Bendik Giske and Nils Bech
Photographer: Håkon Borg
Singer and performer Nils Bech and saxophone player Bendik Giske, together with Daniel Herskedal, Ole-Henrik Moe and Kari Rønnekleiv, inaugurate OCA's public platform as a music performance space, and officially close the programme 'Columns, Grottos, Niches: The Grammar of Forms – On Art Criticism, Writing, Publishing and Distribution'. Bech's performance practice combines sparse a capella versions of contemporary and classical music with songs of his own writing and electronica sounds, which are often extended into informal performances in cooperation with other musicians and artists in contemporary art events both internationally and throughout Norway. Marking the release of Bech's forthcoming album Look Back by the label Fysisk Format 19 April, this performance features acoustic versions of the songs from the new album.
Nils Bech is a singer who focuses on the performative aspects of music. A key actor in the Norwegian art and music scene, he has participated in exhibitions of contemporary art both in Norway and internationally, as well as performing with his band, Nils Bech, with musician Bendik Giske, at a wide variety of festivals. Bech combines sparse a capella versions of contemporary and classical music with electronica, in a conceptual stage show laced with cabaret, contemporary dance and sculptural elements.
Bendik Giske is a saxophone performer who has explored a wide variety of genres, ranging from pop to contemporary art music via jazz. He holds a degree in saxophone performance from the jazz division of the music conservatory in Trondheim and the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, as well as the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Giske has toured widely and has released studio albums with, among others, the bands Listen, Nils Bech and BG-5 (Bendik Giske Quintet).
Daniel Herskedal is a performing jazz tuba player who works as a freelance musician in the band Listen, Magic Pocket and Lochs / Balthaus / Herskedal. As part of Magic Pocket, Herskedal is currently developing a commissioned work for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra for the occasion of its 50-year anniversary in 2010.
Anders Nordby is an artist whose work involves artistic production and curatorial activities. His process-based art and installations draw inspiration from literature and sub- and countercultures. Nordby has exhibitied in institutions such as Art in General, The Swiss Institute, White Columns and Rhizome at the New Museum, all in New York, NY.
Ole Henrik Moe is a composer and violinist who has contributed to a number of crossover projects, including jazz performance. Moe is a renowned improviser, and has participated in theatre productions and modern dance performances. Together with Kari Rønnekleiv he forms the duo The Sheriffs of Nothingness. In 2007 Moe was awarded Spellemannsprisen in the category Contemporary Music for his work with the album Ciaccona/3 Persephone Perceptions, together with Kari Rønnekleiv.
Kari Rønnekleiv is a violinist holding degrees from the Trøndelag Conservatory of Music and Royal College of Music in London. She has played with the Tromsø Symphony Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the Trondheim Soloists and Bodø Sinfonietta. Since 2004 she has performed with Ole-Henrik Moe in the duo The Sheriffs of Nothingness. For the album Ciaccona/3 Persephone Perceptions, with music composed by Ole-Henrik Moe, Rønnekleiv was awarded Spellamansprisen in 2007 in the category Contemporary Music.
Arild Tveito is an artist living and working in Oslo, Norway. Tveito is a multidisciplinary artist working in a variety of media, such as installation, film, video and music. Tveito is also part of the artist group Institutt for Degenerert Kunst with Anders Nordby and Eirik Sæther.
'Columns, Grottos, Niches: The Grammar of Forms – On Art Criticism, Writing, Publishing and Distribution' is a series public events, workshops and presentations from autumn 2009 to spring of 2010 at OCA's premises at Nedre gate 7, with the aim to look at language, writing, criticism and publishing in relation to contemporary art, exploring its diverse modes of operation and possibilities within historical and contemporary practices. In these public events, writers, artists, critics, publishers and theorists investigate different experiences of and approaches to writing and language, specifically in relation to art. These events have a pedagogical remit, and are accompanied by a series of projects including presentations of artworks and libraries of publications, made available to the public for consultation and reading. Past speakers include Peter Osborne, Ina Blom, Will Bradley, Anne Hilde Neset, Stuart Bailey, AA Bronson and Mikkel Astrup.
'Columns, Grottos, Niches: The Grammar of Forms' is designed and installed by tenfinger, Brussels, Belgium. www.tenfinger.be.
For press inquiries and more information on the project or OCA semesterplan, please contact Marthe Tveitan at marthe@oca.no.