It´s hardly softcore

Vit hava fingið tíðindaskriv um eina framsýning í Keypmannahavn, har m.a. Jóhan Martin Christiansen og Jonas Hvid Søndergaard luttaka. Framsýningin snýr seg um listarlig rák í Europa í dag og tekur støði í ymsum listaskúlum. Ikki hava vit enn nakran listaskúla her í Havn (ja, sjálvandi skal hann vera í Havn), og ivasamt er um man skal bíða eftir mentamálaráðnum (drúgvari enn at bíða eftir Godot), men vit levera góð listafólk til listaskúlar kring Europa og her er ein teirra, Jóhan Martin og hann gongur í skúla í Malmø. Framsýningin letur upp klokkan 19 í kvøld.


It's hardly softcore                    
Curated by Janus Høm (DK) & Mikkel Carl (DK)

Martin Erik Andersen (DK), Margaret Lee (US), Dora Budor (CRO) & Maja Cule (CRO), Rasmus Høj Mygind (DK) Kowalski Studio (PL), Torben Ribe (DK), Sakari Tervo (FI), Janus Høm (DK), Jóhan Martin Christiansen (FO) Jonas Hvid Søndergaard (DK), Simen Helsvig (NO), Mette Helena Rasmussen (DK), Daniel Rally Danielsen (DK) Nanna Hauge Kristensen (DK), Marine Gastineau (FR/DK), Mette Kirkegaard (DK), Sonja Sopranos (NO), Tarald Wassvik (NO), Alpine Desire (DE)

Opening 9th of March 19:00 PM
10th - 31st of March, 2012

BKS Garage
Ny Carlsbergvej 68
1750 Copenhagen V
Tuesday-Friday 12-17 PM, Saturday 12-15 PM

Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/events/282363365165911/


Press release

Welcome to Europe. Welcome to our show.

The exhibition It’s hardly softcore represents some of the artistic tendencies found in European art schools today and the art scenes associated with them. What is so special about Zurich? What’s happening in Warsaw? And what about Vienna, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Glasgow, Düsseldorf, London, Stockholm, and Berlin? Yes, we’re making a survey show, no less. It’s hardly softcore is based on a trip to eleven art schools in Europe last year; looking at thousands of works presented in school exhibitions as well as drawing from conversations with deans, teachers,
students and audiences.

Does the departmental structure and the leanings of the teaching staff somehow manifest in the students’ work? Are there established reputations, certain distinct in-house procedures, which determine a school’s particular identity? Are these identities displaced or shifted over time? Which cultural histories are present? Where and how do they manifest?

All of the eleven art schools mentioned will be represented in the exhibition by one or more works. We claim these contributions to be legitimate expressions of what is particular about each place respectively. Apart from a few pieces coming from the actual institutions, we have chosen to represent each institution rather freely. We claim for instance, that a work by Rasmus Høj Mygind, one by Martin Erik Andersen, and a picture of the installation of Ib Brasse’s show at Sorø Kunstmuseem, may very well be seen as an odd Danish counterpart to a tradition within Austrian sculpture seen in Gelitin, Heimo Zobernig, and Franz West. During the exhibition, Torben Ribe posts links, images, and videos on the wall of our Facebook event
as a reflection on Frankfurt Städelschule’s somewhat exceptionally affirmative attitude to so-called “pop culture”. Furthermore curator Janus Høm – in his artistic capacity – has created a series of photographs of crumpled water colours, addressing issues of “superficiality and inverted criticality” he detects at the Zürcher Hochschule der Kunste. Likewise, American artist Margaret Lee wears many different hats. Her practice consists of artistic production, curating, running a gallery and everything in between. This multitasking is evident in her work Today and Everyday, which generally reflects a playful and professional pro-active attitude, something also seen in the thriving young Swiss art scene.

This informal yet ambitious attitude is also the general sensibility shaping this exhibition. After lengthy research and much talk we present to you: It’s hardly softcore. Enjoy!