Make a painting of trees growing in a forest [Erla Haraldsdóttir; 3 October - 22 November 2015, Kalmar konstmuseum] - Erla S. Haraldsdóttir; Tannert, Christoph; Haraldsdóttir, Erla S.; Kalmar Läns Konstmuseum (Reykjavik : Crymogea, 2015)
At first sight, Erla S. Haraldsdóttirþs paintings appear hyperreal. In them, both urban and nature scenes assert themselves, images that seem destined to incite tension between the viewer?s perception of reality and the kind of artistic representation which characterizes contemporary figurative paintings. But Erla?s works build on more than the interplay and tug-of-war between abstract emotions and the actual materiality of painting. They are also the products of a unique method that she developed over the last few years. The idea is to take sets of rules, parameters, or instructions given to her by friends or other sources and then use those as the motivation or guidelines for her work. This ?automation? of the creative process imbues these works with a sense of playfulness and maybe even a little mischief. In effect, the artist has pledged to obey her instructions and her choice of subject matter is entirely dependent on the boundaries that she?s been given. However, the final form that the work takes, its very credibility, is owed to Erla?s talent and her ability to carry out her orders. It is her skill as a painter that deceives us. These paintings are ?good? in the way that people often talk about paintings as being good; they are compelling works of art. But at the same time, they are the products of rules that in the end, were not were not rules at all, but rather missives that could be interpreted and processed in surprising and spontaneous ways. 0Erla S. Haraldsdóttir studied art in Stockholm, San Francisco, and Gothenburg, and currently lives and works in Berlin. She has incorporated animated films, video, and photographs in her works, but during the last few years, has primarily focused on painting. 00Exhibition: Kalmar Konstmuseum, Kalmar, Sweden (03.10-22.11.2015)
Keywords: Ausstellungskatalog, 2025, Kalmar