Exhibition Guide
Karen Bit Vejle
GALLERY 1 #1 “La beauté est partout, quand on sait regarder les choses” 2012 Brennex display paper Motif cut separately The legendary French high fashion house Hermès is famous for its handmade luxury articles and refined elegance. Hermès was founded in 1837 and produced exclusive saddles and horse saddlery. Eventually their assortment broadened to include clothes, perfume, bags and scarves. By the end of the 1930s, exciting ornamentation and decor was transferred to the elegant products. For more than 170 years, craftsmanship of the finest caliber has been the trait of Hermès–a proud tradition to be admired, in sharp contrast to the mass produced products of our time. “La beauté est partout, quand on sait regarder les choses,” is a playful interpretation of this exciting entrepreneurial adventure where traditional craftsmanship is brought to a modern time. The piece reflects the abundance of naturally inspired ornamentation, decorative elements and humoristic incitements that have characterized the products of Hermès throughout history and all the way up until today. It celebrates the ultimate craftsmanship and it is a “cadeau” to those who with skill and love of “details” contribute to beauty in the world–the kind of beauty that can be found everywhere if you know where to look for it.
#2 Ballerina Bulldog 2011 At first sight Ballerina Bulldog may seem weak and fragile. In actuality she is very tough and she knows how to defend herself when life is hard or when her self-confidence is damaged. Ballerina looks after herself and her line dance by using her inner strength when she dances through life. And while she maintains her balance, she also fights for justice, beauty and not the least - joy! Life demands from us that we are sweet, tough, kind and hard–and sometimes all of this at once. Thus it can be wise to find some additional strength–for the sake of balance, hope and joy. The strength already resides within us–we only have to remember to find it. You are not as weak as you think. There are Ballerina Bulldog powers in all of us! Ballerina Bulldog has her own Facebook page and she would be happy to be your friend. http://www.facebook.com/ballerinabulldog. The impossible is possible, but only if you wish for it enough! The wisdom of Mandela Open up or conceal what should be hidden or forgotten Bark when life bites! Make a throw and let life choose for you More sugar! You are the Queen of your own life wherever you go, take your whole heart with you Make peace with yourself and with your neighbour Eat to make you happy You can always change Aim before you shoot. But remember to aim for the right target! Listen and your soul will grow wings Be creative Believe in something larger than yourself
#3 Ragnhild’s key 2007/2008 Brennex display paper. Rice paper. Gold leaf Folded twice. Middle section cut asymmetrically Ragnhild Sigurdsdotter was married to Halvdan Svarte, king of Vestfold in the 9th century. She became the mother of Harald Hårfagre–the king who united Norway. She had grand dreams. And the dreams came true…
#4 Use your horns 2006 Brennex display paper Folded twice. Middle section cut asymmetrically. You must never lost sight of your dreams, little girl. Float upwards with the sparkly bubbles. Fly away with firm Wing beats. Use your strength and your horns!
#5 Original for the gourmet plate, the Zeleste porcelain 2007 Brennex display paper Folded once. Middle section cut asymmetrically
#6 Original for the lunch/brunch plate, the Zeleste porcelain 2007 Brennex display paper Folded once. Cut symmetrically
#7 Original for the cake plate, the Zeleste porcelain 2007 Brennex display paper The frame folded twice. Middle motif folded once. Bird motif cut asymmetrically
#8 Lemons 2001 Brennex display paper. Strohseide Folded twice. Cut symmetrically
#9 Catwalk with chickens 2004 Brennex display paper Folded once. Cut symmetrically A symphony of eggs with a packet basket below the wishbone (which is really the “collar bone” of the bird). According to tradition, when two people pull at the ends of a wishing bone, whoever draws the largest piece will have their wish fulfilled. On both sides of the basket the young hens stroll about, watched over by two strutting, proud roosters. Eggshells and fried eggs are scattered about. This is what it’s like on a chicken farm!
