Kristin Opem
Jordskokk

7 November – 7 December

Private view Thursday 7 December, 6-8 pm

When the new art gallery Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst was to be built in Trondheim, archaeological excavations had to be first carried out on the site to map the traces of previous construction and history. Among the many finds were shards of pottery from the late Middle Ages onwards. All ceramics in this relatively long period were imported from Europe and Trondheim did not develop its own ceramic production until well into the 17th century. In 2019, the ceramist Kristin Opem (b. 1963) met one of the archaeologists who led the excavations, the ceramics expert Ian Reed, and became interested in the historical ceramics that were found. For the exhibition Jordskokk, Opem has explored some of the forms that dominated among the imported ceramics during the Middle Ages and has created contemporary interpretations that can at the same time be perceived as a form of archaeological study. The simple historical pottery has rarely survived the test of time and it is only in modern times that art industry museums have begun to consider these objects as artistic objects. Opem's exhibition is an exciting contribution to a simultaneous reassessment of our ceramic history.

 

In connection with the exhibition, RAM publishes a catalog with texts by the artist himself, Ian Reed, as well as RAM director Joakim Borda-Pedreira.

 

Kristin Opem (b. 1963) is educated at the Norwegian College of Arts and Crafts and the Academy of Arts in Iceland. She is represented in many public collections, including the National Museum, Nordenfjeldske art industry museum, KODE art museums and composer's home, as well as Trondheim municipality.

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