CHART 2020 announces de-centred programme
76 artists presented by 28 galleries across five Nordic capitals. CHART launches its de-centred programme of exhibitions, talks and events taking place in each participating gallery from 28-30 August, marking the eighth edition of the annual Nordic event for contemporary art.
Anastasia Ax, The world as of yesterday, Photo: Hendrik Zeitler, 2019, courtesy of the artist, Göteborgs Konsthall and Gallery Steinsland Berliner
Sif Itona Westerberg, Untitled, 2020, Gether Contemporary, Photo: David Stjernholm
Adapting to a changed reality in light of the global pandemic, CHART moves from its home venue of Charlottenborg in Copenhagen into 28 of the leading art galleries across the Nordic capitals; Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, Reykjavík, and Stockholm. Each gallery presents their CHART exhibitions and hosts talks and events in their own gallery spaces during 28 - 30 August.
The full programme is now online at chartartfair.com.
In a strong collective statement, all participating galleries are showing 100% women artists to highlight the structural challenge of gender imbalance in the art industry. With no significant change to this challenge over the past years, CHART dedicates this year’s edition to push for a better-balanced art market.
Collective activities in a de-centred format “This year has turned everything upside down and as we have adapted it has been a huge inspiration to see how the participating galleries have come together to collaborate and to confront a difficult situation as colleagues rather than competitors. I truly believe this is the way forward, to sustain and develop the art scene collectively for the good of all,” says Nanna Hjortenberg, Director of CHART.
In CHART’s new de-centred format the participating galleries are teaming up and some are uniting their local exhibitions. In Reykjavík i8 Gallery, Hverfisgallerí and BERG Contemporary present a collective exhibition in the gallery space of BERG Contemporary. In Helsinki a guided curator-lead tour is organised between Galerie Anhava, Galerie Forsblom, Galleria Heino and Helsinki Contemporary. In Copenhagen Berlin-based Persons Projects presents a pop-up exhibition at Fotografisk Center, and Vienna-based Croy Nielsen moves into a temporary space in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District joining forces with local galleries V1 Gallery, Gether Contemporary and Galleri Bo Bjerggaard.
Throughout the CHART weekend local audiences are encouraged to circulate between galleries and participate in events and talks, whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines. To follow local capacity restrictions all events require sign-up.
Online programme and live-streamed performances
In the entire month of August CHART presents a social media programme with exclusive artist studio visits, instagram takeovers and live talks to get behind the scenes and explore the participating artists’ practices.
During CHART audiences across distances can connect with the programme through live-streamed performances. In Oslo, Apichaya Wanthiang (TH) and Anna Daniell (NO) will perform their first ever piece together at Galleri Brandstrup. In Stockholm, Anastasia Ax (SE) presents a brutal and destructive performance at Gallery Steinsland Berliner, and in Copenhagen, Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen (DK) performs her piece ‘Gynophobia’ at Andersen’s.
A lasting testament to the artists
In total 76 artists participate in this year’s CHART presenting a cross section of the practices active on the Nordic art scene. Ranging from emerging profiles such as Mandy El-Sayegh (UK), Nanna Abell (DK), Sif Itona Westerberg (SE), and Urara Tsuchiya (JP), to the more established Ane Graff (NO), Frida Orupabo (NO), Clare Woods (UK) and Nina Beier (DK) and the internationally acclaimed Roni Horn (US), Mamma Andersson (SE) and Tacita Dean (UK).
“With our curatorial decision to present women artists we have undoubtedly pushed the limits of how an art fair can impact the art scene and market and we have carefully considered how to create lasting effect and value for the participating artists. Unable to unite the works in a collective presentation as we normally do, we’ve produced a book that gathers the participating artists in critical articles and essays by international writers, bringing new perspectives on the contemporary art scene in the Nordics and beyond”, says Nanna Hjortenberg, Director of CHART.
The 200-page publication with newly commissioned writings from 21 voices from across the art world will be released in the lead up to CHART. Writers and contributors include Jennifer Higgie (Frieze Magazine), Kenny Schachter (Artnet), Christian Viveros-Fauné (The New Yorker, Art Review, ArtNews), Valeria Napoleone (Collector and Art Patron), Gitte Ørskou (Moderna Museet, Stockholm) and Zoé Whitley (Chisenhale Gallery, London). The publication will be freely available in a digital version 21 August 2020 on www.chartartfair.com.
The publication will be freely available in a digital version 21 August 2020 on www.chartartfair.com.
