Artist: Ask Bjørlo
Exhibition title: Livets kraft
Venue: Entrée, Bergen, Norway
Date: May 23 – August 4, 2023
Photography: Bent René Synnevåg / all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Entrée, Bergen
Entrée is proud to present a solo exhibition with Ask Bjørlo, coinciding with the opening day of the annual Bergen International Festival. In the work towards the exhibition Livets kraft (Life Force), Bjørlo has immersed himself in the time and rhythm of the loom and hand-weaving, and the nature just outside his studio door. In addition, there are obvious references to textile history, motifs, and patterns from earlier times. His respect for the artisans he follows is an important dimension in his artistic practice. He has adopted traditional looms and woven by hand with self-spun yarn. In a new series of works, he generates motifs such as roots, seeds, and trees in elongated compositions.
The textile craft stands as an ancient tradition. Fragile fibers are twisted into strong threads that tell our story, for better or for worse. The symbolic value of the materials and techniques is something I use in my art. Because with them I can express myself freely in my own time (past and future). In crafts such as
weaving, embroidery/stitching, knitting and tatting, I find a language that speaks to the heart. Our common heart, which beats in time with the beater. The beauty of the handmade is reflected in nature. It is therefore my desire to be able to use my art to refer to the extremely human, and the wonderful world of which we are a part.
-Ask Bjørlo
Ask Bjørlo (b. 1992, Hønefoss) has an MA in material-based art from Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO, 2017–19). He has previously studied at renowned textile schools such as Nyckelviksskolan and Handarbetets Vänners Skola in Stockholm, Kawashima Textile School in Kyoto and Textilvetenskap at Uppsala University. In his artistic practice, he directs his focus towards textile craft traditions in weaving, embroidery, knitting, lace and textile sculpture, often with a queer gaze. Ask Bjørlo’s work has been shown in Kunsthall Oslo, Stavanger Art Museum, Chart Art Fair in Copenhagen, Kunstnerforbundet in Oslo, Kunsthall Stavanger, Sandefjords kunstforening, OSL Contemporary, KODE Bergen, Rundetårn in Copenhagen and Market Art Fair in Stockholm. His works are in the collections of The National Museum Norway, Stavanger Art Museum, Oslo Municipality, KODE Bergen, Kistefos Museum, National Museum of Decorative Arts (Nordenfjeldske) and Nordea’s Art Collection.
