THE NOISE OF NOTHINGNESS

The Noise of Nothingness brings together seven artworks that explore the tension between presence and absence, noise and silence, materiality and void. Through diverse mediums, the artworks probe the subtleties of perception and meaning; how it is constructed, fragmented and often left unresolved. Together, the pieces reflect on the paradoxes of representation, resonating with the “noise” of contemporary existence: a ceaseless clash of signals that gestures toward the ineffable silence and nothingness beneath.

In Untitled No. 1 (2015), Darío Escobar juxtaposes agricultural tools and baseballs in a suspended sculptural arrangement, pairing symbols of labor with those of leisure and commodification. This tension reflects Escobar’s critique of global economies and cultural exchanges, transforming everyday materials into a pointed commentary on structural inequalities. By recontextualizing these objects, Escobar exposes their entangled histories, inviting viewers to reflect on power dynamics embedded in the mundane.

Gardar Eide Einarsson’s Untitled (Fiat Justitia, Ruat Coelum) (2012) presents a cotton flag inscribed with the Latin phrase "Let justice be done though the heavens fall". The minimalist black-and-white design underscores the phrase’s weighty moral and historical implications, interrogating the tensions between justice, power and representation. By presenting a symbol as stark and loaded as a flag, Einarsson invites viewers to confront the silences and contradictions inherent in justice itself.

Noise (2014) by Mads Gamdrup explores the intersection of light, color, and transparency through monochromatic photography. By embracing the pixelated "noise" that emerges in the transition from analogue to digital photography, Gamdrup transforms imperfections into intentional aesthetics. This approach dissolves the boundaries between materiality and immateriality, offering a meditative exploration of the liminal space between presence and absence.

Michael Kvium’s Everlasting Painting No. 1 & No. 2 (1995–1996) introduces biomorphic forms suspended in a weightless, indefinite void. These organ-like shapes blur the boundaries between life and death, presence and absence, evoking both familiarity and unease. Kvium’s paintings reflect on human fragility, presenting existence as a paradox; eternal yet unresolved, tethered to neither full presence nor complete absence.

In New Enter Image I (2016), Miriam Bäckström transforms a photographic image into a woven cosmos, evoking the sensation of viewing the universe from a great distance. The large-scale tapestry captures the tension between vastness and intimacy, offering a sense of awe at the incomprehensible while uncovering hidden details often overlooked in traditional photography. This transformation challenges the boundaries of the photographic medium, inviting viewers to reconsider the space between tangibility and non-tangible.

Runo Lagomarsino’s La agora del passado (2018) interrogates the legacies of colonialism through sculptural objects that reframe history. The installation features conquistador helmets crafted from clay and adorned with silver leaf, their gleaming surfaces contrasting sharply with their earthy origins. This juxtaposition evokes the violent history of resource extraction and colonial conquest, while the precarious arrangement of the helmets underscores the enduring fragility and imbalance of these historical legacies.

Kilde:
Nils Stærk