What do we care about ？
On facing the eco crisis of our time. The Norwegian visual artist and writer Barbro Raen Thomassen is also a gardener. Has creating art and cultivating soil anything to do with each other and the eco crisis?
For the Horizon Museum in HeFei, she has created an installation with the title “All flesh is grass”. The installation consists of an office chair and a table. On the table there is a computer. All the elements are covered with a thin layer of clay, sown with grass seeds and watered. Hopefully the seedlings will sprout and the installation will be covered with a carpet of green at the opening of the exhibition. However, as the grass has no depth of soil, it will soon wither. The installation is a symbol of modern man, spending his days in front of computers, having cut the connection with basic life, not knowing anymore how to grow his own food and take care of the earth. Without a respectful understanding of existence, modern man is accelerating the pollution and exploiting Mother Earth.
Barbro Raen Thomassen will also show three drawings of enlarged butterfly eggs. The specific eggs she has chosen are eggs of endangered species.
Artist Web Page：
CV BARBRO RAEN THOMASSEN
Born 1955 in Norway
EDUCATION
Art History, University of Bergen 1982-86
Vestlandets Kunstakademi, Bergen 1979-82
Ecole des Beaux Arts, Angers, France 1977-79
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (a selection)
«Fan» with Marianne Rønnow, TCG Nordica, Kunming, China 2016
Festival exhibitor «Ibsen- and Hamsun Days», Reimanngården, Grimstad 2015
«Plantasi II» with Marianne Rønnow, Søgne Gamle Prestegård 2015
«Seed Objects», Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger 2012-2013
Galleri Grand, Arendal 2012-2013
«Plantasi» with Marianne Rønnow, Kirsten Kjærs museum, Frøstrup (DK) 2012
«Gastspiel Kunst und Kirche». The installation «From Ash» in St. Markus, Munich 2012
«From Ash», installation in Vågsbygd Frikirke, Kristiansand 2009
RAM Gallery, Oslo 2007
Agatunet, Hardanger 2007
«Far within a green sound». Travelling exhibition for Primary School in Telemark 2005-2006, Vest-Agder 2008-2009, and Aust-Agder 2010
Agder Art Centre, Kristiansand 2005
«Samen und fliegende Teppiche» with Ingrid Juell Moe, Inselgalerie, Berlin 2005
Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall, Arendal 1999, 2003
Allmenningen Galleri og Kunsthandel, Bergen 2001
Søgne Gamle Prestegård 2000
Hå Gamle Prestegard 1999
Seljord Art Society 1998
Schuvalov Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia 1998
Bohusgalleriet, Uddevalla, Sweden 1996
Lillesand Art Society 1992, 1995, 2014
Gallery Lista Lighthouse 1993, 2001, 2004
Oslo Art Society 1989
Tromsø Art Society 1986
Galleri Langegården, Bergen 1985
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (a selection)
«Personal Structures», GAA Foundation / European Cultural Centre, Venice 2019
Norwegian Sculptors Society´s Summer Exhibition at Akkerhaugen, Sauherad 2018
Norwegian Sculptors Society´s Summer Exhibition at Refsnes Gods, Jeløya 2017
Sørlandets Kunstmuseum´s Travelling Exhibition in Primary Schools Autumn 2016
Jubilee Exhibition Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand 2015-2016
Guest exhibitor Sørlandsutstillingen, Bomuldfabriken Kunsthall, Arendal 2015
«RART», Kunsthal Nord, Aalborg (DK) 2014
«Art as vote and voice», Arendal Art Society 2013
«The Art of Drawing», Agder Art Centre, Kristiansand 2010
«Artist`s Book», Tegnerforbundet, Oslo 2009
«Sculpture and Object XIII», Bratislava 2008
«Der er Gud» with Rønnow and Refsum, Rundetaarn, Copenhagen 2008
