Third lecture, song at gallery

Yesterday I gave the third and final lecture at Sølvberget galleri in connection with Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner". The lecture was titled "Vi er alle migranter - Flukt som menneskets situasjon", and attended by 18 people. Ahead of the lecture, "Herfra til ingensteder" by my musical alias The Schopenhauer Experience was played.

Text for video art exhibition "Vitner" composed

At the beginning of this week I finished my text for the brochure of Eli Glader´s video art exhibition "Vitner" [Witnesses], which is to be on display from February to May in Sølvberget galleri, Stavanger.

To sign contracts with Sølvberget galleri on "Vitner" contributions

I am in the process of signing contracts with Sølvberget Galleri in relation to Eli Glader´s forthcoming video art exhibition "Vitner" (to open February 10th). I will give three philosophically themed lectures, and write the text for an exhibition brochure.

Invited reflections on art exhibition online in English and Norwegian

My invited reflections on the arts exhibition "New Eden?" (Article biennial 2016, Sølvberget galleri, Stavanger - Norway) are available online in Norwegian and in English. They are referred to under Article biennial news (in Norwegian and English). The English version of the text is also linked to from the Facebook page of i/o lab.

"Outside the circle" art exhibition text now online

My academic text "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle], which is part of Jørund Aase Falkenberg's art exhibition of the same name, is now available online - on the artist's homepage in plain text plus as a PDF document.

I've also published the full text in my Norwegian language blog Utopisk Realisme.

Text read at opening of art exhibition "Who owns history?"

Yesterday I had the pleasure of reading excerpts of my text "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle] at the third out of four events constituting the opening of the 8 artists-strong art exhibition "Hvem eier historien? Makt, kunst og demokrati" [Who owns history? Power, art and democracy] in Stavanger. My reading was part of the opening of "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle] by artist Jørund Aase Falkenberg, at MUST - Museum Stavanger's Department of Natural History. There were quite a few present (a hundred?).

This was the second time I took part in the opening of an art exhibition, and furthermore it is the second time I am contributing to an art exhibition (both times in an academic role).

Some hours ahead of the opening event(s), I got to see Jørund's exhibition, which  includes the video "Inn i sirkelen" [Into the circle], documenting how he burried two birds from the museum's collection, and "Nytt lys" [New light] which is situated around and within an existing natural history exhibition involving skeletons (of whales etc.) and mounted animals.

The full text of my contribution "Utenfor sirkelen" (6 pp) will be available in print throughout the exhibition (March 6th - June 15th) at Stavanger Museum - initially there are 50 copies, but more will be produced given demand.

See also: 

To speak at opening of art exhibition "Outside the circle"

Opening of the art exhibition "Asylum" at Utsikten (May 2013)

Video installation opened at Hå gamle prestegard; includes interview with me (April 2013)

To speak at opening of art exhibition "Outside the circle"

I have agreed to speak, or rather read aloud, at the opening of the art exhibition "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle] by artist Jørund Aase Falkenberg, which will take place at MUST - Museum Stavanger's Department of Natural History on Thursday March 6th at 20.15. In addition to this event, involving two artists, there will also be a more general opening event for the art exhibition(s) "Hvem eier historien? Makt, kunst og demokrati" (Who owns history? Power, art and democracy) at 6 pm the same day at Stavanger Art Museum, which I will attend.

See also:

Norwegian parliament and MUST on the art exhibition Who owns history?; end date

Art exhibition "Outside the circle" to open March 6th

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" revised and finalized

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" finished

Norwegian parliament and MUST on the art exhibition Who owns history?; end date

The human-animal relations art exhibition "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle] by Jørund Aase Falkenberg, where I contribute with a text, is part of the larger exhibition "Hvem eier historien? Kunst, makt og demokrati" [Who owns history? Art, power and democracy] involving altogether 8 artists. This exhibition opens March 6th and will be on display until June 15th. The eight individual exhibitions included will be on display at various locations, namely MUST - Museum Stavanger and further Stavanger maritime museum, Breidablikk and Stavanger kunstmuseum. See the exhibition's modest page at MUST - Museum Stavanger, and the webpage of the Norwegian parliament (the exhibition is part of the official program for the 200 year anniversary of Norway's constitution).

