Christinex

SKYTIME January 2012 WITH UNNI ASKELAND & OLAUG VETHAL

The story of two Norwegian artist exchanges.

Malta has been the home for the late Norwegian artist Olaug Vethal (1946-2007) since 1988. For almost twenty years she served as a teacher to many local artists and produced many works which depicted the Maltese people at the beach, in their villages, dancing and so forth as well as many Maltese landscapes which made her move to Malta in the first place . Her sudden demise in 2007 left many shocked at the news. Christine X was delighted to have been left to manage and represent the artist’s works because she was always so amazed by her talent and her extraordinary vivacious works.

Following many exhibitions that she had organised in memory of Olaug Vethal, one was that of the exhibition she had organised in Jessheim, Norway in January 2009, where the artist had been brought up as a child. The exhibition entitled ‘ En fargerik reise’ which means ‘One colourful journey’ which was being exhibited at the Jessheim gallery, showed a variety of artworks , which also depicted Maltese sceneries. There, she was in touch with various people from the press and the cultural director of the town, and it was through everyone and through other means that she heard about the famous ‘Unni Askeland’ who was from the neighbouring town Klofta but had her studio in Jessheim. She knew she could not miss the opportunity to meet this infamous artist who had her works bought by various museums which included The Norwegian National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design(2008), the Rogaland kunstmuseum (2005), The Art Museum of Northern Norway(2004), the Arts Council Norway (2001) and the Nordea Collection (2001). She called and set a meeting with her at her studio. Amazed by her works, she contacted the National Museum of Fine Arts in Malta and they were delighted to set an exhibition with Unni Askeland’s works. Three years after meeting with her whilst curating Olaug Vethal (1946-2007)’s exhibition in Norway, she now finds herself curating Unni Askeland’s exhibition here in Malta.

Unni Askeland’s exhibition ‘FRIEZED’ will feature paintings from the collection ‘FRIEZED’ which were exhibited at Heiberg Cummings and T.Meeker Contemporary Art in New York in 2008, together with a special continuous addition. The exhibition will take place from 13th January until 30th March at the National Museum of Fine Arts in South Street, Valletta. The exhibition is being sponsored by Heritage Malta, Hotel Phoenicia, Atlas Insurance and Marsovin. During this time, limited edition prints from her ‘The Big, big big show’ will be exhibited at Christine X Art (Artitude) Gallery in Tigne Street, Sliema. For more information please visit www.christinexart.com or call 9984 4653/ 21316708.