«God is there» with Rønnow and Refsum, Trygve Lie Gallery, New York 2007
«Room by room», Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand 2005-2006
«New Works», Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand 2004-2005
«Pensieri Paralleli», 1st International Alabaster Symposium, Volterra, Italy 2004
Toyamura International Sculpture Biennale, Japan 1999, 2003
Bomuldsfabriken Kunsthall, Arendal 2002
«Ikon 2001», Næs Jernverksmuseum 2001
Gallerihuset, Stavanger 2001
Linya Art, Gallery of Contemporary Art, Moscow 2000
Bohusgalleriet, Uddevalla, with Kari Stiansen and Alfred Vaagsvold, Sweden 2000
Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand 2000
Millenium Exhibition, Christiansands Kunstforening, Kristiansand 1999-2000
The First International Drawing Competition, Wroclaw 1999-2000
Aalborg Kunstpavillon, with Kari Stiansen and Alfred Vaagsvold, Denmark 1999
«Norwegische Kunst», Galerie Norderforum, Flensburg, Germany 1999
Künstlergemeinschaft Schanze, Stadthausgalerie, Münster 1998
4th International Biennial of Drawing and Graphic Arts, Györ, Hungary 1997
Mail Art Exhibition, Hanstholm, Denmark 1997
4th International Sculptural Drawing Biennial, Budapest 1996
Nordic Drawing Triennial, Sweden and Norway 1995
Udstillingsbygningen Kastet, Thisted, Denmark 1995
St. Peter`s Church, Riga 1995
“Women Light Up the Night”, open-air slide show, Tacheles Kunsthof, Berlin 1994
Bispegården, Kalundborg, Denmark 1994
«Five from Norway», Galeria Gerulata, Bratislava 1994
Heltborg Museum, Denmark 1993
Hå gamle Prestegård, 1992
Agder Art Centre, Kristiansand 1990, -97
International Small Sculpture Trinnial of Budapest 1990
The National Annual Autumn Exhibitions, Oslo 1989, -96
Rogaland Art Centre, Stavanger 1987
Southern Country Exhibitions, Norway 1987, -88, -89,-90, -91,-92,-93, -96,-97, -98, – 00, -15
Bryggens Museum, Bergen 1985
Western Country Exhibitions, Norway 1982, -83
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
Sculpture for the City Garden in Grimstad 2019
Sculpture for pedestrian precinct in Vennesla city 2018
Grasham Rural Museum, Birkenes 2018
The Chapel at Sandom Retreat Centre, Garmo 2013
The Chapel at Viken Folkehøyskole, Gjøvik 2013
Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger 2012
Haugenparken in Songdalen 2012
Bøler Church, Oslo 2011
The Chapel at Prestegården, Vigmostad 2011
Birkenes Church 2008
Konow`s Centre for Deaf and Deafblind, Bergen 2003
Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal 2002
Valhalla Sykehjem, Kristiansand 1998
Arendal Police Station 1996
Engehaugen Church, Gjøvik 1995
The A-clinic, Kristiansand 1989
The Chapel at Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand 1987
LAND ART
«Horizons and Fragments», Sculpture Trail at Bru, Stavanger 2008
«Metamorphoses», Land Art Symposium, Kirsten Kjærs Museum, Frøstrup, (DK) 2004
«Genius Loci», Søgne Gamle Prestegård, Norway 2000
«Bunker-95», Gallery Lista Lighthouse 1995
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger 2014
Bergen Museum 2007
Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand 2002, 2003
Norsk Skogbruksmuseum, Elverum 2000
City of Toyamura, Japan 1999
Bohuslandstinget, Sweden 1996
Viborg Amt`s Art Collection, Denmark 1993
The Art Museum of Northern Norway, Tromsø 1989
Arts Council Norway 1989
Mandal Art Society 1987
PRIZES
Honorary Diploma, 4th International Biennial of Drawing and Graphic Arts, Györ, Hungary 1997
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Kardowsky House, Pereslavl Saliesky, Russia 2000
TCG Nordica, Kunming, China 2009 and 2016
