Ansigt til Ansigt. 2024

Galleri Salonen

This exhibition presents a selection of works by Marie J. Engelsvold.

Each piece carries its own history. Some works incorporate elements from earlier creations, now reassembled in new ways. Others have ventured out into the forest, where they have served as props in costumes and performances.

The works can be seen as figures or presences, each with its own “face” and essence. They possess a tactile, physical quality and a strong sense of presence through their varied materials and forms. They come together in a new constellation at Galleri Salonen. In addition to being an exhibition space, the gallery also functions as a café, hosting talks, poetry readings, and small, intimate concerts—a place for people to meet face to face.

In my work and in the way I combine materials, it is important to me to create a sense of openness—allowing the pieces, in all their differences, to meet and form relationships.

I bring together materials that do not naturally belong together, in order to create diversity and multiplicity, embracing imperfection. My work with materials is driven by curiosity and a desire to create forms and sensory encounters. I explore my own inner diversity and give it physical form. These forms can then take on a life of their own as artworks, meeting the world through their visual presence—like reflections of an inner reality.

Over time, my use of materials and recurring forms has developed into a distinct visual language. I primarily work with textiles, wood, knitted elements, ceramics, foam, concrete, and plastic.