Norwegian artist Ida Ekblad to unveil new monumental sculpture at Kistefos

Ida EkbladPhoto: Jacqueline Landvik. Reprinted with permission from the artist and Peder Lund.

Calling all art lovers!

On August 18, a new and site-specific sculpture by Ida Ekblad will be unveiled at Kistefos. The work, called A DEADLY SLUMBER OF ALL FORCES, 2021, will be located on the terrain outside The Twist – at the artist’s own request. Painted by hand, this is the largest and most important sculpture by Ekblad to date.

On the sculpture

Ekblad’s sculpture is a fascinating hybrid of the artist’s expressions – in fact, it’s a sort of collage made from fragments of her own paintings. Using such a method enables Ekblad to create a captivating visual experience with dynamic, changing perspectives – reminiscent of legendary sculptures such as Picasso‘s Bust of Sylvette on Bleeker Street in New York, Dubuffet‘s Monument with Standing Beast in Chicago, or Lichtenstein‘s Brushstroke sculptures. In addition, Ekblad’s abstract composition and masterful use of color give viewers unlimited possibilities to attach their own feelings and memories to the work.

Structurally, this sculpture consists of four parts put together using a cubist method. The puzzle-like composition of the elements is outlined in flat surfaces. Ekblad revitalizes the technique and creates multiple perspectives in a synthesis of mind and memory. While Cubists often de- and reconstructed a figurative element, Ekblad uses only abstract patterns in her composition – such as maritime blue and white Breton stripes that unfold like butterfly wings in the sculpture’s top element. This shape was the main motif of a large triptych included in her fantastic exhibition BLOOD OPTICS, held at Museo Tamayo in Mexico City last year. The central panel in the triptych A grain of sulfur in the blood (2018) shows the same shape and has been purchased by Norway’s National Museum. In Ekblad’s newest sculpture, however, a blue and white shape – this time resembling an ink stain of a Rorschach test – is turned upside down so that the sun can cast light through the upper half’s carved areas.

Through one of the openings, a sharp green edge belonging to the largest element in the sculpture, which is mostly colored in a red and white checkerboard pattern, points its head towards the thin and tall third element in the sculpture. With its monochrome color blocks, this section is reminiscent of a Mondrian grid. On the opposite side, the fourth element gives the sculpture a different perspective distortion, as it almost disappears in thin, bronze-colored lines. It winds perfectly in a horizontal diagonal around the largest element, so that its distinct main grid in dark and light green is only visible from above and below.

With its multi-perspective and clear vitality, this site-specific work offers an ever-surprising visual journey for viewers.

Ekblad specifically wanted the location to be near the Kistefos Museum’s new building, The Twist. The sculpture’s organic shape and colorful expression are great additions to the place and will liven up the area with their dynamic presence all year.

About Kistefos

Kistefos Museum was established in 1996 by investor and art collector Christen Sveaas in the area where his grandfather, Consul Anders Sveaas, previously ran a wood factory. Today, Kistefos is a cultural destination consisting of a sculpture park, two art galleries, and an industrial museum.

The Twist, a new spectacular museum building, was opened on September 18, 2019, and was designed by the Danish architects at the Bjarke Ingels Group. Both The Twist and the Nybruket Gallery will house art exhibitions of international caliber.

The museum’s sculpture park is Northern Europe’s largest for site-specific contemporary sculptures. It’s home to 45 sculptures by Norwegian and internationally renowned artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Tony Cragg, Anish Kapoor, Marc Quinn, Jeppe Hein, Elmgreen & Dragset, Olafur Eilasson, Fernando Botero, and John Gerrard – to name a few. Every year, the sculpture park is expanded with one or more sculptures consistently added to the collection.

Ready to visit? You’ll find Kistefos located on Jevnaker in scenic surroundings, only one hour from Oslo.

Source: ©️ NTB Scanpix / #NorwayTodayTravel

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