Anna Bjerger & Chantal Joffe: Asparagus, Hands and Feet, Hellvi Kännungs, Gotland

Reception Saturday July 8, 12–4 pm

/ Vernissage lördag 8 juli kl. 12–16

(scroll down for Swedish)

This summer we are delighted to announce a two-person show featuring Anna Bjerger and Chantal Joffe at Hellvi Kännungs, Gotland, Sweden. Asparagus, Hands and Feet presents new paintings emerged from an ongoing dialogue between the two artists. The exhibition marks Chantal Joffe’s first major presentation in Sweden.

Anna Bjerger (b.1973) and Chantal Joffe (b.1969) first met at the British School in Rome in the late 1990s, and both artists hold an MA from the Royal College of Art in London. They worked in the same studio building in the beginning of their careers and shared many interests, travelled and spent time together. In 1999, they collaborated with Bjerger’s husband, James Aldridge, in a joint exhibition in Rome. While Bjerger moved back to Sweden, Joffe remained in London. Over the years, they have stayed in touch, but the exhibition has been a way to reconnect and return to a conversation about painting. 

Asparagus, Hands and Feet has evolved through regular phone calls, shared photos, and discussions about literature, art, poetry and family life. They have discovered an artistic kinship and similarities in their working processes. Their paintings are characterized by a direct approach and apparent simplicity that requires great precision and presence. Both artists have previously used existing photographs as a starting point in their work, which hasve been altered into something personal and urgent through the act of painting. While Joffe primarily focuses on the human body as a motif, Bjerger’s paintings have a more eclectic content. In this new exhibition, they have ventured into a more private sphere, where the visible influences from the history of art are more apparent.

In the start, we talked about painting plants as we discovered we were both doing that and from there the work moved forward but we both felt like keeping it open to see where it would take us. Making this work I have used personal imagery, looking around the house, or while travelling, finding subjects to paint. I think the work in this show has some nice moments where the paintings communicate and connect. The last paintings we both did were of the asparagus, with Manet’s famous asparagus in mind they bring our project to a nice ending.
–Anna Bjerger.

So many memories. The mash up of then and now and all the hardness of life after that (and all the good things), children, parents etc. Part of the pleasure of doing this show is remembering that time even though it’s shadowed by the recent darkness.
–Chantal Joffe

Anna Bjerger (b.1973) lives and works in Småland, Sweden. She is educated at S:t Martins School of Art and Design and Royal College of Art in London, UK. She has exhibited in Sweden and internationally since the beginning of the 2000s. Her paintings are in the collections of Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Zabludowicz Collection, UK and Tishman Speyer Collection, US. In a collaboration with the author Karl Ove Knausgård she did a series of paintings for the novel Spring (2017). Last year her commissioned painting The Five First was inaugurated a between the first and second chamber of the Swedish Parliament. She is represented by Galleri Magnus Karlsson, Stockholm and Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, Copenhagen.

Chantal Joffe (b.1969) lives and works in London, UK. She completed her studies at Glasgow School of Art and Royal College of Art in London. The artist has exhibited in the UK and internationally since the early 2000s. Her work is in numerous institutional and private collections, including the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Detroit Institute of Arts, National Portrait Gallery, London and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The artist’s work is currently on view at the Foundling Museum in London as part of the group exhibition Finding Family (17 March–27 August 2023). Joffe has created a major public work for the Elizabeth line in London titled A Sunday Afternoon in Whitechapel, on view at Whitechapel Elizabeth line station.

Hellvi Kännungs is Galleri Magnus Karlsson’s project room in a rebuilt limestone barn on the island of Gotland. Since 2011 it is an alternative exhibition space to the gallery in Stockholm. Some of the gallery artists have curated their own exhibitions here and it has been a place to explore new ideas. Hellvi Kännungs has become a meeting point for artists and public in an environment completely different from the urban gallery space. The proximity to nature and the seclusion has contributed to an easy and inspiring atmosphere. In addition to the exhibitions, the gallery artists have also stayed at Hellvi Kännungs during periods of work and relaxation.

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Vi har glädjen att presentera en utställning med Anna Bjerger och Chantal Joffe på Hellvi Kännungs, Gotland i sommar. Utställningen Asparagus, Hands and Feet presenterar nya målningar som är utförda i en pågående dialog mellan de två konstnärerna. Det är första gången som Chantal Joffe har en större presentation i Sverige.

Anna Bjerger (f.1973) och Chantal Joffe (f.1969) träffades på British School i Rom kring millennieskiftet och båda är utbildade på Royal College of Art i London. Under en intensiv period i början av sina karriärer arbetade de i samma byggnad och delade många intressen inom måleriet och umgicks även privat och under resor. År 1999 gjorde de, tillsammans med Annas man James Aldridge, en gemensam utställning i Rom. Anna Bjerger flyttade sedan tillbaka till Sverige medan Chantal Joffe bodde kvar i London. De har haft sporadisk kontakt genom åren och utställningen på Gotland, nästan 25 år senare, har varit ett sätt att hitta tillbaka till samtalet. 

Aparagus, Hands and Feet har växt fram under det senaste året genom återkommande telefonsamtal, delande av bilder, diskussioner om böcker, konst, poesi och familjeliv. I arbetet har de har funnit ett konstnärligt släktskap och gemensamt förhållningssätt till bildskapande. Deras bilder präglas av ett direkt anslag och en skenbar enkelhet som kräver stor precision och närvaro. I sina verk har de tidigare använt sig av befintliga fotografiska förlagor som genom måleriprocessen omvandlats till något personligt och angeläget. Där Chantal Joffe i huvudsak haft människan och kroppen som motivvärld har Anna Bjergers målningar ett mer eklektiskt innehåll. I den nya utställningen har de sökt sig till en mer privat och vardaglig sfär med mer synliga kopplingar till föregångare i konsthistorien.

I början pratade vi om målningar av växter som vi upptäckte att båda gjorde. Vi kände direkt att vi ville hålla det öppet och se vart arbetet skulle leda oss. I arbetet har jag använt personliga bilder, undersökt saker i mitt hus eller under resor för att hitta motiv att måla. Det finns många moment i utställningen där våra verk kommunicerar och har kontakt. Genom de sista verken, där vi båda målade sparrisar med Manets kända målning i åtanke, kom projektet i hamn.
– Anna Bjerger.

So many memories. The mash up of then and now and all the hardness of life after that (and all the good things), children, parents etc. Part of the pleasure of doing this show is remembering that time even though it’s shadowed by the recent darkness.
– Chantal Joffe
 

Hours / Öppettider:
Friday–Sunday 12–4 pm / Fredag–söndag 12–16
and by appointment / och enl. överenskommelse

Art, coffee, ice cream! / Konst, kaffe, glass!

Address / Adress:
Hellvi Kännungs 207
624 50 Lärbro
Sweden
Phone +46 708 106 906
Map / Karta

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Please contact the gallery for information and inquiries