'El Rey de Icod'

Escultura

25 abr 2014 > 31 ago 2014

'El Rey de Icod'

Arnold Haukeland

Arnold Haukeland es uno de los escultores más importantes de Noruega, conocido sobre todo por sus esculturas monumentales, presentes en la mayoría de las ciudades de su país. Promovió el expresionismo abstracto en Noruega y su escultura Air fue la primera obra abstracta instalada en un espacio público de su país (1961).

Entre los años 1968 y 1975 Haukeland vivió y trabajó en Tenerife. Con su mujer Randi reconstruyeron una vieja finca en Icod de los Vinos. La casa, denominada Casa Randi, fue rediseñada por el reconocido arquitecto noruego Geir Grung para funcionar como casa y como estudio del artista. En la actualidad Casa Randi se mantiene como el estudio del artista en Icod.

Los años en Tenerife tuvieron un impacto en la expresión artística de Haukeland. Algunas de sus esculturas más destacadas fueron ideadas en la isla, para después ser realizadas e instaladas en espacios públicos en Noruega. En numerosas ocasiones Haukeland manifestó que sentía que el ambiente y la cultura española le liberó, artísticamente hablando, y que su arte fue mejor recibido en España que en su país, todavía poco acostumbrado al arte de vanguardia. Sin duda, durante su estancia en España, su trabajo estuvo influido por la obra de artistas como Joan Miró, Pablo Serrano, Jorge Oteiza y Eduardo Chillida.

El Rey de Icod trasladará a Tenerife algunas de las esculturas que Haukeland realizó durante su estancia en la isla para exhibirlas en TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes. Esta exposición pretende devolver las esculturas a su ambiente original para mostrar al público las obras producidas en la isla, instaladas permanentemente en Noruega. La muestra pondrá el foco de atención en el intercambio cultural y el impacto del influjo de las Canarias en el trabajo artístico del escultor noruego.

En TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes también estarán presentes las esculturas de cuatro artistas noruegos inscritos en la estela de Haukeland, e influenciados por su obra: Marius Engh, Matias Faldbakken, Ida Ekblad y Sverre Wyller. Este componente contemporáneo de la exposición tiene como objetivo demostrar como la estancia de Arnold Haukeland en Tenerife en los 60 y en los 70, y la influencia del entorno, continúan estando presentes en las artes noruegas actuales.

La trayectoria artística de Haukeland arranca tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial, en un momento en el que el pesimismo invadía Europa. En este contexto Haukeland intentó explorar, a través de su obra, en las posibilidades de recuperación de la confianza en el ser humano y en la sociedad. Le movía un interés por expresar los polos opuestos en los que se insertan la vida y la naturaleza humana, mostrando con sus esculturas la dualidad humana, la destrucción y al mismo tiempo la vida y la vitalidad. Esta dualidad, tan presente en la vida y en la obra de Haukeland, se amplía al poner en diálogo sus trabajos con los de los cuatro artistas contemporáneos incluidos en esta exposición.

Las obras de Faldbakken y Marius Engh representan el lado oscuro del ser humano. Ambos artistas exploran en torno a los conceptos de poder y de fuerza. La vitalidad y el optimismo que emanan las obras de Haukeland contrasta con la negatividad de las esculturas de Faldbakken, y las piezas minimalistas de Engh. Sin embargo, esa vitalidad y esperanza sí está presente en las obras de Wyller y Ekblad, más similares formalmente a los trabajos de Haukeland.

La exposición resulta un reflejo de los poderes opuestos presentes en la sociedad. El punto de contacto entre las fuerzas positivas y negativas y sus consecuencias es uno de los temas en los que se adentra esta exposición, que además muestra la fuerza de la creación como una potencia constante, incluso en tiempos difíciles, como el que está viviendo actualmente Europa.

El Rey de Icod pretende mostrar como las impresiones artísticas de Haukeland durante su estancia en Tenerife dejaron una profunda huella en su obra y a través de él en las actuales generaciones de artistas noruegos.

 

Arnold Haukeland is recognised as one of the most important sculptors in Norwegian art history. He was a promoter of abstract expressionism in Norway, and his sculpture Air, was the first abstract sculpture to be erected in a public area in Norway (1961). Haukeland is best known for his monumental sculptures, which are to be found in all major Norwegian cities.

 

From 1968-75 the Haukeland lived and worked in Tenerife. He and his wife Randi, rebuilt

an old finca (farm house) in Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife. The house Casa Randi was re-designed by the highly acclaimed Norwegian architect Geir Grung, to function as a house and an artist studio. Arnold Haukeland spent the winters in Icod. Casa Randi remains an artist studio in Icod de los Vinos today.

