NAMN ÅLDER KÖN

The artists are students from the second year at Ölands Konstskola: Alexander Bejerstrand, Ole Brolin, Mehdi Chafik, Mira Dolk-Flodin, Anton Fransén Waldhör, Pauline Fransson, Linn Grejder, Johan Holmgren, Isadora Israel, Richard Krantz, Helena Lund-Ek, Robert Nilsson, Gustav Petersson, Sanna Petersson, Eva Sundman, Sara Tolvanen, Lisa Vipola.

Once again it's time for our graduation show with students from Ölands Konstskola. Kalmar konstmuseum has for a number of years had an exciting collaboration with the college, one of the most important art colleges in Sweden.

This years graduation show deals with the subject of identity. A person who wants to become an artist has to search and apply. This search can be about an application with a portfolio of works for various art schools but  it´s also about searching for an approach or attitude towards being an artist, amongst a number of possible options available. It´s about searching for an artistic identity and it´s also about a younger generation and their attempts to get established in the art world. A person approaching art as a profession and as a quest for knowledge enters into a process of identification that on many occasions demands information about name, age and gender on forms of various kind. The objects in this exhibitions are mainly students application forms; to be sent to art colleges in Sweden but also in the rest of Europe. When a student applies to fine art courses,  portfolios and works are not organized according to themes or subject matter. This is why the theme for this exhibition has not been steered thematically or according to technique, and because of this the theme of this exhibition has been crystallized from the artistic process and have been born out of the search by the individual student. The spring term became an process of identification after exercise and practice carried out during autumn and winter.

One would be inclined to suspect that the result would become a narcissistic expose. But this is not the case. The surrounding reality is too opinionated. This becomes apparent in the theme that the students have chosen for Reality Club (Wednesday 6th of April): Identity in a post colonial revolution. The revolutions of North Africa are going on as we speak, young people in those countries are searching for a voice, what will it be? The struggle for democracy  are telling us a lot about our own history. The developments are leaving little room for stereotypes about who is good and who is evil.

We are grateful that we have been able to use Plan 2 at Kalmar konstmuseum and we are thanking all museum staff that has been helping us with the exhibition. We are also saying thank you to the director of exhibitions, Martin Schibli, for his commitment to our work.

Jörgen Platzner
Head of the art courses at Ölands Folkhögskola II
together with Johanna Karlin

For further information, please contact: Martin Schibli, Kalmar konstmuseum’s Director of Exhibitions,
+ 46 (0) 480 426288, martin.schibli@kalmarkonstmuseum.se