A newly-built, full-scale barn enveloped by the pink haze of an eleven-metre long neon sign saying 鈥淪candinavian Pain鈥 meets visitors to the Turbine Hall at . The work is by the Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson, and inside the barn he has hung more than 40 works by the Norwegian national icon Edvard Munch. These two artists, melancholia and a pinch of hit music are the basic ingredients of this summer’s major exhibition at Moderna Museet Malm枚.
From 3 May until 28 August, 28 galleries and art institutions in the City of Malm枚 have joined forces for a concerted focus on Nordic contemporary art, as part of Malm枚 Nordic 2013. Under the aegis of this initiative, Moderna Museet Malm枚 will host a unique encounter between Ragnar Kjartansson and Edvard Munch, in the exhibition Scandinavian Pain.
In his paintings, drawings, videos, music and performances, Ragnar Kjartansson expresses a lyrical gloom combined with subtle humour. His performances involve identical actions being repeated over and over again, generating a situation that is both hopeless and comical. Scandinavian Pain is an eleven-metre long pink neon sign that Kjartansson first mounted on a barn roof for the Momentum biennial in 2006. Living in the barn for a week, he used images and actions to enact the stereotype of the suffering, Nordic artist.
His neon work now belongs to the Moderna Museet collection, and Kjartansson will be installing it on a newly-built barn inside Moderna Museet Malm枚. Inside, some 40 works by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, famed for his angst-ridden, expressive images. In this way, Kjartansson hands over the role of suffering Nordic artist to Munch. Ragnar Kjartansson will be present in various ways at the exhibition, and it is likely that Edvard Munch will appear in a different light.
Ragnar Kjartansson: Scandinavian Pain, 3 May until 28 August, Moderna Museet Malm枚, Gasverksgatan 22, SE-211 29 Malm枚, Sweden.
Credits
1. Ragnar Kjartansson, Scandinavian Pain (Neon) 漏 Ragnar Kjartansson, i8 gallery and Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York.
