mandag 3. mai 2010

John Cage, Radio Works - Hans Sæle, fusjonistiske malerier

Wagnerinstituttet arrangerte konsert med et østerriksk ensemble som oppførte John Cages Radio Works, sammen med en utstilling av Hans Sæles fusjonistiske 1980-talls malerier. Arrangementet var sponset av den østerrikske ambassade, og ble åpnet av den østerrikske ambassadør. Teie Hovedgård, 1998.

To malerier fra utstillingen:


Syklus/Cycle 1983


Story of a painting called Cycle

​This was back in the early 1980s.

The model for the painting was, surprisingly enough, a rather young woman. Very sympathetic, I recall.
Obviously the painting wasn't supposed to look like this at all?
The model told me openly she was a former prostitute. Luckily she got out of it, but at a high price, almost killed by her pimp, beaten so hard that she ended up in a hospital and was in coma for weeks. And then there was the following trial, secret addresses and so on.
While modeling she told several stories from her earlier profession. Some really weired stuff, I remember.
After she'd gone I realized the painting was far from finished and I worked intensively on it throughout the night and during the following day. Suddenly this old firm proud woman appeared, grew (so to speak) out of the canvas as a manifestation of a strong self.

When people saw the painting in my studio they remarked it with a "WOW!".
​They were really amazed about it.
I called the painting Cycle.

The Cycle painting (size ca. 100x90cm.) has only been exhibited a couple of times. I remember a gallerist putting it in the back room, afraid his audience would be annoyed by it.
​Someone did ask about the price, but I meant it should belong to a official gallery or an art collection, not be hanging in a private hallway or in a living room. But they could get a signed print of it - a Printycon.

Protestsangeren 1983