# 10 House rules 2007/2008 Brennex display paper. Strohseide two hues of green Folded twice. Middle section cut asymmetrically House rules is a series of pictures based on the small but viable words of wisdom of everyday life. Historically the house painting was a short description of the rules of conduct for the social classes (the spiritual, the secular and the household) or the individual members of a household. It existed side by side with Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. Karen Bit Vejle has cut and written her own house paintings. The house paintings are also “test sheets” or preliminary studies to larger works, because she can try out details in the small cuttings before they are transferred to pictures of a larger format–where it is no longer allowed to make mistakes. Did you forgive your neighbor today? Thank you 46664 - was Nelson Mandela’s number as a prisoner on Robben Island and today it is the number used in Europe to donate to the global AIDS-fund. The butterflies refer to Kofi Annan’s speech about “the Butterfly Effect” that he held when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. The bumble bee should not really be able to fly When you actually look at the bumble bee, it seems a mystery that it can fly at all. Isn’t its body too heavy and aren’t its wings too small? But it does fly, moving steadfast from flower to flower, because the wings are like small propellers and provide it powerful lift. It therefore does not just carry its own weight; it also bears the additional load of nectar and pollen. Judge actions, not words Hope Hope is our inner engine. There is always a choice Freedom The lyrics “Frihet gjør en kålorm selv til sommerfugl” (“Freedom changes even a caterpillar into a butterfly”) is a saying by Henrik Ibsen. Humility When you cut, you only get one try and it is not possible to mend any mistakes afterward. That is what happened here. Therefore it says Ydmyhet instead of Ydmykhet (“humility” in Norwegian). No one is better than others. No one! The pattern is a preliminary study for the cut “The fifth season.” Write patience behind the ear Who said it would be easy
GALLERY 2 # 11 11 Frank’s view of things the day H.C. Lumbye, 69 birds and a few others settled in the royal tree without permission 2011 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Frame cut and folded twice, the rest cut asymmetrically Commissioned work for Royal Café, located next to Royal Copenhagen on “Strøget” in Copenhagen. The frame is inspired by Royal Copenhagen’s world famous “mussel painted” decor - the characteristic straw pattern. The piece was created while the author listened to music by Danish composer H.C. Lumbye (1810-1874) – whose most famous piece is “The Champagne Gallop.” In the birds’ tree, a peculiar story takes place. It begins the morning that Frank the mouse realizes that his tree has been invaded by 69 bold birds, 4 cars, 3 wise men on camels, one impudent monkey, one coffee pot, the composer H.C. Lumbye and a few others. All the figures in the image tell their own story. For example, the story of the crow, Oscar von Bülow: Oscar is a very proud bird and quite honestly rather vain. When Vejle was going to cut his figure he first refused to be a model. He thought he looked too good. But when the paper cutter promised that she would decorate his wings with gold leaf, he suddenly changed his mind and allowed her to use his silhouette. As you can see, Miss Lind sits there on her stick and doesn’t make a sound. She is in a bad mood - and for good reason! She had looked forward to lunch, when she was planning to eat that plump six-legged beetle on that large leaf to the left in the image. But when the bird king heard a bird sing about it, he chirped: “NO, miss Lind - that will not do - that beetle is mine!” And because the king’s word was law, Miss Lind had no lunch that day. A colony of ants is also running about the tree. In correctly organized columns, marching by steady beats, the diligent ants make their eternal walkabout along the tree trunk. But if you look really close, you can notice one ant that stands out among the rest. That is Mogens. Mogens has marched along the others his whole life, from morning until evening, and now he is very tired of it. He dreams about a new and less orderly life. For several days he has thought of a plan to escape the ranks, and this is the very day the plan will come to fruition - he goes undercover as a wasp. And so the story in the birds’ tree continues...If you take the time to listen to what the birds have to tell; only imagination sets the limits for what can be discovered in this wondrous world.
# 12 Birds 2002 Brennex display paper. Foil Folded twice. Cut symmetrically Karen Bit Vejle has a special liking for little birds. They are appreciated for their free flight, their tempo connected to the seasons, their beauty, their colours and the beautiful songs that lift our spirits during bright spring evenings. The sound effects that are featured in the exhibition, sampled by the musician John P책l Inderberg, contain bird song along with saxophones and scissors! The motif is imagined as a decoration for a glass table where the original cutting is put between two glass discs.
# 13 Ever dauntless 2006 Brennex display paper. Blue silk fibers Cut asymmetrically Alltid freidig når du går Veier Gud tør kjenne, Selv om du til målet når Først ved verdens ende! Aldri redd for mørkets makt! Stjernene vil lyse; Med et Fadervår i prakt Skal du aldri gyse. Kjemp for alt hva du har kjært Dø om så det gjelder, Da er livet ei så svært Døden ikke heller Ever dauntless as you go, Down paths that God doth surely know, Even if you do not reach your goal Until the end of time! Never fear the power of darkness! Stars will light your way; With a Lord’s prayer in its glory You will never shiver. Fight for all that you hold dear, Die if die you might! So life will not be quite as hard And not will Death, then, either. Vejle's first non-figurative cutting, created over the course of a few weeks in Denmark while she held an artist’s scholarship in Løgum cloister refugium. The cutting can be regarded as an entire life or only a day in life. The stone path refers to the first line in the poem and it ends up at the goal–the end of the world, or death. The path is many things. Some lines stretch straight out ahead. Some divert off the path. But their destination is always the same. “Never fear the power of darkness” is the dark fields, but these are nonetheless illuminated by shimmering stars. The Lord’s Prayer salutes the day and finds its way into life and the path. “Fight for all that you hold dear” are the organic forms that press in and out of the dark and light and all through life.
