Underskog

On occasion of the first Oslo Gallery Weekend Galleri Maria Veie presents a solo show by Johannes Høie. Devouring The Sun is a site-specific exhibition within the grounds of the former black-metal record shop “Helvete” (Hell). Høie is currently painting his eleventh mural, Floodland XI, on the walls of the gallery. Not only working on white walls as before, but using white ink on black walls and transforming the gallery ceiling into an illusionistic painting inspired by Italian baroque.
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During Høie´s solo show in 2009 the monumental mural covering five walls was the seventh volume of Høie´s comprehensive gesamtkunstwerk Floodland. Since then the gallery has presented more than fifty exhibitions for a Norwegian and International audience supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among these, Floodland IX, was made on site at ARTHK11 in Hong Kong two years ago. This monumental silk work was later presented for the Norwegian audience during the group show Apocalyptic Bliss last year.

The Floodland murals are free hand drawn, usually directly onto the walls like temporary drawing stunts. While in Hong Kong, Høie transformed a 3 m silk canvas into the tenth number of the Floodland series. What Norwegians considered a dark and gloomy apocalyptic tale during his first solo show in 2009, the chinese visitors recognized as a blessing; the iconographical theme of the dragon. Floodland IX was a work that investigated the contemporary apocalypse of climate changes, not just the medieval idea of doomsday.

Devouring The Sun marks a threshold – Galleri Maria Veie is once more relocating, leaving the space of ”Helvete” to the record shop Neseblod (Nose bleed).

OSLO GALLERY WEEKEND May 24th – 26th

The first installment of Oslo Gallery Weekend focuses on spaces just east of the river Akerselva, in and around the neighborhood of Grønland. No other place in Oslo embodies the diversity and range of different art venues in the Norwegian art scene.

Oslo Gallery Weekend aims to introduce all the artist-run spaces, commercial galleries, and an expanding array of new initiatives to a wider audience. In the spirit of Norwegian dugnad we are delighted to introduce you to this opportunity to learn to know some of the most exciting new spaces for art in Oslo, and the area of Grønland.