calendario eventi  :: 

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9/6/2004

I see an angel

Galleri Wang, Oslo

I think it's you.

Vanessa Baird and Mette K. Hellenes

This exhibition features two new video works by Vanessa Baird and Mette Hellenes in collaboration. In addition, we are showing a series of new watercolours and paintings by Vanessa Baird and new drawings by Mette Hellenes.

In the videos, which the artists have made together, we meet them as two old friends who know each other so well that they no longer have to speak to one another; facial expressions and gestures suffice.

They each sit on a chair with their coffee cups on the table. They seem old and grumpy, but nevertheless intensely aware of each other. They no longer have anything to talk about ­ they have talked through and exhausted all possible subjects. The atmosphere is heavy, and there is no conversation.

But at last the silence is broken when one of the two does something unpleasant in order to infuriate the other. However, the interest that existed previously is no longer there. They are sapped of energy. Her old friend remains calm and unaffected and the same pattern of events is repeated.

In the other film, we find the two friends in their studio where they are having a party for themselves. They are drinking a lot, but still nothing is said. All that can be heard is the background music and the strained giggling of the friends as they get drunk on white wine. They seem lonely but staunchly try to enjoy each other¹s company. They throw up in each other's lap and then continue drinking. They dance a little and laugh. But their laughter is empty and their dancing is totally devoid of pleasure. All they have left is sadness and alcohol.

It looks as if we have at last come face to face with the models for Kebbevennene*, this time at some point in the future. We are used to seeing them as drawn figures in Hellenes' cartoons. But this time they are present as real people of flesh and blood. They are older than the figures we know and the pleasure in poking fun at the world of art is toned down somewhat.

Both the seriousness and the rather sharp sense of humour evident in the works of this exhibition are similar to that of both Baird's and Hellenes' earlier drawings and projects produced either independently or in collaboration with one another.

The artists' collaborative works nevertheless have a more sombre character than we are used to; sadness has replaced sarcasm and their sense of humour is slightly darker. But self-irony is never far away.

In the image a frame of video.

Welcome to the opening of our new exhibition on
Thursday 10 June at 7 p.m.

For more information, please contact us on telephone 00 47 22 11 51 70

* "Kebbevennene": lit. "Turkish meat cake friends": the name of two cartoon characters in Norway. The name was originally inspired by the location of the artist¹s atelier opposite a Turkish street kitchen, where they used to meet and have Kebbe.

Galleri Wang
Kristian Augusts gate 11
Oslo

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