# 14 Rose thicket 2000 Brennex display paper. Silk paper Folded twice. Cut symmetrically in rapport
How many roses and rosebuds are there actually in the picture?
# 15 Fish to taste right 1997/1998 Brennex display paper. Aluminum foil behind the chess-patterned border Folded twice. Text cut asymmetrically The mutual meal is a recurring motif in several of Karen Bit Vejle’s images. She is captivated by the joy of gathering family and friends for good food and drink around a beautifully made table. Fish, to taste right, must swim three times–in water, in butter and in wine–according to a Polish saying. The text is enveloped in a sea mussel that swims in a fishing-net that has the shape of fish scales. In the surrounding frame lie the bones from the fishes that have been eaten. Outside are fishes that will soon take the bait–they are actually check mate! In the outer frame hooks, fishing boats, anchors, star fishes, knives, forks and wine glasses float about in an endless fishing line.
# 16 Too much of a good thing can be wonderful 1999 Brennex display paper. Coloured paper behind the rose Folded two times. Central field and text clipped asymmetrically The title draws its inspiration from a line from actress Mae West: Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. The work is a tribute to all lovers of cake. It is a vision of the most irresistible, delicate cream layer cake, decorated with strawberries and crowned with a rose, in perfect harmony with a tempting roll cake with a cheery garnish and plump cookies sprinkled with almonds. Graceful floral ornaments are draped around the outside. This is total check mate! The motif is framed by a coffee ring with little cake men and women, ice cream, coffee cups, tea cups, rolling pins and vanilla rings. Enjoy!
# 17 Thanks for the coffee 2000 Brennex display paper. Silver paper behind the coffee pot and in the frame between the outer border and the vines Folded twice. The motif in the inner frame is symmetrical. The flower sections and text frame are cut asymmetrically A song of praise for the coffee that was enjoyed along with the most delicate cream cakes, in cups with straw patterns from Royal Copenhagen. The blue bells ring and we arrive for the blessed coffee moment.
# 18 The bumble bee ballet 2010 (private ownership) Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Folded once. Middle section cut asymmetrically The idea behind the motif is a sunbeam–inspired by the person it was dedicated to–somebody who had been ill for a long time. The ballerina was later developed from this beautiful dancer, “light toes” into a tougher variant, called “Ballerina bulldog”!
# 19 The Snow Queen Hurum paper mill Folded once. The rest is cut asymmetrically The cutting is based on H.C. Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen.” The cutting tells the story of the mirror that “broke into a hundred, millions, billions and even more pieces.” The Snow Queen stands in the middle in an aura of snow crystals: ”There in the middle of that empty, never ending snow hall there was a frozen lake: it had rifted into a thousand parts, but each part was so like the next that it was a true work of art; and in the middle of it all sat the Snow Queen, when she was home, and then she said she was sitting in the mirror of reason and it was the only of its kind and the best in the world.”
# 20 20 The good life 2009 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Folded once. The figures below the heart cut separately Commissioned work for the chief editor of the Norwegian magazine “Det gode liv” (The good life). A heart is lifted by two female figures–a simple, rational everyday woman–and the mermaid, she who wished for legs, but who found that the legs themselves did not find her love. But together they hold the key to the good life that is love.
# 21 21 BNOKZ 765 2010 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Folded once with asymmetrical features. Middle section cut without folding The cutting is based on a saying by the American author and motivational speaker Les Brown: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars”. The motif is an advice to our children on their road to adult life. Aim for the stars. The revolver has a limited amount of bullets and you don’t have that many chances. It is all about using them wisely –about aiming right. But to reach the goal, be like the hard working ants! Bnokz – what does it mean? Can you crack the code? Nobody has, yet….
# 22 22 Dragon flies and roses 2007 Brennex display paper Folded twice. Cut symmetrically In collaboration with Rørostweed AS, Karen Bit Vejle has cut the pattern for a set consisting of a wool plaid, pillows, and a cloth. Plaid and pillows are made out of 100% pure Norwegian wool and there are six different colours: beige, grey, lilac, olive, red and terracotta. Cloths are made of colours black, beige and red.
