THE A R M O R Y SHOW  FLASHBACK 2012
Ylva Ogland, installation view at Fruit and Flower Deli,
Armory booth, 2012
Photograph courtesy of the gallery, 2012
The Armory Show recently occurred in New York, March 8-11th, 2012. There were over 100 exhibitors at Pier 94 alone and 19 galleries featured in a special wing dedicated to Nordic contemporary art. Amongst the 19 was Fruit and Flower Deli, based in Stockholm, Sweden.  The gallery is run by the enigmatic Rodrigo Mallea Lira who often embodies a role he refers to as The Keeper of the gallery while artist Ylva Ogland (who is also his partner) performs ritualistic duties. One of her paintings, The Oracle is also just that, a prophetic medium through which most of their exhibitions is filtered. At their booth at The Armory Show this year, both The Keeper and Ogland herself were present. Inside the booth was an installation featuring paintings, lights, animal skins and a ritualistic practice that continued throughout the duration of the fair.  The ritual in this case was the act of painting inside of a tepee.
Ylva Ogland, installation view at Fruit and Flower Deli,
Armory booth, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

Ylva Ogland makes representational oil paintings on canvas. For this particular project, the artist continues on her quest and is making portraits of friends, family and colleagues all while in a kneeling position, on an animal pelt and bent over leaning into the small interior of the tepee. Inside the pyramid-like structure is a shrine of sorts. A small canvas is central, candles are lit and in various stages of melting, and her paint laid out in an organized fashion. Upon speaking to the artist, she mentioned that the installation and decision to use a tepee was influenced by a similar recreational dwelling that is used by the couples daughter.  The installation is part of an ongoing conceptual project, psychologically conceived as just another process in the execution of painting.

Ylva Ogland, installation view at Fruit and Flower Deli,
Armory booth, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer

The paintings in the series are mostly void of dominant color and almost monochromatic. The portraits exist in space and float in a dreamy non-existent landscape. I recognized a few of the subjects including one of Rodrigo himself. Another eye catching painting included in the installation is a self-portrait of the artist nude, lying in bed, partially wrapped in white, bed crinkled sheets. While masterfully painted and subtle in palette, the main focal point of the work is a tiny hole which goes directly through the surface of the canvas and happens to be centrally located in the artists’ crotch.

The installation feels both familiar and familial. It sweats at the inception of each action and glimmers with an incestuousness. However, whereas most booths at the Armory housed only art, it was quite refreshing to see an artist at work, in a physical ritual that appeared comfortable but upon closer inspection, is ripe with weighty sustenance. In comparison to a similar idea that is currently on view at the Whitney Biennial, Dawn Kasper has taken up part time residence inside one of the galleries of the Whitney. The installation titled “This Could Be Something if I Let It”, 2012, presents all of the artists belongings in one room. Yet, it’s not just in presence and physical objects alone that make art interesting. While Kasper is getting a lot of attention, I believe that when individual artists, however conscious or subconscious, decide to peel off their external layers and rid themselves of material importance choosing to instead expose the meaty interior self, is when art is at it’s best. This holds true whether the medium is painting, installation, sculpture, performance or a combination of various possibilities. Peel away aesthetic to unearth a raw sparkle of fleshy magic. It is in excess where Kasper fails and Ogland is successful and since the latter work was shown at the Armory, I”m sure it didn’t hurt that it is also visually appealing on a larger scale and I imagine, quite saleable.  I’d be thrilled to have one of Ylva Ogland’s works in my own start-up collection.

Ylva Ogland, installation view at Fruit and Flower Deli,
Armory booth, 2012
Photograph by Katy Hamer
Ylva Ogland, Unconscious, 2008
Oil on canvas, courtesy of the artist and
Fruit and Flower Deli
Photograph by Katy Hamer
Birger jarlsgatan 31
111 45 Stockholm
Sweden
t: +46709924791
6/10 the Oracle said;

there is more to know than the eye can see,there is more to say than can be heard 

9/10 the Oracle said; it is at the end of the road when the journey begins

More soon!
xo