«Power Structures» by Morten Jensen Vågen opens on Friday, October 3rd at 19:00.
October 3rd - October 19th
Open Thursday - Sunday 14:00-18:00
In this exhibition, Morten Jensen Vågen presents a series of new works inspired by urban environments and everyday objects. The sculptures are made from cardboard and paper, and resemble items you might find around the city. Composed in stacks, they create playful interactions between shapes and meanings.
His works draws inspiration from activist gestures and creative ways of engaging with urban space. For example, activists have discovered that placing a traffic cone on the hood can disable self-driving cars. Vågen uses this simple act as the basis for one of his large sculptures, highlighting how individuals can resist structures of power through bottom-up initiatives and actions.
The title, Power Structures, points to how power operate in public space, from the influence of tech companies to the visible excesses of capitalism. By using fragile materials and familiar forms, Vågen highlights both the instability of these systems and the imagination behind everyday acts of resistance.
Morten Jensen Vågen (b. 1987 in Haugesund) lives and works in Oslo and holds an MFA from the National Academy of the Arts. In recent years, he has held solo exhibitions at the Norwegian Sculptors Society, Bærum Kunsthall, and 222T. Vågen has also exhibited at Hulias and in the sculpture street of Øvre Slottsgate, and completed a public commission for Hovseter School in Oslo. In 2022, he was invited to create a site-specific work for a beach in Novi Sad, Serbia, as part of the city’s program as European Capital of Culture. He has participated in artist residencies at Cité internationale des arts in Paris and Studio 11 in Berlin, the latter organized by the Norwegian Sculptors Society. His works are included in the collections of Oslo Municipality and Haugalandmuseet.
The exhibition is curated by Nora Stangebye and Luca Sørheim.
Also check out other Exhibitions in Oslo, Arts events in Oslo.