See also:

Art exhibition "Outside the circle" to open March 6th

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" finished

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" revised and finalized

Art exhibition "Outside the circle" to open March 6th

The art exhibition "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle] by Jørund Aase Falkenberg will, along with associated exhibitions, open on Thursday March 6th, at MUST - Museum Stavanger's Department of Natural History. The exhibition will be on display for some three months.

See also:

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" finished

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" revised and finalized

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" revised and finalized

Monday this week I revised and finalized my text contribution to Jørund Aase Falkenberg's upcoming art exhibition "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle]. The final text is 6 pp including references.

See also:

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" finished

Text to art exhibition "Outside the circle" finished

Last Monday I finished an academic text (5 pp) commissioned by the artist Jørund Aase Falnenberg for his upcoming art exhibition "Utenfor sirkelen" [Outside the circle]. The art exhibition, which is one of many marking the 200 year anniversary of Norway's constitution, will be shown at MUST - Museum Stavanger, more specifically Department of Natural History, starting early March. Falkenberg's art exhibition has an animal theme.

This is the third time I am contributing one way or another to an art exhibition.

Opening of art exhibition: News story published in local newspaper; radio website

Monday April 13th the local newspaper Agder published a news story titled “Magedans på kunstutstilling” [Belly dance at art exhibition], on the opening of “Asylum (midt iblant oss) [Asylum (right in our midst)]” on Utsikten art center on April 11th. Quote in translation (for this post in Norwegian, see my Norwegian blog Utopisk Realisme): 

The art exhibition was opened with a causerie by philosopher Morten Tønnessen, who shared his thoughts on what it means to have your life on hold without being able to realise your potential and realise your dreams. 

The same news story, also by journalist Tor Magne Gausdal, was published on April 12th on the website of  Radio Kvinesdal. Gausdal is also the man behind a photograph from the opening, published on both of the mentioned sites, where I appear (right).

Opening of the art exhibition "Asylum" at Utsikten

April 11th I took part in the opening of the art exhibition, or more specifically video installation, "Asylum (midt i blant oss)" [Asylum - right in our midst] at Utsikten art center in Kvinesdal, Norway. The exhibition is on display until May 16th.

As my opening words, I read the philosophical causerie "Å ha livet på vent" [Having your life on hold]. The exhibition features video recordings from a Norwegian asylum center. The opening of the video installation was well visited, with some 50-60 people attending, about half of them with a background as asylum seekers. The program of the opening further included conversation with the artist, Eli Glader, belly dancing, and an informal panel discussion in which I also took part.

The next day, April 12th, I repeated part of my causerie for some 20 hotel guests around lunch time.

The manager of Utsikten, Torill Haugen, found me via my commercial philosophy site, Spør filosofen [Ask the philosopher].

Video installation opened at Hå gamle prestegard; includes interview with me

February 14th I met artist Anne Helen Robberstad in relation to her video installation art project "Sårbar" [Vulnerable], which deals with the topic of vulnerable animals in animal husbandry and vulnerable farmers, particularly in the Norwegian region of Jæren in the South-West of the country. Recordings resulted in a 36-minute interview with me in the form of a monologue. It features as one of 8-10 similar interviews or portraits that in combination (and partly run in parallel, from different angles) make up the video installation.

"Sårbar" opened, along with two other exhibitions in different formats, at Hå Gamle Prestegard Saturday April 20th. 200 people were reportedly present. The exhibitions will be on display until June 2nd.

The interview with me, with deals with different aspects of Human-Animal Studies and relations, was conducted in my capacity as Chair of Minding Animals Norway and Associate Professor in philosophy at University of Stavanger.