The Cave

The project space at the Carl Berner metro station is built into a mountain cave that is no longer visible due to the concrete structure that houses the gallery. The contrast between the cave and the constructed concrete box was the motivation for the installation The Cave. With his installation Michiel Jansen visualizes the cave within the peculiar shape of the room. The building blocks are wooden scale models of the project space. Ten models in the scale of 1: 5, twenty-five models in the scale of 1:10 and fifty models in the scale of 1:25 are used to build the installation, which can hardly fit in the room.

The Cave touches on both spatial and philosophical questions related to the place it is located. It is both concrete and abstract at once and capable of capturing the public’s attention in a transit situation, while inviting contemplation. For those who stop and take on the challenges of a deeper study of the work, a possible dive into the relationship between place, reality and access to reality awaits.

Prosjektrom Carl Berner is an experimental exhibition space where all exhibitions are selected based on an open call which is advertised every year. 2-4 art projects are selected and displayed annually. Many of the exhibiting artists do site-specific projects related to the local environment. The site is a non-conventional display venue and this allows the exhibits to reach many different audience groups and create new and exciting meetings in the relationship artist – art – place – viewer.

Text by: Linda S. Olsen / Producer NBF / Norwegian Sculptors Society

Pictures by: Jan Khur