Maria Wettergren - MW Galerie

Gjertrud Hals is considered as one of the redefining figures of textile art, liberating fiber from the loom and displaying it in space as three-dimensional sculpture. Her works have been acquired by private and public collections, such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo; The Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York; The Museum of Decorative Arts, Lausanne, Mobilier National Les Gobelins and the Bellerive Museum in Zürich.

In 1987, Gjertrud Hals was granted First Prize in the Metro Arts International Art Competition in New York, followed by the Grand Prix in the Kyoto International Textile Competition in 1989.

Gjertrud Hals’ upbringing on the little island of Finnøya is profoundly anchored in her art, and her relationship to the region’s nature and culture is deep and complex. Hals focuses on natural fibers that she transforms through various techniques including weaving, knitting, casting, spraying and cutting. Trained in the art of tapestry-weaving in the 1970’s, Gjertrud Hals’ interest in feminism and women’s culture associates her with the new wave of women artists exploring the sculptural potential of textile.

Gjertrud Hals’ art, both literately and symbolically. Many of her works are formed of structures made of cotton and linen crochets covered with paper pulp or resin. Often strange little objects, objets trouvés, such as animal skeletons, plants and branches are combined with metal wires or bound with papier mâché. They look a bit like the kind of “treasures” children might find. Like a spider’s web, these weavings seem to capture the traces of life as time goes by, or as Gjertrud Hals puts it “With the number of things happening in the world today, it feels right to focus on a small segment by conserving a part of it.”

Like small micro-cosmoses, inspired by mythological story-telling and children’s worlds, Gjertrud Hals’ works seem to possess their own laws and logics, moving somewhere between delicate neatness and unrestrained inspiration. In the words of the artist, they propose a reflection “…on the relationship between nature and culture, in which the lives of modern humans are moving between chaos and order. Forces of nature and war create chaos, after which a new order is elaborated, always both the same and a little bit different than the previous.“

EDUCATION :

1971-72 SLFN, degree in Art Education

1975-77 SLFO, degree in Art Education

1986-87 Art Academy, Trondheim

SOLO EXHIBITIONS :

2020 « Sanctum », Galerie Maria Wettergren, Paris

2018 Gjennom Maskene. Krona, Romsdalsmuseet

2017 DET GULE HUSET,Asker

2015 Galerie Maria Wettergren, Paris / Bærum Art Hall, Bærum

2014 Himmerland Art Museum, Aars, Denmark / Kube Art Museum, Ålesund

2012 Gallery RAM, Oslo

2011 Rauland Art Association / Molde International Jazz Festival, Festival Artist

2010 Ode to the roots, KMR, Molde

2008 Kube Art Museum, Ålesund / Norwegian Forest Museum, Elverum

2007 Vadsø Art Association, Vadsø

2006 Gallery Heer, Oslo

2005 Gallery Svalbard, Longyearbyen / Gallery HAV, Hustad

2004 Gallery Heer, Oslo

2003 Gallery III, Oslo

2002 Trondheim Art Museum, Trondheim

2000 Gallery Elvetun, Sykkylven / Nils Aas Art Studio, Inderøy

1999 Gallery Barbara, Sunndalsøra / The Bjørnson Festival, Festival of International Literature, Molde

1998 Aukra Art Association, Aukra

1994 Gallery Åkern, Kongsberg

1991 Levanger Art Association, Levanger

1990 North Norwegian Art Center, Svolvær

1989 Gallery Wang, Oslo

1988 Molde International Jazz Festival, Festival Artist / Shæffergården, Copenhagen / Gallery F15, Moss

1985 Møre og Romsdal Art Center, Molde

GROUP EXHIBITION (SELECTED):

2022 Homo Faber, Next of Europe, Venice

2022 Résaux-Mondes. Mutations / Créations 5 au Centre Pompidou, Paris

2021 The National Annual Exhibition( Høstutstillingen)

2021 In search of Japandi-Exploring East/West Design. browngrotta arts, Wilon CT

2021 Årstider-der jeg er. Hovedøya Kunstsal, Oslo

2020 TEFAF Maastricht

2019/18/17/16/15 PAD Paris, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2019/18/17/16/15 PAD London Art+Design, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2019/18/17/16/15 Design Miami/Basel, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2018 70 – 100, Baerum Art Hall

2018/17/16/15 The Salon: Art+Design NY, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2018 Threads & Fibers, Contemporary Scandinavian Design, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2017 Fiberfeber, Museum of Decorative Art, Trondheim

2016 Apent Rom, Nils Aas Art Studio, Straumen

2016/15 Art Genéve, Galerie Maria Wettergren

2015 Pãivitetty pitsi(modern lace art).Hankasalmi, Finland/ Herfra. Kube Art Museum, Ålesund / Interwoven. Merzbau Gallery, Miami / Art in Nature. Landart in Vengedalen, Romsdal / Fattig kunst-rik arv. National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo / Art Genéve, Galerie MW

2014 The Vevring Exhibition, Vevring / Design Miami/Basel Galerie Maria Wettergren / Stavanger Art Museum, Stavanger

2012 Lost Garden, Høvikodden / Moving, Ålesund

2011 Art in Nature, Landart in Vengedalen, Romsdal / Paper Art Exhibition, Seitenstetten, Austria

2010 Goddesses II, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo / Knitting and Stitching Shows, London / The Holland Paper Art Biennial 2010, Apeldoorn and Rijswijk

