Welcome to our seminar “Survival Strategies and International Collaboration” on Friday 10th of September at Vestfold Kunstsenter in Tønsberg. Østlandsutstillingens annual seminars seek to clarify tendencies in the actual exhibition and more general in the contemporary art field. This year’s seminar is about artists’ situation in a post-Covid time, working in a challenging field. Moderator Maija Rudovska puts it this way:
“Precarity and unpredictability are the main factors that shape artists’ life globally, especially escalating during the pandemic. In this seminar we would like to present some artists’ practices who deal with this topic or live it currently. What positive or negative outcomes does survival bring to the artworld and especially to the artists?” The seminar discusses sub themes like resilience and shapeshifting besides the contemporary threats of ecological, economic and democratic values.
We have invited psychologist Heine Steinkopf from RVTS-sør (Regional Trauma Center) with his talk «On psychology and survival strategies» about how we psychologically act and react when under threat or pressure. Art by following artists will be presented and the artists will also participate in the conversation: Helene Duckert, Kjetil Detroit Kristensen and Jan Walaker.
Seminaret er støttet av Vestfold og Telemark fylkeskommune.
Program 10th of September
10:00 Welcome and short introduction by Josephine Lindstrøm, director at Østlandsutstillingen and Tina Rigby Hanssen, director at Vestfold Kunstsenter
10:20 “Survival strategies and international collaboration”. Introducing the topic and the artists in the panel, Maija Rudovska, curator and visiting researcher at Vestfold Kunstsenter 2021-2022
Presentation of the artists and their works: Helene Duckert, Kjetil Detroit Kristensen, Ingebjørg Une Hagen and Jan Walaker.
LUNCH (12:00-13:00)
13:00 “Psychology and Survival Strategies”. Presentation by Heine Steinkopf, senior advisor, NKVTS (Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies)
13:45 Questions and conversation
14.30 End of seminar
Practical information
Seminar fee is 100 NOK (Lunch included).
Limited number of participants.
Please register by sending an e-mail to kontakt@ostlandsutstillingen.no.
The seminar will be held in English.
How to get there
Train from Oslo Central Station at 08:39 arrives in Tønsberg 09:50.
5 minutes walk from Tønsberg Station to Vestfold Kunstsenter in Øvre Langgate 71 (new address!)
Maija Rudovska
Maija Rudovska is a curator and art historian, works and lives in Riga, Latvia. Rudovska has has a broad international network, and has worked with projects at art institutions throughout Europe such as Futura Gallery (CZ), Foundation Ricard (FR), Bozar Center for Fine Arts (BE), Kim? Contemporary Art Center (LV), Moderna Museet (SE), Contemporary Art Center (LT), The Living Art Museum (IS), Augusta Gallery (FI) and ARS Project Space (EE).
Heine Steinkopf
Heine Steinkopf is a psychologist specialist and subject leader at RVTS-sør (Regional Trauma Center). He is educated in clinical psychology as a specialist in clinical child and adolescent psychology. Steinkopf has worked with clinical psychological treatment of children, adults and families, guidance and teaching.
Duckert & Detroit
Duckert & Detroit is a collaborative project between artists Helene Duckert and Kjetil Detroit Kristensen. At Østlandsutstillingen the duo shows the sculpture «20/20 VISION» which is an excerpt from the project «Blue Chip Baby» – a term taken from the financial world and appropriated into the art field to describe an artist who gives a guaranteed return, even in times of recession. In the project “Blue Chip Baby”, Duckert Detroit explores themes such as success and defeat, artist economics, popular culture, cooperation and solidarity. The duo discusses thoughts and experiences concerning different roles that artists are facing today. Duckert & Detroit is searching for different methods for interaction and art production.
Jan Walaker
Jan Walaker has had a number of exhibitions and is also involved in editorial work through his role as co-editor of the culture magazine, PLNTY and former editor of Kykylyky and Hotrod. The installation at Østlandsutstillingen has the title «Premierommet», translated to “Trophy Room”. Items from second-hand shops and driftwood from the beach are lined up as trophies, objects that prove achievement and mastery. “I want to ask questions about today’s competitive culture. Sports and reality shows dominates parts of the media. Should everything be a competition? Is the winner the best? Does this create a healthy society?”
Photos:
Portrait of Maija Rudovska (Photograph: Andrejs Strokins)
Portrait of Heine Steinkopf (Photograph: RVTS Sør)
20/20 VISION (2020), Duckert & Detroit
Premierommet (2020/2021), Jan Walaker