“Mellom meg og Norge”
Exhibition Project in collaboration with artist Tjook
Gamle Munch Kunsthal, Oslo 24th of May – 9th of June 2024
«Threshold of transcultural memories»
“Memories of stories told”
“Memories of being ‘the other'”
“Memories of places visited”
“Cultural puzzle”
“Threshold of transcultural memories” is the collective term for 4 series of acrylic paintings, each of which in its own way explores my multicultural background and personal experiences with migration.
My multicultural identity comes from my father; a Norwegian who spent most of his childhood in England, and my mother; a Eurasian from Indonesia who spent his teens and twenties in the Netherlands. I myself was born in the Netherlands and I grew up in Norway, the Netherlands and on the Caribbean island of Curacao.
Memories of stories told”
In “Memories of stories told”, I take old family photos as a starting point and insert underlying stories that cast shadows in the images. The series is, among other things, about Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, the subsequent decolonization process and the fate of the “Indos” (Eurasians) who had to leave Indonesia after independence
“Memories of being ‘the other'”
“Memories of being ‘the other'” The works in this series deal with the experience of cultural displacement, necessary adaptation and a feeling of never really fully belonging.
The depicted dolls symbolize a wide range of concepts and ideas, such as nostalgia for childhood, memories of the past and the loss of innocence. The paintings also reflect my exploration of identity and belonging in different cultural contexts where nature and landscape and folk beliefs also play a central role.
“Memories of places visited”
“Memories of places visited” is a series of interior images that is a continuation of the photo project “explications” from 2018. The works reflect not only the external landscape, but also the internal landscape and refer to feelings such as nostalgia and longing that often accompany migration.
“Cultural puzzle”
“Cultural puzzle” is an ongoing work that started in spring 2024. Small, 50x50cm, still life paintings convey personal memories, cultural peculiarities and typical elements from my 3 different cultures. The series creates a dialogue between opposites and similarities.
The Puzzle is an ongoing project and new “pieces” are being painted.
