Painters in dialogue: Installing painting

This session brings together Kenneth Varpe and Apichaya Wanthiang. Varpe´s practice explores relationships between material and motif, using mimicry to play on formal qualities of painting and expectations relating to depiction. Wanthiang’s work primarily focuses on relationships between the human body and emotions, and is interested in how sensations can be transmitted without being contained by written or spoken language. Both of these artists often design spatial interventions to present their painting.

The evening’s discussion of approaches to installing painting will explore differences and overlaps in the artists’ thinking and processes, asking questions such as what caused these artists to take their paintings beyond the wall? And, how do they go about making an installation of/for paintings?

The evening will begin with time to look at the works on show and mingle, before sitting down for discussion.

Painters in dialogue is held in English and free to attend. Attendees are welcome to continue the conversation with the artists and organisers at a nearby pub after the session.

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Kenneth Varpe lives and works in Copenhagen. He received his MFA in Fine Art from Chelsea College of Art & Design, London. Recent exhibitions include Høstutstillingen 2022, «Fra balkongen», Stavanger Art Museum, 2020, Vestlandsutstillingen 2019, and a solo at Bryne Kunstforening 2020. He is currently working towards a solo at Haugesund Kunstforening/Haugesund Billedgalleri later this fall. His work is represented in private and public collections: Stavanger Art Museum, Stavanger City Council Art Collection, and Gassco Art Collection. Varpe has served on the boards of Young Artists Society and Kunsthall Stavanger, and is currently deputy chair of the board of Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond.

Apichaya (Piya) Wanthiang lives and works in Oslo. She holds a MFA from Bergen Academy of Art and Design (KHiB). Through a range of different mediums and approaches, she constructs environments in order to study how they influence our perceptions, behaviours and interactions. Piya worked part time as Assistant Professor at Trondheim Academy of Fine Art, and the Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design (KMD) in Bergen. She was on the board of LNM, the Norwegian Painters Association and UKS, The Young Artists’ Society. Her work is part of Oslo Kommunes Kunstsamling, Sogn og Fjordane Kunstmuseum and Kistefos Museum among others. She recently had a solo exhibition at the Munch Museum, and is currently working towards a solo exhibition at Trykkeriet in Bergen and a public commission at Søndre Borgen Helsehus in Asker.

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Painters in Dialogue is conceptualised by Rune Elgaard and Nicholas John Jones. Rune is a visual artist working predominantly with painting. He holds an MFA from Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Nicholas is an artist and organiser. He holds an MFA in Fine Art Painting from Slade School of Fine Art, London. He is Founder and Director of PRAKSIS (Oslo).