Animals in Art: Myths and Ecology
Saturday 30th of November at 2 PM
Do Animals Belong in an Art Exhibition?
What Makes Art Meaningful?
How do exhibitions like The Cosmopolitan Chicken Project challenge the way we think?
Kunsthall 3,14 invites you to an engaging conversation with art historian Øystein Hauge and Kabuso’s Artistic Director, Sissel Lillebostad, as we explore the relationship between humans, animals, and art.
This discussion, part of our 3,14LIVE program, takes inspiration from The Cosmopolitan Chicken Project exhibition by Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen. Together, we will delve into questions about coexistence, creativity, and the future of our shared environment.
What does it mean for both humans and animals that the spaces we inhabit are becoming increasingly restricted?
How does the ongoing loss of animal life reshape not only our physical surroundings but also our inner worlds?
Can the artistic visions of Koen Vanmechelen and Brynhild Grødeland Winther offer new ways of understanding the global ecosystem and our place within it?
Through the works of these two artists—Vanmechelen’s cross-disciplinary exploration of biological and cultural diversity and Winther’s evocative landscapes populated by animals—we will consider how art can open our minds to the complexities of nature and our shared existence.
Current Exhibitions:
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Brynhild Grødeland Winther: Heim at Kabuso, on view until December 29, 2024
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Koen Vanmechelen: The Cosmopolitan Chicken at Kunsthall 3,14, on view until December 8, 2024
This is an opportunity to reflect on art’s role in expanding our understanding of the world and our place within it. Welcome to an evening of thoughtful exploration!
Join Us – Free Admission!
Speakers’ Biographies:
Øystein Hauge is a Norwegian art critic and educator and has worked theory professor at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design, he has mentored generations of students in critical reflection. His tenure as an art critic for Bergens Tidende (1992–2020) cemented his reputation as a thoughtful and incisive voice.
Sissel Lillebostad is an artist, curator, and art historian whose work often focuses on the intersections of nature, society, and personal experience. As Artistic Director of Kabuso in Øystese, she has curated projects that highlight the connections between humans and the natural world, including works by Brynhild Winther, known for her emotionally resonant landscapes featuring animals. Lillebostad is also an accomplished writer and lecturer.
Koen Vanmechelen (b. 1965) is an internationally renowned Belgian artist whose practice bridges art, science, and philosophy. His Cosmopolitan Chicken Project involves crossbreeding chickens from different countries to explore themes of globalization, genetic diversity, and monoculture. With exhibitions at the Venice Biennale, the Uffizi Gallery, and beyond, Vanmechelen’s work asks vital questions about the interconnectedness of life on Earth.
Brynhild Grødeland Winther is a Norwegian visual artist whose upbringing on a farm and experience as a sledgehammer mechanic in the oil industry deeply inform her work. Her art blends figurative landscapes and animal imagery, creating profound narratives about nature and humanity. Winther’s works have been exhibited at institutions such as Stavanger Art Museum, the Autumn Exhibition, and Glasgow’s GoMA and are part of several significant public collections.