# 23 23 St. Olav 2013 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Folded two times. Motif cut separately Olav Haraldsson (995 – 1030), later known as St. Olaf, was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was canonized in Trondheim, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on July 29, 1030. His remains were enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral. “Olsok” (July 29) is still his day of celebration. Olaf, a rather harsh ruler and prone to rough treatment of his enemies, ironically became Norway's patron saint. The cutting (two parts), deals with the conflicts and struggle between Christianity and Paganism, within the king himself and the society at the time.
PASSTHROUGH: Paper cuttings by Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875). On loan from the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, Odense, Denmark.
GALLERY 3 # 24 Association Association of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 Op. 8 2007/2008 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) Cut asymmetrically In 2008 the Winter Chamber Music Festival in the town of Røros celebrated its ten-year anniversary, with Karen Bit Vejle featured as festival artist. The result was the monumental commission Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 Op. 8., which measures some 5 x 10.5 meters. The cut is not folded at all. The work is both a figurative and non-figurative association with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 1 Op. 8, composed in 1923. The artist is always working to – and drawing inspiration from – music. Here it was entirely necessary to delve deeper into the musical material, both through active listening and studying the score of the piano trio. In Røros the presentation of the cut was opened with a performance of the piece by the Grieg Trio. The Trondheim newspaper Adresseavisen wrote that the paper cutting "brought an entirely new dimension to the
music. The music in turn underscored paper cutting’s credibility as a legitimate form of artistic expression and as a visualization of the piano trio." The background for this composition is the 17 year-old Shostakovich, who spent the summer at the Black Sea, where he experienced his first love. The work is divided into five parts because of the large format. The composition consists of three main elements: • The outer frame has a taut ornamental pattern formation with snowflakes and a Russian-inspired floral motif. • The lower field visualizes the four seasons + the fifth, which is synonymous with the Winter Chamber Music Festival. It is represented by two of the nine muses – Europe with the flute and Terpischore with the lyre. Here there is also the little angel from the spire on the Røros church, who has brought along a colleague to make sure the key to the winter festival is in place. At the same time they symbolize the relationship between the spiritual and the earthly. Birds and trees go through all the seasons and reflect the year's passage from the spring's nesting, the migration during the autumn storm, through to the swan's death in the final scene. • The main field is an abstraction of the Shostakovich piano trio and the observer can follow the development of the music from the first to the last bar in the image. The cut reflects the composition’s dynamics, rhythm, themes, modulations and crescendos.
# 25 25 Sibylle 2010 Hurum display paper (PFI) Folded twice. Middle section and figurines in the frame cut asymmetrically
# 26 Festina Lente 2008 Brennex display paper Folded twice. Middle section folded once, with asymmetrically cut details The phrase festina lente, meaning �hurry slowly�, is attributed to Emperor Augustus, but was also known in ancient Greece. Graffiti existed as early as ancient Rome. The phrase festina lente was scribbled on walls along with pictures of a fish and an arrow. The fish represented slowness and the arrow speed.
# 27 Horse treatment 2010 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI) + silk paper Folded twice. Frame cut symmetrically. Middle section cut asymmetrically. The square pattern cut in silk paper and put behind the image The cutting fetches inspiration from “Icelandic dynamics” – between ancient traditions and the ability of Icelanders to quickly absorb new customs. The frame, the Icelandic horse and the buckle to the right in the image represent the ancient Nordic heritage while the hip-hopper, balancing on horseback, symbolizes youth and vitality. The square pattern in the background creates a three-dimensional effect. It “billows” – like the vibrant underworld of the volcano island – or the economic swing the country has experienced during the last few years.
# 28 Butterflies and clinging vines 2009 Hurum paper mill AS (PFI). Sprayed with yellow acrylic paint. Strohseide behind the butterflies and some of the vines Folded twice. Butterfly border folded once. Ornamentation cut asymmetrically
# 29 Butterflies 2000 Brennex display paper. Silk paper Folded twice. Cut symmetrically in rapport Butterflies is one of many works that were cut in “rapport”–in other words the technique that is the paper cutting’s symmetrical ‘prototype’–which is folded a number of times and then cut so that the same starting motif can be repeated infinitely.
