Exhibition Information

			FOUNDRY SEOUL presents GAMECHANGER, a solo exhibition by Mie Olise Kjærgaard, an artist based in Copenhagen, Denmark, from March 22 to May 11, 2024. With vibrant brushstrokes and dynamic compositions, Kjærgaard depicts women actively playing sports and riding and galloping on the backs of animals, emphasizing women’s agency and freedom. Also, the presence of multiple women figures engaged together speaks to the essential functions and roles of a community. The exhibition brings together Kjærgaard’s work for the first time in Asia, presenting 18 new works centered on the themes of balance and solidarity.

 

Women in Kjærgaard’s vast canvases roam freely across the net on a tennis court, playing with their rackets as if they were playing guitars, and forcefully smashing the ball with their arms. Using their entire bodies to play sports, sail boats, and ride on the backs of animals while carrying children, women are boldly reclaiming physical activities that have long been considered the domain of men. At the second Paris Olympics in 1900, women were first allowed to compete in tennis and golf, and in 1975, the European Sports Charter of the Council of Europe held in Brussels declared that “every individual has the right to take part in sport” when the ‘Sports for All Charter’ was launched. Nevertheless, the space for women in sports is still limited, and social perceptions of femininity remain constrained. However, as if to gracefully subvert such a situation, the women in Kjærgaard’s works use their bodies more aggressively examining all possibilities, daring to challenge the status quo, and presenting the new rules. Stretching out their arms and legs with nonchalant expressions, they stand as themselves, unconcerned about the eyes of others.

 

Balance is one of the essential themes addressed in this exhibition, GAMECHANGER. The figures in the works peacefully perform acrobatic poses with one hand on top of a tennis net or dangle one-handed from a thin ladder that appears to break at any moment. They often stand on a tilted hurdle or hang upside down from a slanted sail. Using raw and unrestrained brushstrokes, the artist depicts dramatic scenes in which the depicted circumstances seem to collapse at any moment. The disproportionate composition, which gives the work dynamism and tension, is not merely used as a tool to set the atmosphere of the work. Instead, it is part of the artist’s intention to dismantle the entrenched social structures that have oppressed women. Furthermore, the artist’s unique visual language boldly challenges the tradition of male-dominated figurative painting and playfully subverts social perceptions that have limited women’s roles in society. The artist pushes her subjects into situations where they are almost completely off balance. Yet, the women in her works boldly demonstrate that they have the power to take control of the situations they are in, to enjoy them fully, and to own and control their bodies and minds to the full extent.

 

The other thematic thread that binds the exhibition is women’s solidarity. The artist captures the woman within her imagination, who is both herself and every woman, in her paintings. With nonchalant looks in contrast to their bold movements, the women break free from socially prescribed frames and roles to be who they are and express their desires without reservations. While they have slightly different facial features and expressions, they are essentially dressed in the same colors and have uniform hairstyles. They not only look like each other and occupy the same space, but they actively engage in physical activities together, playing volleyball and tennis, standing in yoga poses while leaning against each other’s bodies, and balancing themselves while sitting face-to-face over the net. By portraying women who seem to belong to a singular group or community, the artist describes the communal bonds and solidarity of women who empower themselves against societal gazes and traditions, supporting each other and enjoying a sense of emancipation together. The artist allows the viewer to speculate on the backgrounds of the artworks, whether it is a tennis court or a beach, without pinpointing a particular country, city, or cultural context. At the same time, the artist portrays the skin tones of the figures as a light brown, presenting them as women of all races. Through this, the artist declares the intention that the individuals within the work can be anyone and should be everyone.

 

Through the playful, uninhibited movement of women in her paintings, the artist introduces a new portrait of active and assertive women, presenting them through the new works in diverse scales. The works, ranging from a large triptych measuring six meters across to smaller pieces, invite viewers to follow the figures in the works on display, moving freely with their bodies and minds, stretching their arms and legs to the fullest.


(Source = foundry)