The Norwegian Sculpture Biennial 2015 - Art belongs to those who see it

Saturday 16 January 12:00-16:00
Performing Objects - with Marjolijn Dijkman and Kristof Van Gestel.

This workshop will focus on our interaction with objects, explore some of the different visions and narratives particular objects embody and collectively engage in a conversation about their potential forms of agency. In 2014 the artists Marjolijn Dijkman and Kristof Van Gestel initiated the ongoing research project Performing Objects with an extended and growing group of artists. For their workshop in Oslo they invite 8 artists, curators, art students and others with an interest in 'objects and their possibilities to act' to take part. Participants are asked to bring an object – in the widest sense of the word  – to the workshop that they believe is 'performing' in some way.

The workshop group will actively and informally reflect on topics that spring out of Dijkman's and Van Gestel's research project, and offer a moment to re-visit the Norwegian Sculpture Biennial 2015. The workshop thus represents a dialogue between artists and other practitioners from the field of art that rarely have a position in the public sphere of an exhibition.

Sunday 17 January 12:00-16:00
Agreement Conversation Piece/AM by Kristof Van Gestel.

In this participatory artwork the audience is invited into a semi-public space where the artist explains the reciprocal and dependent relationship between artist and spectator. Starting from an experience of the artwork Conversation Piece/AM participants can enter into a conversation with the artist. Then this meeting is set out in an agreement. This conversation piece is open for anyone interested (individuals or small groups), no previous knowledge on art required. Individual participation is on a 'first come'- basis. The conversations are private. Welcome!

Kristof Van Gestel (*1976) is a visual artist and a teacher/researcher at KASK/School of Arts of University College Ghent. He lives and works in Antwerp (BE). Since 1999 Kristof Van Gestel produces sculptures, pictures and projects that focus on questioning and finding a place for art in the daily world everyday. For Van Gestel making art is a method to explore the wide range of different relations into which we as individuals enter in the world. This applies both for the artist as for the viewer. The artist now works on a postdoctoral research project at KASK/School of Arts of University College Ghent in which he focuses on experiential learning. For this reason the platform ‘Knowing by Doing’ was founded. This platform provides opportunities for participatory and experiential art projects and workshops that Van Gestel sets up for a public starting from his own artistic practice.