Book of Sand / Singular Hands
Book of Sand / Singular Hands is a collaboration between the artists Håvard Sagen, Ananda Serné, Matt Bryans and writer/sociologist Merete Jonvik. The participants share an interest in storytelling in relation to the dormant mythologies of three specific locations in Rogaland, namely the artist-run spaces Velferden, Studio 17 and Studio K. These three spaces are situated in culturally significant places currently undergoing transformation.
The intention is to let echoes from these silenced places return and inhabit the surrounding sonic/physical structures through an accumulating and multi-authored collaboration. The work cycle is comparable to a collection of short stories, and each site as a chapter within a multi-authored narrative.
PARTICIPANTS
MATT BRYANS was born in London and lives and works in Ålgård. He studied Sculpture at Winchester school of Art, and MA Sculpture at Chelsea College of Art and Design.His art draws inspiration from the natural world. In particular he has worked consistently with trees, and human materials derived from their processing such as Christmas trees, gunstocks and newspapers.
ANANDA SERNÉ was born in the Netherlands and lives and works in Stavanger. She studied literature and linguistics before obtaining an MA in Fine Arts from the Iceland University of the Arts. Ananda’s practice consists primarily of moving image, sound, language and textiles. Her work is often informed by conversations and collaborations with others, for instance with biologists, vocalists or translators.
MERETE JONVIK is a social anthropologist and sociologist. She has a PhD. in cultural sociology from the University of Stavanger, Norway (2015). She works and lives in Stavanger, as an associate professor at the Department of Media- and Social Sciences at the University of Stavanger. Her research areas are art sociology and cultural sociology. Jonvik has done research on participant strategies in art, and is interested in the very nature of art production. For “Book of Sand / Singular Hands”, she will explore the multi-faceted authorship that unfolds in the interaction between material components (sites, landscapes, buildings, objects, materials) and social components (artists’ roles, forms of collaboration, relations, investment).
HÅVARD SAGEN was born in Sandnes and lives and works in Stavanger. He studied architecture at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture for two years before switching to studies in fine art at Kunstskolen i Rogaland and Trondheim Academy of Fine Art. In his work he experiments with non-traditional frameworks for art through collaboration and situation-sensitive interventions in landscape and architecture - often through excavation and construction on site. In “Book of Sand / Singular Hands” he will be building on and excavating the existing architectural remnants on the different sites. He studies the elements that make up the architecture of our imagination.
The project is supported by Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond, Kulturrådet, Rogaland Fylkeskommune and Stavanger Kommune.
Opening hours:
23.07.21: 18.00-20.00
24.07.21: 13.00-16.00
25.07.21: 13.00-16.00
Free entrance and coffee!
