OCA is pleased to be a supporting partner of Coast Contemporary’s seventh edition titled ‘Ocean Eyes’, taking place in Lofuotta/Láfot/Lofoten Islands from 18th – 22nd September 2023.
Coast Contemporary is an annual platform for discourse and art, established by Tanja Sæter in 2015, with the first edition taking place in 2017. The project is a journey and gathering of artists, curators, critics, institutions, art workers and the local public, with each edition being hosted at different locations and in collaboration with different arts communities within Norway. The 2023 edition titled ‘Ocean Eyes’ is curated by Lithuania curator, Valentinas Klimašauskas, who will also co-curate the upcoming Lithuanian pavilion at Biennale Arte 2024.
Coast Contemporary has an extensive international visiting program and broad national participation of artists and institutions, with all editions being carried out in collaboration with artist Kenneth Varpe. One of the goals of Coast Contemporary is to create international collaboration between participating actors and to make it easier for artists, curators, and institutions to find their next future collaboration partners in Norway and abroad.
After six editions, the initiative has contributed to 311 reported small and large collaborations in 12 countries, with main primary support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies, Bergen municipality, the Arts Council Norway, Fritt Ord and KORO. In 2023, OCA is supporting financially with travel support for a selection of the participating Norway based artists for the opportunity to connect with international curators and art professionals.
Some of the international visitors confirmed for the 2023 edition include Centre Pompidou in Paris, CCA Berlin, Tate Liverpool, MoMA PS1, KIASMA, Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, The High Line NY and The Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts in San Francisco.
Artistic contributions include hikes, performances, readings, screenings and other presentations by artists Yaa Addae (GH/UK), Kjetil Berge (NO), Pia Eikaas (NO), Elisabeth Færøy (NO), Kåre Grundvåg (NO), Morten Norbye Halvorsen (NO), Signe Johannessen (NO), Kaare Espolin Johnson (1907-1994)(NO), Sarah Kazmi (PK), Lars Laumann (NO), Bjørn Mortensen (NO), Sandra Vaka (NO), Sille Storihle (NO), Istvan Virag (HU), Lin Wang (CH) and Elin Már Øyen Vister (NO), as well as presentations from the participants in the national and international programme.
The final part of the program takes place in Bergen, visiting B-Open with parts of the international programme.
See the project archive and follow the latest news from the 2023 edition here.
OCA is pleased to be a supporting partner of Coast Contemporary’s seventh edition titled ‘Ocean Eyes’, taking place in Lofuotta/Láfot/Lofoten Islands from 18th – 22nd September 2023.
For Norway based contemporary art galleries, independent exhibition spaces and publishers when they represent Norwegian/Norway based artists in fairs abroad.
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