Public art commission
Shift
The artists have processed charred logs and explored the contrast between the burnt and white wood surfaces. Parts of the log have been preserved in their original burnt form from a fire, while other parts have been processed using various wood carving techniques and the Japanese technique shou sugi ban, which continues the burnt expression. Hard and soft surfaces move into each other, where the nine logs together form a holistic image. With raw pine, trimmed, with charred parts in a fragile, dark burnt surface, still smelling of fire, the artists appeal to something ancient in us and our Nordic history through several of the senses.
With Bothner and Ueland's background in architecture and landscape, it was natural to focus on the work's dialogue with space, and the installation has clear optical effects from different perspectives.
The process of finding beauty in materials that most would consider waste has been particularly rewarding, and through processing on the materials' premises, they explore our understanding of art.
At the same time, an important driving force in their work is to always work in a sustainable context, and to communicate this theme to their audience. The artist duo therefore always works with recycled materials as a starting point for their projects. In this project, Ueland and Bothner found value in the materials, history and proximity of the cloakroom building to the school and were able to extract a wide selection before demolition. Thus began a rich exploration of the materials' potential and inherent beauty.
The works are part of the EU project ARV in collaboration with SINTEF and Oslobygg and have received support from the Bergesenstiftelsen and Sparebankstiftelsen.