In the exhibition “The Forbidden Forest”, the Norwegian artists Andreas Siqueland (b. 1973) has worked with the Halvdan Hafsten collection at Stavanger Art Museum. During his lifetime Hafsten collected works by eight icons of Norwegian Modernism: Reidar Aulie, Harald Dal, Arne Ekeland, Kai Fjell, Thobjørn Lie-Jørgensen, Ragnar Kraugerud and Aleksander Schultz. The Forbidden Forest is an exhibition where Andreas has curated works from the collection together with his own paintings creating an all encompassing encounter across time and space for the viewer. Volver is the proud producer of the floor pieces in this boundary-breaking exhibition.

Two long yellow curtains hang from the ceiling as you enter Stavanger Art Museum's exhibition space. The traditional white museum walls have been covered with painted canvas on which smaller paintings hang. As we move through the interior, we see furniture and carpets as if in a home. From the video work in the hallway you can hear the sounds of birdsong. The chirping mingles with the sound of ticking clocks as you pass from room to room.

A diversity of expressions, themes, colors and stories are woven in new constellation of relationships materialized in various media such as paintings, drawing, carpets, textiles, sculpture, painted objects, sound, Andreas Siqueland creates a scenographic space for artistic exchange between the different artists, the art and the public.

The premises of the Stavanger Art Museum are transformed from austere architecture to a dream-like experience, where the relationship between time and space, inside and outside shifts. Andreas creates The Forbidden Forest in a brave, boundary-breaking and expressive way, which radically transforms not only the museum's premises, but our way of looking at art.

At Andreas' home in Hadeland, the art and objects live both in the house itself and in the barn, and giant murals and carpets cover both horizontal and vertical surfaces and explode the old farm from within. Andreas has for many years explored how the environment affects the artistic process, but in my experience it is his artistic power that is truly transformative.

Andreas and I have worked together for many years and in the last couple of years on several of his art projects, where we have made custom made carpets as art works. Several carpets were specially made for The Forbidden Forest with strong, almost psychedelic colors and patterns. In the process, the sketches, which are more fluid in expression, have been given stronger more material substance through weaving and deeper colors.

Both Andreas and Volver challenge the limits of creativity and expression. These adventures outside of what is known to us constantly change ourselves. What is your new explorations?

Works by: Andreas Siqueland and the artists of the Halvdan Hafstens collection Reidar Aulie, Harald Dal, Arne Ekeland, Kai Fjell, Thobjørn Lie-Jørgensen, Ragnar Kraugerud and Aleksander Schultz.
Location: Stavanger Art Museum
Photo: Erik Sæter Jørgensen / MUST