Henrik Plenge Jakobsen and Gunilla Klingberg: SPREAD

“Fantastic fantasies or a nightmare? It is an oscillation that goes through most of the works in the exhibition ‘Spread’. The point of departure is simple, but several of the works offer a long lasting resistance. Dutch artist Aernout Mik shows, as usual, a work that, despite its simplicity, is both absurd and elusive. Just below the stairs to the basement, you encounter his video projection where two people are lying on what looks like a jumping sidewalk. An unstable and at times brutal state that can make even the most stable visitor to loose their balance. /…/ ‘Spread’ shows a mix of new and previously displayed works. Although the exhibition is based on something that may seem to be a predictable basic figure in contemporary art – ‘the normal’ or comic against something more violent lurking in the background – it is a successful compilation. The works are intertwined while simultaneously going in completely different directions. With its variety of references, the title is appropriate: from what spreads out to the scattered and that which is difficult to control.”

Translated quote from DN, 1999-12-11, Milou Allerholm. Read full text in Swedish.

“The exhibition Spread is currently on display at Galleri Index. The participating artists are Henrik Plenge Jakobsen, Gunilla Klingberg, Aernout Mik, Mija Renström and Martin Sjöberg. The exhibition is about phenomena in our surroundings: behaviors, things, signs, which at first glance may make a playful and inviting impression, but after closer inspection turns out to be the opposite. As viewers, we are thus encouraged to reflect on the fears that surround us in our everyday lives. /…/ As an exhibition, Spread may seem rather simple at first glance. The theme is explicit and there is a connection between the separate works, which together further reinforce the theme that may almost seem obvious. The fact that the threats are exactly the opposite – elusive – adds another dimension to the clarity of the exhibition, a tool which helps to remind us of the existence of threats.”

Translated quote from SvD, 1999-12-18, Anna Orrghen. Read full text in Swedish.