Halvor Bodin (Lillehammer, Norway 1964), who lives and works in Oslo, studied political science before entering into the field of art through film production and graphic design. His artistic production includes large-scale installations and sculptural works as well as drawing, which he is showing in the present exhibition. Bodin’s drawings balance on the verge between the highly organic and an almost dry subtlety, which stems from intricate imagery and a delicately applied pencil. In some of Bodin’s drawings, his connection to Black Metal aesthetics breaks through the surface of restraint and imbues an image with a multitude of silent, grey flames that outline the jaw and barred teeth of a human figure, which then metamorphs into feather- or leaflike shapes only to melt into circular shapes resembling cell membranes. Thus, Bodin’s drawings allude to the power of creation as well as to the fragility of human existence and capture the viewer’s imagination as the shapes are nearly recognizable and yet remain elusive.

Text by Maria Gry Bregnbak, curator and art historian, Paris.

Member of:
NBK (Norwegian Visual Artists Association)
UKS (The Young Artists Society)
Tegnerforbundet (The Drawing Association of Norway)

View art projects portfolio here

Art dealers:
London: Pollock Fine Art
Paris: Galerie Susan Nielsen

Artist File in the Resource Room at Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA)


GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009 Darkness Descends at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Richard A. and Rissa W. Grossman Gallery at Williams Visual Arts Building. From September 1–October 9, 2009. Halvor Bodin: Alexithymia, 2009. Graphite on paper. 27,5 x 39,4 inches (70 x 100 cm).

2009 Rock–Paper–Scissors. Group exhibition at Galerie Susan Nielsen, Paris, France 6 June to 18 July 2009. Participating artists: Rune Olsen, LELLO//ARNELL, Elise Storsveen, Halvor Bodin, Sofie Berntsen, Cecilia Jimenez and Christian Messel. Halvor Bodin: Alexithymia II + Alexithymia III, 2009. Graphite on paper, 71 x 100 cm. Documentation.

2009 Darkness Descends: Norwegian Art Now. Group exhibition. Chashama, New York, USA. Curated by Christina Vassallo, the exhibition took place during The Armory Show, March 5 – 8, 2009. Darkness Descends is the fourth installment in a series of M*A*S*H shows produced by Cottelston Advisors in conjunction with major art fairs. For more information including curator’s essay visit www.randomnumber.nu. Two drawings: Halvor Bodin: Nerthus/Eowland; Hydrophobia Series, 2009 + Alexithymia, 2009. Graphite on paper. 27,5 x 39,4 inches (70 x 100 cm). Documentation. + DJ/VJ-set by Halvor Bodin at the Darkness Extends show at Monkeytown in Williamsburg.

2008 Artwood at the Norwegian Wood Music festival in Oslo, N. Works by Per Kleiva, Kristin Lindberg and Halvor Bodin. Kjærligheten er ham fremmed. Han er en for gold en Natur til det. Drawing printed on large format PVC mounted in the woods of Frognerparken. Documentation.

2008 Bjarne Melgaard, Greene Naftali Gallery New York, USA. Video in collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard: Gay Zoo. Documentation.

2006/2007 Bjarne Melgaard & Marie-Louise Ekman, Malmö Konstmuseum, Malmö, S. Documentation. Floor motifs, video installation: Life is Not This Text, book: Monster Baby.

2006 After Munch, London, UK. Group show at Pollock Fine Art. Two Drawings in the Hydrophobia series. With Viti Acconci, Vanessa Baird, Halvor Bodin, Lotte Konow Lund, Robert Hawkins, Bjarne Melgaard, Sølve Sundsbø, Snorre Ytterstad, Andy Warhol, Outtara Watts.

2005 Hallo Maybe, with Bjarne Melgaard, Haugar Art Museum, Tønsberg, N. Book: Hallo Maybe, stage set, flags.

2004 Salong 100, Oslo, N. Group show 17–19 December 04. Laser cut steel object.

2004 Playlist, with Bjarne Melgaard, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, F. CD-Cover for Music by Thorns Ltd. Documentation.

2003 Rom for kunst, Oslo S, N. Christmas three calender project. December.

2003 The End of the Professional Teenager at The Gallery at Sketch, London, UK. In collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard in conjunction with Pollock Fine Art. Video installation with 12 projectors [360 degrees]. 12 November–20 December. Documentation.

2003 Galerie Ascan Crone, with Bjarne Melgaard, Berlin, G. Prints with Bjarne Melgaard.

2003 Taboo, with Bjarne Melgaard at Roger Pailhas Gallery, Marseille, F. Prints with Bjarne Melgaard.

2002/2003 Beginnings, Superlow Deconstructions, Daniel Buchholz, Köln, D. Collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard. Photography, digital collage printed on paper, video. Documentation photos.

