OSLO: Sian Kristoffersen: Ice-pleasure

Sian Kristoffersen’s artistic practice spans a wide range of media and materials, drawing inspiration from ancient mythology, nature, science fiction, popular culture, fashion, and literature. Her works shift between surreal fantasies, mystical material memories, and everyday objects and situations, evoking a rich spectrum of associations, emotions, and desires.

In the exhibition Ice-pleasure, a series of sculptural installations unfold as a scenographic tableau composed of materials such as bronze, textile, and steel. As viewers, we find ourselves within a snapshot of living sculptures, seemingly frozen at a decisive moment. Through material and form, fragments of a narrative are revealed — one that precedes our arrival and perhaps even hints at what may unfold after we leave. There is a pervasive ambivalence at play in Ice-pleasure — reminiscent of a damaged bronze portrait sculpture unearthed in Sparta in 1964, a recurring motif in Sian Kristoffersen’s recent work. The statue’s face is shattered and asymmetrical, paradoxically defining her identity. Despite the distortion, her delicate features remain discernible: the arched eyebrows, the large eyes with heavy lids, and the center-parted hair lend her an almost unsettling presence.

In Sian Kristoffersen’s sculptural installation in OSLO, familiar elements merge with abstract forms; amalgamations of objects, reflections and repititions, oversized components, gaps and openings that destabilize our perception of the familiar. Something seems to have collapsed, or perhaps it is the boundaries between bodies and times that have fused. Ice-pleasure interweaves the historical with the speculative in a landscape where fiction, fabulation, and personal experience are inextricably linked.

* The title of the exhibition is borrowed from the book Eros the Bittersweet by Anne Carson.

Ice-pleasure is the fourth exhibition to be presented in OSLO, the exhibition space located on the lower level of Den Frie. Previous exhibiting artists include: Atiéna R. Kilfa, Will Benedict & Steffen Jørgensen, Amy O’Neill with Gianna Surangkanjanajai & Line Ebert. OSLO presents three solo projects annually by contemporary artists, each specifically produced for the space. OSLO continues Den Frie’s legacy and historical role as an “artists’ house”—a place with a long tradition of experimental formats, collectively curated exhibitions, and artworks developed in close collaboration with artists. The name OSLO refers to Den Frie’s location at Oslo Plads and is an anagram of “solo.” Admission to OSLO is always free.