Inner Space V. The Goal

Per Inge Bjørlo is a sculptor, painter, and graphic artist. His “Inner Space” series is regarded as one of the first installations in Norwegian art. Bjørlo creates large-scale works in all types of media. Uninterested in making exact replications of worldly phenomena, he seeks rather to depict human psyche, frequently using his own experiences, which he converts into imagery that often seems menacing. He is interested in such intimate and familiar things as family life, as seen in works such as Objects for Mother and For Grandmother. Bjørlo’s existential imagination comes to the fore in his prints, which often pertain to the human head, the very locus of human wonderment and consciousness. In his sculptural works, he uses a broad range of materials, such as rubber, steel, light, human hair, and broken glass, to draw the viewer into unsettling situations.

Inner Space V: The Goal is the fifth and final part of the series Bjørlo created in the period 1984–90. The installation is made of stainless steel. A stairway leads up and into a narrow corridor, which in turn leads to a light source at the end of the room. The shiny steel and light make a strong sensory impression. The feeling of being trapped between the corridor walls, with their unpleasant acoustics and lighting, is almost claustrophobic. Visitors become insistently aware of their own bodies, as sight, hearing, and a feeling of entrapment are activated inside the installation.