Torbjørn Rødland
08 Oct - 07 Nov 2009
TORBJØRN RØDLAND
"Pyromancy"
October 8 - November 7, 2009
Opening 08.10.2009, 18:00 - 21:00 h
Rodolphe Janssen is pleased to present 'Pyromancy' the first solo exhibition in Brussels of Torbjørn Rødland.
Building on the postmodern reevaluation of familiar motifs and image types, Rødland has shifted the focus of critical photography towards its active mythical potential without loosing sight of the role popular imagery play in constituting perception.
A dictionary will tell us that pyromancy is a pre-historic method with which to organize apparently disjointed facets of life to gain insight into life’s mysteries. Fire or smoke is closely studied. Naming the exhibition after this ancient form of diviation, Rødland seems to suggest an alternative reading of his photographs. The pictures channel their motifs into a web of correlations, both substantive and mythical. Rødland examines the role images play in a non-religious culture where people still have to look for meaning. Every photograph can be seen as a statement on the medium’s nature or possibilities.
Torbjørn Rødland (born 1970 in Stavanger, Norway) has exhibited extensively in Europe at venues such as the Centre Pompidou, Paris; the 48th Venice Biennale, Venice; Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam and Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid. Recent and upcoming solo exhibitions include Air de Paris, Paris; Michael Benevento, Los Angeles; Sørlandets Art Museum, Kristiansand, and Hiroshima MOCA. Recent group exhibitions include Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich; Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, Lyon; Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York; and Malmö Art Museum, Malmö.
"Pyromancy"
October 8 - November 7, 2009
Opening 08.10.2009, 18:00 - 21:00 h
Rodolphe Janssen is pleased to present 'Pyromancy' the first solo exhibition in Brussels of Torbjørn Rødland.
Building on the postmodern reevaluation of familiar motifs and image types, Rødland has shifted the focus of critical photography towards its active mythical potential without loosing sight of the role popular imagery play in constituting perception.
A dictionary will tell us that pyromancy is a pre-historic method with which to organize apparently disjointed facets of life to gain insight into life’s mysteries. Fire or smoke is closely studied. Naming the exhibition after this ancient form of diviation, Rødland seems to suggest an alternative reading of his photographs. The pictures channel their motifs into a web of correlations, both substantive and mythical. Rødland examines the role images play in a non-religious culture where people still have to look for meaning. Every photograph can be seen as a statement on the medium’s nature or possibilities.
Torbjørn Rødland (born 1970 in Stavanger, Norway) has exhibited extensively in Europe at venues such as the Centre Pompidou, Paris; the 48th Venice Biennale, Venice; Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam and Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid. Recent and upcoming solo exhibitions include Air de Paris, Paris; Michael Benevento, Los Angeles; Sørlandets Art Museum, Kristiansand, and Hiroshima MOCA. Recent group exhibitions include Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich; Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, Lyon; Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York; and Malmö Art Museum, Malmö.