2002 UKSellOUT, UKS Gallery, Oslo, N. Drawing, photography, digital collage. Photographic paper on aluminum.

2002 Si det høyt. Billboard exhibition on various locations in Oslo, N. Collaboration with Crispin Gurholt.

2002 NOTHING SPECIAL. Paintings And Drawings. Galleri Faurschou, Copenhagen, DK. Collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard. Layered transparent fabric with digitally reconstructed drawings/photography.

2002 Høstutstillingen. Collaboration/supporting Kristin Lindberg. Digital drawing. Plot on aluminum.

2002 INTERFACE TO GOD, Kunsthalle Zu Kiel, Keil, D. Collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard and Snorre Ruch. CD’s, picture disc, four posters, 6 huge banners, floor-texts, three tents, three videos (INTERFACE TO GOD Kunsthalle zu Kiel. Collaboration with BjarneMelgaard and Snorre Ruch [music]. 2 CD’s, picture disc, four posters, 6 huge PVC banners, floor-texts, three tents with three videos (Vortex, Nullo, Anim RMX), 132 page catalogue: Société Anonyme. ©Halvor Bodin/Bjarne Melgaard/Snorre Ruch 2002 , 132 page book Societé Anonyme published by Kerber Verlag.

2002 BLACK LOW – THE PUNK MOVEMENT WAS JUST HIPPIES WITH SHORT HAIR, mARTa HERFORD Museum, Herford, D. Collaboration with Bjarne Melgaard. 160 page book published by Kerber Verlag, 2 posters, clothing.

2001 TRANSPARENT STREET MUSIC, Blå, Oslo, N. Collaboration with Crispin Gurholt and Kathy Hinde, Joanna MacGregor, Matthew Fairclough and National Touring Concerts. Video for Live music.

2000–2001 SCHPAA – DU HAR IKKE EN SJANS – TA’N!. Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen, N and Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, N. Catalogue, poster, photographs, film stills.

2000 TRANSPARENT PLASMA, Oslo Open, 13 locations in Oslo, N. Collaboration with Crispin Gurholt as Transparent Productions. Video on 13 plasma monitors in various restaurants and on the web.

2000 PAVE THE EARTH – ta framtiden tilbake, Samtidskunstforum [Anders Eiebakke], Oslo, N. Group exhibition curated by Erling Fossen. Drawing, photography, computer 3D, digital collage printed on paper, diptych.

2000 EMPTYSPACE, THE ULTIMATE FUSION. Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, N. Collaboration with Crispin Gurholt as Transparent Productions. Installation with video, sound, neon lights, printed magazine cover, web.

1999 MY CITY OSLOW, Banco do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. In collaboration with Torgeir Holm, Erling Fossen and Esben Johannesen. Photography, text, drawing, interactive game on website and a local version in physical exhibition space. Also exhibited in Barcelona, Sp.

1999 H2O, Akerselva, Blå, Stretch, Oslo, N. 15 minutes short film Hydrophobia [BetaCam SP]. Music by Satyricon and Neil Cole aka Djum Djum.

1998 Transparent Reminiscenses of Family, Stenersenmuseet, Oslo, N. Video animation for Crispin Gurholt’s graduation exhibition.


ART IN PUBLIC SPACES
2008 Urban Ivy, Sibu, Drammen, Norway. Not realized. Documentation.

2006 Gol High School, Gol, N. Hydrophobia Series, Waterlow Park. Hand drawn, digitally colored prints on aluminum. Documentation.

2003–2004 Ullerål arbeidskirke, Hønefoss, N. Church altarpiece. Laser-etched steel relief and blue diode [LED] lights and a mobile processional cross in steel, acryl, wood with built in blue led-light glow. Documentation photos.

2002 Gol High School, Gol, N. Drawing, photography, digital collage print on aluminum, triptych. Documentation.

2001 City Park, four storey car park, Drammen, N. Screen print on laminated glass. The three different glass areas are integrated as parts of the perforated steel outer walls. Documentation.

2000–2001 SHOW_GRID, Drammen Cinema & Media Center, Drammen N. Inaugurated 2001. Five stories grid wall with various elements mounted throughout the building. The grid wall is made of steel, painted in gloss black with close correspondance to the floor made of matte/gloss chinese granite. The elements are: Light boxes: [photography, drawing, computer 3D, CAD, digital collage, all printed on transparency, laser-cut steel, vinyl, layered acrylic and stainless steel frames]. Signs: [computer animated diode [LED] lights, reflective 3M vinyl, acrylic, stainless steel frames]. Wall painting: [acrylic painting on wall]. In addition: Lamps, signage systems and cinema poster light boxes [screen print on glass, vinyl, acrylic, steel, paint]. Documentation.


PUBLICATIONS (not complete yet)
2003 Kunst 2003:03, Oct. N. six spread Insert Documentation.