Present by Pål Vigeland and Beginning, Becoming by Daniela Bergschneider

Artist list

Daniela Bergschneider, Pål Vigeland

Pål Vigeland
Present

Pål Vigeland works with objects made of metal. With a background as a goldsmith, his fascination with entirely different metal materials has gained increasing focus. Surfaces bearing traces of previous use, which develop a natural patina, have served as the starting point for many of his works over the past 40 years.
The inspiration for his objects is often drawn from nature—such as shells or seed forms—which are then shaped sculpturally, sometimes resulting in geometric forms. The work is executed with artisanal precision and a keen sense for detail in both design and joining, allowing the objects to achieve a refined formal expression.
The processing of the various metals influences both form and expression. In some works, wear in the metal from prior use is clearly visible, and there is an intention to preserve as much of the original patina as possible. The surface of the materials plays a significant role in the expression of the forms.
The exhibition presents objects that span a wide range of materials and techniques, from tin cans, to copper and zinc, to cast bronze.


Daniela Bergschneider
Beginning, Becoming

What separates the world from itself? What makes it stand out, become different—matter that’s distinguishable from other matter? It is no coincidence that the skin is the largest organ. A surface stretched out and over, covering the pieces that constitute a form. Different tactile qualities follow shapes, providing an outside to an inside—a diplomatic action between what lies within and what lies without; a shelter and a shield.

In Daniela Bergschneider’s work, a solemn trace of negotiation can always be found: between movement and stillness, between expansion and contraction. Between shapes that feel familiar, yet somehow strange, like a vague memory of something once known, or a premonition of something yet to come. By making and repeating small, modular shapes in porcelain, Bergschneider covers them with hand-dyed, semi-transparent nylon, tying them into the fabric to construct larger forms. Sometimes the porcelain takes on shapes reminiscent of small bones—thin and elongated, like the skeletons of tiny birds, gathered and collected in nylon nests. Sometimes it assumes structures that hint at growth, at something unfolding, building, and attaching to itself; playing with our perception of what it means to be outside and inside. Experiencing Bergschneider’s work is an exercise in balance. Forms are repeated—but never excessively. One can see through the outer layer to the inner structure—but never fully. They are appealing to the touch—but would they crumble? Her works are fragile yet strong, the nylon acting both as a protective layer and as a tool of construction. But within this lies a duality: the nylon always runs the risk of being destroyed from within, perforated by the very shapes it helps to protect.

Somehow, Bergschneider‘s works always seem complete. At peace with themselves. Eerie and unsettling? Perhaps. But always elegantly resolved, resting within their own skin. Colors balance on the edge of the familiar, never too insistent in their interpretation, always allowing other materials and shapes to shine through, enhancing rather than dominating. The nylon surface that holds the structures together is often pushed to an extreme, but never so far as to break. The world, separated from itself, is also held together; given the opportunity to grow into itself, to become comfortable in its own skin.


Opening reception: Thursday, 7 August at 6 pm with an opening speech by art historian and curator Jorunn Veiteberg.