Pink Cube
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«Battle 16: Olivia Dunbar (CA) vs. Henrique Saidel (BR)»
22 August – 7 September 2014, PINK CUBE, Oslo
co-curated with Maaike Gouwenberg (NL)
Live-performance by Saidel, video installation by Dunbar
Photograph by Anja Carr
PINK CUBE is an intimate, non-profit art space with a pink wall-paint containing body fluids. Artist and director Anja Carr started PINK CUBE in January 2011 with an aim to create a space with a good gender balance that challenged the idea of the white cube as a neutral and ideal space for art. Unlike the commercial «shopping-window galleries» PINK CUBE's entrance is located in a backyard in the neighborhood of Grønland, central Oslo, up some stairs and through a labyrinth of corridors. The body fluids on the walls, and the fact that finding the entrance is an adventure in its own right, underlines PINK CUBE’s focus on the physical experience of the events and the space: the bodily experience and the live situation as opposed to the more common experience of art today – through a computer screen. The inclusion of body fluids also points to the history of performance art and the French philosopher Julia Kristeva's idea of «the abject» (what lies between the subject and the object), while the pink colour represents another continuation of Carr's own art production, where the vulnerable distinctions between genders – as well as the child and adult spheres – are among the core interests.
All the exhibitions at PINK CUBE are art-battles between two artists(-groups). This duel-format aims to boost fruitful artistic dialogue across genres and generations, and gives artists the opportunity to test their artistic strengths in a new way. The battle-exhibitions usually lasts 1–3 weekends and include up-and-coming as well as established artists working with all kinds of media; for Battle #11 Janna Thöle-Juul filled the space with 2 tonnes of hay, and for Battle #13 Bård Ask created paintings containing sperm. Previous battles include artists from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Israel, Brazil, Scotland, Canada, Germany and the USA. For each battle Carr invites artists that have some common interests, but can challenge each other in different ways. The planning and the mounting of the works is a collaboration between the director and the exhibitors. A group of 4–6 artists work as volunteers at the event openings.
By the end of 2015 there has been 20 art-battles at PINK CUBE and the space has gained a great deal of attention from national newspapers, magazines, journals and television, as well as international press like Dazed and Confused Magazine (UK), Frieze Magazine (UK), Måg Magazine (UK), La Monda Magazine (ES) and Travel + Leisure Magazine (NY). In 2012 PINK CUBE won the Oslo-prize for «Best art of the year» together with artists Unni Askeland (NO) and Tommy Olsson (SE) for Battle #8. For the 2014 programme PINK CUBE had a special focus on live-performance and invited two co-curators: Maaike Gouwenberg (NL) and Charlotte Jansen (UK). Also in 2012 PINK CUBE was part of Fredrikstad Independent Art Fair (NO), and in April 2015 Battle #18 took place at SUPERMARKET Stockholm Independent Art Fair (SE). The concept of the space can be moved as long as the walls are painted with the same unique pink paint.
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Mission:
PINK CUBE is a pink artist-run space dedicated to offer an alternative to the sterile white cube and its inherent power structures, with a better gender balance and a flat structure. Situated first at Grünerløkka and later at Grønland, Oslo until 2016. It is now a nomadic space, with the possibility of traveling to different venues and countries with its unique wall-paint.Location:
Oslo, NorwayFounded:
2011Premises:
NomadicFunding:
Public funding & self-fundedOther Funding:
PINK CUBE has previously received grants and support for individual projects from The Municipality of Bergen, Section for Arts and Cultural Affairs and Arts Council Norway.Legal Status:
Incorporated as part of artist Anja Carr's practice and one-person companyTeam:
1 permanent artist-director-curator, guest-curators and volunteersSelected Projects:
22 «battles» in the the battle-series (2011–to present)
Type:
- Artist-Run
- Artist-Initiated
- Non-profit / Project
Status:
-
- Inactive ◊ Updated since 2016 ≈ Nomadic