Focus A-i-R 2012

FOCUS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE

Focus A-i-R aims at furthering camera/lens-based art by building networks for artists and cultural producers in the countries of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Focus A-i-R was initiated by CFF – Centre for Photography (Centrum för fotografi) Sweden, FFF – The Norwegian Association of Fine Art Photographers (Forbundet Frie Fotografer) Norway, and Photographic Gallery Hippolyte/Union of Artist Photographers (Finland) in 2011. Focus A-i-R builds on the bilateral residency exchange of CFF and Photographic Gallery Hippolyte/Union of Artist Photographers (2008-2010).

Focus A-i-R is supported by:
Nordic Culture Point (Kulturkontakt Nord), Arts Council Norway (Norsk Kulturråd), Nordic Culture Fund (Nordisk Kulturfond), The Swedish-Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Finnish-Norwegian Foundation.

AWARDED FOCUS A-i-R ARTISTS 2012 (April-May)

Hannu Karjalainen (FIN): residency in Oslo.
Hannu Karjalainen (b. 1978) was selected in particular for his more recently developed interest in investigating the social and political motivations behind architecture and urban planning that includes the relationship to the inhabitants of such planned structures. This interest also played an important role for his residency in Oslo, aiming to examine the specific Norwegian situation including Sverre Fehn’s concepts of modern architecture and its relation to nature. Karjalainen stayed in Oslo from 1 April to 31 May 2012 and presented his works at Fotogalleriet during the residency period in May 2012.

Dag Nordbrenden (NO): residency in Stockholm.
Dag Nordbrenden (b. 1971) was selected for his way of examining contemporary visual culture with breadth as well as with depth. His work is rooted in a documentary tradition including practises such as using found images (amateur photographs, press images) and street photography. He demonstrates in his work an interplay between different genres of photography, an illumination which promotes a broader investigation of visual meaning. Traveling and nomad-existence is a crucial part of Nordbrendens work, and the residency in Stockholm was a source for his coming work. He stayed in Stockholm from 1 April to 31 May 2012 and presented his works and also launched his book Rub With Ashes at CFF – Centrum för fotografi during the residency period in May 2012.

Linda Hofvander (SE): residency in Helsinki.
Linda Hofvander (b. 1978) was selected for her work with investigating the photographic surface and the structures involved in building up a photographic illusion. With an uncanny playfullness the work navigates through the formalism of research. Hofvander’s residency was organized in collaboration with HIAP – Helsinki International Artist-in-Residence Programme in Helsinki in April-May 2012. Work by Hofvander was presented in the Photographic Gallery Hippolyte Studio in May 2012.

The selection panel for 2012 consisted of

Mitro Kaurinkoski, Director, Photographic Gallery Hippolyte, Helsinki
Gunilla Muhr, Director, Centrum för fotografi, Stockholm
Kjersti Solberg Monsen, Director, Forbundet Frie Fotografer, Oslo
Stephanie von Spreter, Director, Fotogalleriet, Oslo