# 30 Original cutting for a christening blanket 2008 Hurum Pfi Folded once. Middle section cut symmetrically Commissioned work produced in cooperation with Nidaros Cathedral and Røros-Tweed AS. In old Norwegian tradition, the child was carried to its christening in a particular blanket, a “skirsla-teppe”. Skirsla means purification or baptism. The blanket was beautifully decorated with protective symbols. It remained with the child throughout its life and was often handed down from generation to generation. Or, it covered the owner in his grave. The motifs are inspired by details from the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and symbolically they are tied to baptism. In the middle of the image stands the tree of life with branches of hope that reach for the sky - they branch out onto the border. The child’s protective angel stands guard with a lit candle; symbolizing the newborn child. Baptismal water flows from the trunk. The rainbow (hope) also stretches out from the trunk. In the corner of the frame is a cross found in the high altar of the Nidaros Cathedral. In the middle of the cross is a six leaf Rose of Olav. Fields with “Noah’s ark,” “Adam and Eve,” “Jesus’ walk on water” and “The dove and the lamb,” all wellknown biblical stories found in Nidaros Cathedral – both on the baptismal font and in glass paintings. The dove is the symbol of hope and the Holy Spirit, while the lamb is the little child protected by God.
# 31 Åge at 60 2009 Folded one time Outline and wingtips cut symmetrically. Rest cut asymmetrically Commissioned work related to Norwegian rock star Åge Aleksandersen’s collected works, released on his 60th birthday in 2009. The cutting was used to decorate the cover of the CD package and a songbook. The outline resembles a coat of arms showing an eagle in the shape of a heart, but it could also bring to mind a tattoo. Åge is the eagle, a bird that he loves and that he often evokes with his lyrics. The wings of the eagle frame the motif, the left wing also makes out his name. The cordage symbolizes his love of boats and the sea, but it is also the never ending lifeline with trying knots every now and then. The details refer to Åge’s songs: the cabin boy’s boat with the postal number of his home town “7080 Namsos” in the flag and a “Catalyst” beside the guitar that has always been at his side. The rose symbolizes his commitment to the social democratic movement. The girl with the bird is freedom, but perhaps she is also the girl in the song “Janne Ahonens smil”! At the bottom is the knight medal, and LX, representing 60 lived years – through thick and thin.
# 32 Grace 2007 Brennex display paper Folded twice. Middle section cut asymmetrically Of Grace, Karen Bit Vejle says: Grace is one of my favorite words – it is a large and fantastic concept that says something about what attitudes and actions that should characterize people’s relationships with one another. Grace is love, mindfulness, hope, solidarity and compassion. Grace is a calm state in which we can be at rest, that emanates from a power outside us and that is greater than ourselves.
# 33 ME 2006 Brennex display paper Bottom section folded twice. Upper section folded once. Main section cut asymmetrically The work presents the personal pain and sorrow of being boxed into the diagnosis ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome). A female figure sits sunken on a bed of a transparent substance. Hours, days, months drift over one another. She is enveloped by a heart that has slumped over to one side. The intricate pattern under the woman can be seen as a board game where the pieces must be moved one by one in a determinate and correct sequence in order for life to function again. The path of the pieces is filled with tears and prayer. At the innermost point, the little bird takes wing, wanting again to be free. At the top of the cut an ornamental crown floats, as though in a rococo mirror.
SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY # 34 Tableware Zeleste Porsgrund Porselænsfabrik AS 2006/2007 The tableware, released in the autumn of 2007, comes in a white and a black version. Karen Bit Vejle’s paper cuttings have been transferred to the porcelain with help of silk prints burnt into the porcelain. The tableware is named after her daughter Zeleste. The cuttings shown here are the originals patterns for the tableware. The artist has chosen the motifs herself. Birds' wing beats are a recurring theme in the different parts of the tableware. They represent freedom, thought, and fantasy. One must try to lift off–spread out the wings and fly. The dove is a main theme in several parts of the tableware. It is one of few symbols in the world that has the same meaning in all cultures and religions. The dove first and foremost represents peace. For Karen Bit Vejle peace is a wide concept. Peace is for you and for the whole world. The dove is also the symbol of purity and love. The dragonfly represents the joy of the soul, clarity and transformation. Leaves and branches humbly bend in the ornaments to remind us that humility and respect is important in all facets of life. Heart-shaped leaves are found on several of the pieces. The philosopher Platoon said that the soul of man resides in the heart. Karen Bit Vejle has “bridged” the hearts, so that we can carefully add one stone to the other, filling the hearts so they remain forever.
# 35 Dragonflies and roses, plaid and pillow In collaboration with Rørostweed AS, Karen Bit Vejle has cut the pattern for a set consisting of a wool plaid, pillows, and a cloth. Plaid and pillows are made out of 100 % pure Norwegian wool and there are six different colors: beige, grey, lilac, olive, red and terracotta. Cloths are made of colors black, beige and red. A red plaid comes with the exhibition - warmly recommended for “sleeping beautifully.”
Scissors from the Nordic Heritage Museum Collection The music played in the exhibition is composed by John Pål Inderberg and Henning Sommero. The film (DVD) “Hotel Britannia” is produced by Tore Strømøy and Øivind Olsson.