 

The years in Tenerife had significant impact on Haukelands artistic expression. Some of his most important sculptures were initially developed as models in Tenerife, later to be erected as full life-size sculptures in public areas in Norway. On many occasions, Haukeland expressed how he felt the Spanish environment was liberating to work within - how his art was unconditionally met with optimism in Spain - while in Norway he fought a lot of hard criticism. He was undoubtedly inspired by the Spanish artists he learned of during his stay in Spain, in particular artists such as Joan Miro, Pablo Serrano, Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida.

 

The objectives of the project El Rey de Icod is to transport some of the sculptures, which were made during Haukeland's residency in Tenerife, back to Tenerife to display them in an exhibition in TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The project will return the sculptures to their original environment to show the people of Tenerife what great art has been produced on the island, and also to raise awareness that these works are permanently on display in Norway. The exhibition will highlight the importance of the cultural exchange, and the impact the Spanish spirit had on the Norwegian artist.

To inspire further exchange between Norway and Spain, the exhibition will also include a contemporary component, displaying works by four contemporary Norwegian artists. All of them follow in a tradition after Haukeland, and have been inspired by his oeuvre. The contemporary component of the exhibition aims to demonstrate how Arnold Haukeland's residency in Tenerife in the 60's and 70's, and the influence of the Spanish environment and liberal attitude of the people of Tenerife continues to be evident in Norwegian fine art today.

During the course of the summer 2014 there will be a large Haukeland exhibition at The Vigeland Museum in Oslo, whom we are cooperating with. We aim to produce printed material, a catalogue or book to document the two projects. The book will be produced in cooperation with the Vigeland museum. We are applying for funds outside the EEA grants for the implementation of the book on the artist.

Tenerife is a sought after holiday destination for tourists from the Nordic countries, as well as from other parts of Europe. The exhibition will therefore have the chance to reach out to many different people. We see a common artistic identity across borders; we hope this exhibition can further inspire this vibrant artistic exchange, in despite of the current difficult external circumstances.

 

The exhibition at TEA seeks to demonstrate how the inspiration Haukeland obtained in Spain, both from the openness from the people he met, and also the artistic impressions he got on the island, is inherited by younger contemporary artists in Norway today. The exhibition project seeks to prove that the inspiration was and is invaluable for future generations of artists.

Haukeland's awakening as an artist occurred in the aftermath of the Second World War. Pessimism was strong in Europe after the war, and as an artist Haukeland was exploring whether one could possibly reclaim faith in humans or in society. The opposing forces in life and human nature are what Haukeland sought to express through his art. His sculptures all express human duality: they bare in them the destructiveness of human nature, and at the same time many of them can be seen almost as a tribute to life and vitality. The duality in his works and in life, is amplified with contrasting his works with the works of the four contemporary artist included in the exhibition. The different forces within the human are important themes for all of these five artists. The exhibition wishes to shed light upon the force of creation as a constant power, even in difficult times, such as now with the economical crisis raging across Europe.

The works of Faldbakken and Engh both represent the darker side of human nature. The two artists both explore the power and force that this darkness holds. Haukeland's visualization of vitality and optimism will be put in contrast to the conceptual negation in Faldbakkens sculptures, and Marius Engh's minimalistic sculptures. Whereas vitality and hope are easier to trace in Wyller and Ekblad's works, which are more similar to Haukeland's in terms of form and colour. The exhibition with the contrasting expressions of the artist thus mirrors the constant opposing powers in society. The meeting point between positive and negative powers, and its consequences is what the exhibition wishes to explore.

 

The planned exhibition is to be opened in TEA Tenerife Espacio de las Artes in June 2014, and remain until August 2014. The exhibition will focus on the works that the Norwegian sculptor Arnold Haukeland produced during his residency in Tenerife from 1968-76.

The works are currently stored in Norway and will on occasion of the exhibition be shipped to Tenerife. In addition to Haukeland's sculptures, the exhibition will also include photographical material to document Arnold Haukelands life in Tenerife, mainly photographs taken by his wife Randi. There will also be screenings of a documentary video on the artist, produced by NRK (the Norwegian broadcasting corporation) and directed by Istvan Korda Kovacs.

Four contemporary Norwegian artists will contribute to the exhibition, with already existing works. The artists are chosen for their different, very exiting bodies of work, which are related to Haukelands works in form and thematically.

Matias Faldbakken ( http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/tag/matias-faldbakken )

Ida Ekblad ( http://www.ida-ekblad.com )

Marius Engh ( http://www.moussemagazine.it/articolo.mm?id=86 )

Sverre Wyller ( http://www.galleririis.com/artists/sverre-wyller/ - bio )