Living Lines

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Theselection Marlene Dumas(b.1953)hasmaderevealsthemore satiricalandburlesquesideof Munch.Onecanviewitasacontinuationoftheexplorationofhisworksthatshemadefortheexhibition Moonrise. MarleneDumas&EdvardMunchatthemuseumin 2018-19. Herownpointofdepartureasanartistispreciselydrawing.Asin Munch, thenudeandthehuman figure area central motifinherpictures. They havearaw intensity whethertheyspeak ofsexuality, love, abuse ordeath. Another overall feature isthat theyare always based onphotographs,cutoutofmagazinesandnewspapersorsnapshots offriendsandfamily.Therelationshipbetweendrawingandpainting isfluid,whichwecanseeinhermanyinkwashesinalargeformat andinotherworksonpaper. Dumashaswrittensomewhere: "Iwould liketomakeone-strokeinkbrushpaintingsliketheancientChinese aspiredto.Theycallitpaintingandwecallitdrawing!'

Asanartistbom andlivingin Norway,Terje Nicolaisen(b.1964)was raisedon Munch'sartsotospeak. Inhisnativecountry Munchisseen asakindofnationalsaint; thisnaturallyaffects Nicolaisen'srelationshipwithhim,andinmanydifferentways.In Nicolaisen'sartthereisa consistenthumoristicandunpretentioussidewaysglanceatlifeand theartworld,onethatacceptsimperfectionandfailure. Drawingisa centralpartofhisoeuvre, whichisalsoevidencedbynumerousartists'books, multiples, andideasforunrealised projects. HeisamemberoftheartistgroupTegneklubben(the DrawingClub),comprisedof fiveartistswhosince2004havecometogetherforcollectivedrawing seanceswheretheycultivatethespontaneityandfallibilityinherent inthemedium.Abouthisrelationshipwith Munch, Nicolaisenhasthe followingtosay: "l'dsaythatwhere Munchand Imeeteyetoeyeis wherehestumbles,althoughthetwoofusstumbleindifferentways. Inhiscase,it'sadeliberatetactictooutwithisinherentskilfulness, anditottenworks."Inkeepingwiththis, Nicolaisen'sselectionencompassesdrawingsby Munchwherehedoesnotappearasthefamiliar master.lt'salmostasthoughweareontheinsideofthemaskandcan senseMunch'shumanandnakedordinariness.

AmbiguityisMunch's MiddleName

MarleneDumas interviewedbyMiekeBal

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