After five years of art studies, thirteen newly graduated artists are presented at Bildmuseet. Umeå! is the name of this year’s graduation exhibition from Umeå Academy of Fine Arts.
Participating artists: Kalle Brolin, Sara Eriksson, Po Hagström, Janna Holmstedt, Viktoria Jakus, Eva Linder, Lars Nilsson, Mattias Olofsson, Stina Pettersson, Emma Philipson, Sirgitta Reinikainen, Susanne Sjölund and Ninia Sverdrup. Curator: Joa Ljungberg.
The exhibition showcases artistic diversity, as well as a focus on the qualities of the individual artists. Among the forms of expression, moving image is a popular choice for this year’s graduates, who explore many different approaches. The exhibition introduces us to Sara Eriksson’s short animations: three girls’ faces that give the impression of moving drawings. Lars Nilsson shows an animated film about tourism to the accompaniment of electronic music, while Kalle Brolin has invited different artists to make music videos for a young girl band.
Stina Pettersson’s video work reminds us how television can be a substitute for social interaction and community. Eva Linder offers videos of a documentary nature that relate in various ways to her Pärlplatteklubben project, a club for those who create pictures by melting plastic beads together.
In Ninia Sverdrup’s video installation, we see a mirror image of the check-in hall at Arlanda Airport, projected next to a reconstruction of the introduction to the feature film Jackie Brown. Janna Holmstedt’s installation invites the visitor to sit back and listen to an intimate voice while image streams are presented on monitors.
But video is not the only medium on display in Umeå!. Mattias Olofsson displays drawings, while Po Hagström’s interactive sculpture can be seen in the exhibition room. The sculpture changes in relation to the visitor’s responses to the treasure hunt arranged by the artist outside the museum. On the floor are Susanne Sjölund’s plaster formations, the weights of which refer to bodies, body parts and objects.
In front of a mural drawing inspired by fragmented memories, Sirgitta Reinikainen shows a dress crocheted from personal letters that have been cut into strips. Viktoria Jakus exhibits pale greenish-yellow oil paintings, held together by a creamy white film. Emma Philipson shows video as well as painted drawings, speech bubbles and short sentences that relate to her working method as an artist.
Joa Ljungberg is the guest curator for this year’s graduation exhibition from Umeå Academy of Fine Arts. She has previously worked at Moderna Museet, and is currently a project manager with Sweden’s National Public Art Council.
After the exhibition at Bildmuseet, the graduates will show their work at three galleries in Stockholm: ALP/Peter Bergman (11 June–4 July), Brändström & Stene (11 June–4 July) and Nacka Expo (13 June–4 July).
