists who have shaped the history of film and video art in Norway.
The book features textual contributions by the following:
Farhad Kalantary
Gunnar Iversen
Interview with Jorunn Veiteberg
Irene Ikdal
Lorella Scacco
Nicky Hamlyn
Ole Fjereide
Stephanie von Spreter
Stephen Partridge
It also contains a DVD with Video Portraits of 9 artists who have had a significant role in the history of film and video art. The videos provide an intimate and personal view of the artists, and they are produced in collaboration with 9 video artists of the following generation.
Number of pages: 352
Edited by Linn Lervik & Farhad Kalantary
Produced by Atopia Stiftelse
Price: NOK 350,-
© Atopia Stiftelse, 2017-
Video documentation, Retrospective Exhibition, Part 1, 1960-90
Artists in the exhibition:
Anja Breien
Arnljot Berg
Arild Kristo
Art Attack ( Pia Myrvold & Randy Naylor)
Bredo Greve
Camilla Wærenskjold
Carina Héden
Erik Borge
Espen Thosrstenson
Gruppe ELG
Gunnar F. Syvertsen
Inghild Karlsen
Inger Johanne Byhring
Casper Evensen
Ivar Smedstad
Jeremy Welsh
Kjartan Slettemark
Kjell Bjørgengen
Knut Erik Jensen
Birger Amundsen
Kristin Bergaust
Ola Solum
Ed Epstein
Lars Paalgaard
Laurie Grundt
Eva Acking
Marianne Bratteli
Marianne Heske
Merete Morgenstierne
Morten Børresen
Morten Skallerud
Oddvar Einarson
Oddvar I. N. Daren
Pål Bang-Hansen
Roar Skolmen
Rolf Aamot
Terje Munthe
Torhild Aukan
Øyvind Johnsen