FORUM PRESENTATION
LINE HALVORSEN
SELF-PORTRAIT WITH BANDAGED EAR
In "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear" Line Halvorsen will address the myth of the artist.
"He couldn't stand it any more. Gauguin escaped, after which Vincent cut his ear off and put it in the hand of one of the prostitutes in the town's brothel. Later Gauguin claimed he had had a go at him with a razor blade."
The myth of the artist has always been constructed through stereotypical ideas about how the genious through intoxication, sleep deprivation and undreamt of powers reaches mysterious highs by working alone in an attic. What myths are still alive today?
Working with the documentary Kunstakademiet i Oslo 100 år Halvorsen conducted interviews with many artists. Almost all could tell of loneliness, social anxiety and that the connection to other artists or artist groups was problematic. The life in the studio, where every single one sees themselves in competition to everyone else, rubs off on the representation of the artist. Sune Nordgren has been quoted on saying that Norwegian artists are like instant coffee and the curator adds the hot water. It is possible to say that the artists don't lie orderly next to each other, but rather splashes hot water on each other thus adds to the myth of the artist.
Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear deals with the myths of and relations between artists. Clips from some of the interviews will be screened during the talk.
---------
Associate Professor Line Halvorsen (1976) is a curator and artist based in Oslo, Norway. She graduated from the Art Academy in Bergen and Malmö, Sweden, in 2005. Previously she was doing Literary studies at the University of Tromsø and also a Film foundation school in the islands of Lofoten. Halvorsen has mainly been involved in the language between film and video art, but is more and more concerned with the role of the artist. In addition she is writing and teaching. Since 2001 Halvorsen has been involved in numerous projects as a curator, artist and writer. November 2009 Halvorsen is going for a residency at Apexart, New York, where she will be looking at strategies in the storytelling and the myths related to the artist.
Photos
