06 June 24

BRIDGE

A long-term collaboration between ArtCan and ÖSKG/Tjörnedala Konsthall based on connecting across physical and metaphorical borders to break down cultural, social and political barriers.

BRIDGE2024
Downstairs at The Department Store, Brixton, London SW9 8FR
20th – 25th September, 2024

BRIDGE is a cross-cultural collaboration between two established artist-run organisations, ArtCan (UK) and ÖSKG (Sweden). BRIDGE is the result of the shared vision of Pernilla Iggström, artist and curator at ArtCan, and Christel Lundberg, Manager of ÖSKG/Tjörnedala Konsthall. They met at Supermarket Independent Art Fair in Stockholm in 2022, and immediately found common ground and the idea of BRIDGE was born. BRIDGE is a long-term collaboration with an annual exhibition, alternating between Southern Sweden and London. Tjörnedala Konsthall is situated in the rural landscape of East Skåne (East Scania) while ArtCan is active internationally with its base in metropolitan London – contrasts that create interesting dynamics in the project.

The purpose of the collaboration is to connect across physical and metaphorical borders, and break down cultural, social and political boundaries. The aim is to increase diversity, inclusion and an understanding of artists’ different working conditions.

For BRIDGE2023 (18 Nov – 10 Dec), ten artists from each organisation were selected and paired up. Without knowing each other previously, each pair was asked to connect through email, messages, phone calls and video calls, and were encouraged to meet up in person. Their only guidelines were to communicate beyond the studio space, exchange ideas and to take inspiration from each other’s lives and culture. The focus was on each duo’s shared journey, which resulted in a joint installation at the BRIDGE exhibition at Tjörnedala Konsthall in Sweden. Deep friendships were formed. It was a successful exhibition which attracted the local media.

In 2024, it is ArtCan’s turn to host BRIDGE2024 in London. The exhibition will open to the public at Downstairs at The Department Store in Brixton, on 20 September and close on 25 September. Funding allowed, it will be extended to 29 September to fit in the ambitious and rich programme of public events that is planned: Private View, artist’s talks, workshops, performance art and a networking event. BRIDGE2024 will actively welcome the local community and invite collaborations with Brixton based organisations. A documentary project by the two curators, called MUG will be presented at the exhibition. It is based on interviews with Brixton locals, about how it is to live in Brixton. BRIDGE2024 will also host local school classes to immerse in the themes of diversity, international cross- collaboration and go beyond one’s comfort zone.

ArtCan, London (UK)

ArtCan is based in the UK and exists to give its over 600 artists members a platform and a voice. Their no commission, no membership fee enables its artist members to focus on developing their art practice, rather than making ends meet. ArtCan creates exhibitions opportunities, offers peer-to-peer connections, professional recognition and access to specialist knowledge and support. It encourages its artist members to initiate exhibitions and collaborations with the support of volunteers and the Board of Trustees. Their work is supported by the efforts of artist-member volunteers, contributions from their Founder Friends and Friends of ArtCan, and the guidance of their Board of Trustees.
www.artcan.org.uk

ÖSKG Östra Skånes Konstnärsgrupp, Simrishamn (SE)

ÖSKG/Tjörnedala Konsthall is an artist-run platform, founded in 1974, located in Eastern Skåne, and is supported by the Swedish Arts Council, Region Skåne and Simrishamn Municipality. ÖSKG organises yearly exhibitions at Tjörnedala Konsthall, with national and international scope, as Konstrundan (Art Trail) since 1968, workshops, seminars, concerts, performances etc. All contemporary art, design and craft forms such as sculpture, painting, video, ceramic, glass art and performance art are embraced. The most recent exhibitions have addressed social and environmental issues and have invited both emerging and renowned artists.
www.oskg.se

 

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27 June 24

Starting BRIDGE

Hello,

I’m Pernilla Iggstrom, a Swedish Korean artist and curator based in Brentwood, Essex. Here in this space, I’m delighted to share the progress of a very special project I’ve co-founded and am co-curating called BRIDGE and will be writing alongside some of the fantastic creatives involved in this project.

I was born in Korea and was adopted to Sweden as a baby. I started to draw as soon as I could hold a pen and was sure I would go to art school. Propelled by my own cultural background, I soughed to see the world and its different cultures from a young age.   At college, I studied languages and then worked in the business world before I moved to London in 2007 to do a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting at City & Guilds of London Art School.   In my second year, I stared to explore the loss of my cultural heritage, using photos from my family albums as a starting point. I created collages that I then painted.  I became interested in the relation between our interior and exterior and how there is so much more to a person than what meets the eye. I often half jokingly say that although I look Asian on the outside, I am blond and blue-eyed on the inside. Referring to being European and specifically so, Swedish. I might use my own story as a springboard to execute my ideas but the aim is for my work to be universal, to spread diversity and break down stereotypical and preconceived ideas.

Likewise, my curatorial practice is imbued with diversity, inclusion and understanding, to connect across cultural and social borders – the main focus in BRIDGE.

The purpose of BRIDGE is to connect people who otherwise wouldn’t necessarily meet. To break down those barriers that hinders diversity and understanding, to connect and bring diverse groups of people closer culturally and socially.

It all started at the wonderful Supermarket Independent Art Fair  which takes place every Spring in Stockholm, Sweden. It’s brings international artist groups together to connect and collaborate. I first curated ArtCan’s booth a Supermarket in 2021 and again in 2022. It was there, at a speed networking event in 2022, I met Christel Lundberg, Manager of ÖSKG. We immediately connected and realised our art groups resonated and shared common ethos.

Christel shares “As the curator and director of the artist-run Tjörnedala Konsthall, run by ÖSKG (East Skåne Artists’ Group), South-Eastern Sweden, I am always in a networking state of mind, as I look for long-term exchanges and contacts that will change the art scene both for artists and for artists. Meeting with the brilliant curator Pernilla Iggström at the Supermarket Art Fair, was a memorable moment – our chemistry was immediate, and I felt from the beginning of our conversations that we could work together to create a beautiful project together with the participating artists from both groups”.

And so the BRIDGE collaboration between ArtCan artists and ÖSKG artists was born! The main purpose of BRIDGE is to build bridges across physical and metaphorical borders, and to dissolve cultural, social and political barriers.

For our inaugural BRIDGE exhibition in 2023 at Tjörnedala Konsthall, 10 artists from each group were selected and paired together. Initially strangers, their only guidelines were to communicate via email. Phone calls, video calls etc, beyond the studio space and exchange ideas – to take inspiration from each other’s art practice, life, working environment and culture. They had free hands to use any materials and processes to create a joint installation each. Friendships were formed. The result were 10 installations, showing their joint journey in November – December 2023. I will post more about that next time.

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