UNCERTAIN STATES OF AMERICA: American art in the 3rd Millennium
October 8 - December 11, 2005
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
Dronningens gate 4, Oslo, Norway
www.afmuseet.no
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is happy to announce their next exhibition: a unique presentation of young and emerging American artists. The exhibition, entitled Uncertain States of America, opens October 8, 2005, and is curated by Daniel Birnbaum, Gunnar B. Kvaran and Hans Ulrich Obrist.
In the course of recent years, Astrup Fearnley Museum has acquired and exhibited a number of notable American artists. It seems therefore apt to go further and explore tendencies among the new generation of American artists. For this ambitious project, which has taken more than two years and has entailed a review of innumerable young artists from across the USA, the museum has chosen a curatorial team consisting of the museums director Gunnar B. Kvaran, and the internationally recognized curators Daniel Birnbaum and Hans Ulrich Obrist.
On the basis of the large collected material, the curators have selected 41 artists/artist-groups, who they deem the most outstanding of the new generation of American artists. What they all have in common is that their works hold an intensity and indisputable quality. Meanwhile, the exhibition also presents great diversity with regard to style, techniques and materials. This diversity the curators have taken into account; they present a complex exhibition of multi-media installations, a sculpture exhibition, a film and video program, a performance program, a lecture series and an exhibition catalogue, a work of art in its own right!
Although the exhibition is comprised of rich and varied material, certain common features are apparent. The curators note that they have been confronted with a narrative art, and an ability to tell new and disparate stories. They have encountered artists who are cognizant of their historical context, and who, on many different levels, express a clear social and political consciousness. Meanwhile, all the works break new creative ground, and have a strong aesthetic awareness.
Artists included in the exhibition:
Allora & Calzadilla, Edgar Arceneaux/Rodney McMillian, Devendra Banhart, Frank Benson, Jennifer Bornstein, Mike Bouchet, Matthew Brannon, Anthony Burdin, Paul Chan, Sean Dack, Trisha Donnelly, Jim Drain, Piero Golia, Hannah Greely, Taft Green, Guyton\Walker, Karl Haendel, Christian Holstad, Shane Huffman, Jiae Hwang, Matthew Day Jackson, Matt Johnson, Miranda July, Nate Lowman, Daria Martin, Matt McCormick, Ohad Meromi, Kori Newkirk, Seth Price, Adam Putnam, Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Matthew Ronay, Mika Rottenberg, Aïda Ruilova, Paul Sietsema, Josh Smith, Mika Tajima, TM Sisters, Jordan Wolfson, Mario Ybarra Jr., Aaron Young.
Special projects:
Brooklyn Rail, e-flux video rental, Mc Sweenys/Dave Eggers, Quiet Industries, Whitewalls.
Performances Saturday October 8th at 3 p.m: Christian Holstad; Mika Tajima; Jordan Wolfson
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art will hold a press conference, Thursday, October 6, at 10 am.
The Curators will be available for interviews.
Interviews must be arranged in advance.
Catalogue in English will be available.
Contact persons:
Johanna Zwaig: 47 22 93 60 69
Anki Oveland: 47 22 93 60 60
Hanne Beate Ueland: 47 22 93 60 49