landscape

Kunsthall Stavanger is pleased to present Landscape, an all-encompassing installation by Swiss artist Nicolas Party.

For this exhibition, the artist combines site-specific installations with paintings and drawings inspired by Stavanger artist Lars Hertervig (1830 – 1902) to create a new landscape within the Kunsthall’s five galleries. Hertervig is one of Norway’s most highly regarded Romantic painters, and the largest collection of his work belonged to Stavanger Kunstforening (now Kunsthall Stavanger) until 1990 when it was donated to the Stavanger Art Museum. The year 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the artist’s rediscovery after living most of his life in obscurity. Landscape is an homage to Hertervig and the history of Stavanger Kunstforening.

Referencing both traditional art history and graffiti culture, Party has worked directly on the walls of the kunsthall with charcoal and paint, creating an immersive environment in which the building becomes fully integrated into the exhibition. Part artwork, part staging for events, Landscape reveals historical links to the past and invites the audience to understand the kunsthall as a space for social interaction and participation. At the opening, a menu developed by Party in collaboration with a local chef will be served on hand-painted plates designed by the artist. During the month of July, several events will take place in the space, such as a concert, a screening, and kids’ workshops.

Culling inspiration from domestic scenes, food, still lifes, and landscapes, Party employs a bright, colorful aesthetic that expands upon the works’ rich art-historical legacy. Using painting as a starting point, his ideas are often finally manifested in ephemeral installations, sculptures, and events. At once light-hearted and deeply engaging, the artist’s installations feel like three-dimensional paintings awaiting activation by the audience.

Nicolas Party (b. 1980, Switzerland) currently lives and works in Brussels. Party’s solo exhibitions include Still Lives and Big Naked Women at Gregor Staiger in Zurich 2012; Still Life, Stones, and Elephants at the Swiss Institute in New York, 2012; Dinner for 24 Elephants at The Modern Institute, Glasgow, 2011; and Elephants at the Woodmill, at The Woodmill, London 2011.

Installation photos: Christopher Jonassen. Opening photos: Simon Serigstad. Courtesy Kunsthall Stavanger.

Landscape has received generous support from Norwegian Association of Art Societies and RMB Malerservice.