June - August 2002

Collaboration with Theo Ågren

"The Calm before The storm" Galleri 15 Moss, Norway

In a gallery-converted 18th century mansion outside of Oslo, the project room was visually recreated into a historical flashback. An inverse renovation was made – turning the room back to how it may have been. But the interior was slightly distorted.

When the visitor enters, the large crystal chandelier gently starts to shake. The stuffed fox trophy on the wall has gleaming eyes and the pheasant’s eyeballs pop out.

The wallpaper has a distorted perspective where the pattern slowly grows in scale towards the ceiling. Some fragments of the pattern spill onto the floor and further distorts their expected repetition.

The interior gives a feeling of undefined discomfort, as if something is going to happen, a premonition, but yet unknown. The proverb and title of the show, “The calm before the storm”, summarizes the mood experienced.

In addition the artist Irene Nordli was invited to display her mutated porcelain figurines on the commode in the installation.