For Ness, ‘Metis’ invokes a kind of skill in which mental knowledge and corporeal experience merge, an ability to respond intuitively, within a local context, which characterises an artistic way of relating to the world.
The exhibition explores Ness’s artistic practice, which challenges conventions of art and the institutions that set the framework for our lives. The first major review of Ole Jørgen Ness’s work since 2012, the exhibition offers a unique insight into his fascinating creative processes.
In his art, Ness seeks a balance between mind and matter, nature and culture, and between the existential responsibilities of the individual and the collective.
Among the works on display is the monumental drawing "Sketch for a Century", which has not been shown since it was exhibited at the National Gallery in 2005. Rising to the height of the wall and a full 26 metres in length, the drawing encompasses a cosmos of mythical creatures, fables and ancient deities.
In 2017, the National Museum received a substantial donation of works from Ness. The donation in itself is an artwork that features in the exhibition. Conceptually, the gift marked the final phase of a thirty-year ‘disobedience project’, in which Ness sought to repay his student loans with works of art. In its entirety, the donation consisted of twenty-four works, representing a return of interest accrued on the loan, a debt that was forgiven in 2005. Ten works were incorporated into the National Museum collection, while fourteen went to Kode in Bergen.
At its core, the donation reflects a desire to contribute to a responsible administration of community values. Ness’s original motivation in 1994 was to ensure the best possible ‘return’ on the investment society had made in him, both as a citizen and as an aspiring artist.
Specifically, my disobedience has consisted in not following ‘orders’, and in insisting on ‘settling my account’, but in a ‘different currency’ – on my own terms and based on a conviction that alternative solutions to societal ‘obligations’ can in fact bring about ‘win-win’ results.
As a whole, the project throws light on the means of expression available to us and the significance that art can have in society.
The exhibition features a selection of works from the donation, alongside new and older works from the artist’s studio. A comprehensive catalogue is published to accompany the exhibition, offering deeper insight into the various issues the artist has explored over recent decades.