2009 Art in Nature, Landart in Vengedalen, Romsdal

2005 Identity, Kube Art Museum, Ålesund

2003 Modern Masters, Munich

2002 Masterpieces –Capolavori, Turin / Norwegian Textile Artists 25 years, Notodden

2001 S0FA-Sculpture Object and Functional Art, New York

2000 International Art Festival – Art 21, Palm Spring

1998 Cellulose, International Touring Exhibition in The Nordic Countries / 9th Triennial of Tapestry, Lódz / The Annual Exhibition for Trøndelag

1997 Shelter, International Art Exhibition, Trondheim / International Triennial of Tapestry and Textile Art, Tournai / Norwegian Textile Artists 20 years, Oslo / Blue, Haugar Art Museum, Tønsberg

1996 Flax and Linnen Biennial, Rouen and Paris / The Annual Exhibition for Northern Norway

1995 Art -Material, Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense / International Touring Exhibition in Scandinavia and Spain

1994 Paper Art, Gemeente Amstelveen Museum, Amsterdam / Norwegian Art, Gallery Brandstrup, Oslo / Heimdal Art Exhibition, Trondheim

1992 Gallery “Kunst und Handwerk”, Munich / Ode de la coupe, Museum of Decorative Art, Lausanne / 3. Basketry Invitational, Michigan / Kryss-Crossing Borders, Regional Art Center, Hordaland

1991 European Craft, Stuttgart / Crossing Borders, Gallery F15, Moss

1991 Configura, Art in Europe, Erfurt

1990 Nordform, art , craft, design and architecture, Malmö / Gallery Ram, Oslo / International Biennial of Paper Art, Düren

1989 Splendid Forms, Bellas Artes Gallery, Santa Fe and New York / Nordic Textile Triennial / New Norwegian Textile Art, Museum of Decorative Art, Trondheim / ITF International Textile Competition`89, Kyoto / Perspective on Paper, Maihaugen, Lillehammer

1988 Neo Tradition, Museum of Decorative Art, Trondheim / The Tactile Vessel, Touring Exhibition in USA / Textile Art 88, Maihaugen, Lillehammer / The National Annual Exhibition (Høstutstillingen) / Metro Art´s International Art Competition, New York

1987 The National Annual Exhibition

1986 The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway (Vestlandsutstillingen)

1984 The National Annual Exhibition / The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway / The 3.Michoacan Int. Exhibition of Miniature Textiles, Mexico / 5th Int. Biennial of Miniature Textiles, Ungarn / The Annual Exhibition for Trøndelag

1983 The National Annual Exhibition / The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway

1982 The National Annual Exhibition / Nordic Textile Triennia

1981 The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway

1980 The National Annual Exhibition / The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway / The UKS Spring Exhibition / Art and Church, Trondheim

1979 The Annual Exhibition for Western Norway / The UKS Spring Exhibition Oslo / The Annual Exhibition for Eastern Norway

1975 Norwegian Contemporary Textile, Oslo Art Association, Oslo

COMMISSIONS :

2014 Kristiansund College

2013 NGLMS, Otta

2012 Teatret Vårt, Møre og Romsdal

2009 Molde District Psychiatric Centre Knausen

2006 Shell Administration Building, Aukra

2004 Stabekk School, Bærum

2002 Bjørnson Consert House, Molde / Rica Seilet Hotel, Molde

1998 Aker Stadion, Molde / Julsundet School, Aukra

1997 Statoil Administration Building, Tjeldbergodden

1994 Molde University College, Molde / Frostating Court of Appeal, Molde

1993 Brage Oil Platform

1992 Draugen Oil Platform

1987 Molde Church, Molde / Nord-Heggdal Chapel, Misund

1986 Fræna School, Elnesvågen

1986 Kleive Nursing Home, Molde

1985 Kirkelandet Chapel, Kristiansund

1984 Sunndal Nursing Home, Sunndal

1983 Ulsteinvik Day Nursery Home, Ulsteinvik

1981 Ørsta Nursing Home, Ørsta

COLLECTIONS (SELECTED) :

Mobilier National, Les Gobelins, Paris / Kube Art Museum, Ålesund / Museum Bellerive, Zurich / Museum of Decorative Art, Lausanne / American Craft Museum, New York / Erie Art Museum, Pennsylvania / Leopold-Hoesch Museum, Düren / The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo / The National Museum of Decorative Arts, Trondheim / Arts Council Norway / Bob Kelly Gallery, Gothenborg / Sør-Trøndelag County Art Collection / Nord-Trøndelag County Art Collection / Møre og Romsdal County Art Collection

Finnmark County Art Collection / Bærum Municipal Art Collection / Oslo Municipal Art Collection / Aukra Municipal Art Collection / Daiichishiko Co. Ltd. Kyoto / Aker Stadion Art Collection, Molde / Fjord 1, MRF / KS, The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities / The County Hospital, Molde / Molde University College / Ergan Coastal Defences ( World War 2 Museum), Bud

GRANTS AND AWARDS :

2014 BKH Exhibition Grant

2011 BKH Exhibition Grant

2010 Arts Councils Exhibition Grant

2007 Arts Councils Exhibition Grant

2004 Arts Councils Exhibition Grant

2002 Bærum Municipal Art Prize

2000 Arts Councils Exhibition Grant

1989 Grand Prix, International Textile Competition`89, Kyoto

1987 1.Prize, Metro Arts Intern. Art Competition, New York

1998 Ingrid Linbäk Langaard Foundation / The Inadomi Foundation

1997 The National Guarantee Income for Artists