Rising Norwegian Star Ready with her First Danish Solo Exhibition
Ældgammel Baby is the title of emerging Norwegian artist Tori Wrånes’ first solo exhibition in Denmark. Her subtle and sometimes disturbing sculptural universe will be presented at Kunsthal Charlottenborg from 15 September 2017.
The enigmatic exhibition title Ældgammel Baby (Ancient Baby) sets the tone for this artist’s first solo exhibition in Denmark: With her imaginative and at times troubling universe as a starting point, Tori Wrånes has created an exhibition that can be considered a total installation, consisting of many individual elements – several of them created specifically for the Kunsthal’s high-ceilinged exhibition space.
Films with hovering creatures, a soundtrack that connects the exhibition spaces, changing lights, and wondrous freestanding objects, are some of the sculptural elements that make up the exhibition and emphasise the feeling that the whole space is set in motion.
The troll character – a creature of deviance
Tori Wrånes has on several occasions worked with the character of the troll. Not as a romantic national figure but rather as a character that symbolises the unrestrained, the unregulated; a creature that deviates from the norm and makes its own alternative rules. The troll character is also present at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, for example, in the film that documents Wrånes’ large-scale performance in the Italian Alps, TRACK of HORNS (2015) and in a new work created for the exhibition.
For Wrånes the troll character allows her to play with identity and in this way express and emphasise various aspects of a personality. As Wrånes says: ‘I’m interested in the troll because it represents the whole spectrum of what it means to be a human being’.
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A dreamlike parallel universe with surprises
Wrånes is primarily known for her almost surreal installations and sensational performances, where she dresses in peculiar costumes and uses her voice as a powerful instrument. Using masks, costumes and props she creates a dreamlike universe. In this parallel universe, Wrånes manages to produce a delightful expectation that the unexpected can happen – as will be the case in the exhibition Ældgammel Baby. As a member of the audience, one can never be quite sure what will happen. Everything is possible – the colour of the ceiling may change, a handbag can start to sing, trolls might hover, and sculptures might start to move.
Tori Wrånes is among one of Norway’s most well know emerging artists internationally. She has had a number of performances and exhibitions at renowned exhibition spaces, such as Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos; Palais de Tokyo, Paris; Sculpture Center, New York; Biennale of Sydney 2014; Performa 13, New York; LAXART, Los Angeles and most recently a comprehensive solo exhibition, titled Hot Pocket, at Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo.
Artist talk with Tori Wrånes
In connection with the exhibition the Kunsthal presents an Charlottenborg Art Talk with Tori Wrånes in conversation with curator Henriette Bretton-Meyer on Sunday September 17 at 2pm. The talk will focus on the current exhibition and Wrånes’ artistic practice.