KENNARDPHILLIPPS - THE AFTENBLAD WALL
Nuart is delighted to present the political art duo Kennardphillipps (Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps) as the latest artists in our on-going public art project, The Aftenblad Wall.
Created in partnership with Stavanger Aftenblad newspaper, the Aftenblad Wall is a public art initiative that sees invited artists create work on a large-scale billboard in the heart of Stavanger, with reflection on the key issues of public space, advertising and the implications of public art practice at its core.
Kennardphillipps piece, titled ‘Game of Loans’, will confront established political and economic systems – a hallmark of their activism-based art since forming their partnership in 2002.
About Kennardphillipps
Kennardphillipps is a collaboration between artists Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps, who have been working together since 2002 when they began producing art in response to the invasion of Iraq. Their practice has since evolved to confront power and war across the globe.
The work they produce is made for the street, the gallery, the internet, newspapers and magazines as a critical tool that connects to international movements for social and political change. They also lead workshops that help to develop people's skills and ability to express their thoughts about what is happening in the world through visual means.
In their own words, "We don’t see the work as separate to social and political movements that are confronting established political and economic systems. We see it as part of those movements; the visual arm of protest. We want it to be used by people as a part of their own activism, not just as pictures on the wall to contemplate."
About The Aftenblad Wall (Ryfylkegata 22, 4014 Stavanger)
Created in partnership with Stavanger Aftenblad newspaper and launched in September 2015 to coincide with Nuart Festival's 15th Anniversary, The Aftenblad Wall is an on-going public art initiative that sees invited artists create work on a large-scale billboard in the heart of Stavanger.
The purpose of The Aftenblad Wall is to present a progressive and dynamic public art programme with reflection on the key issues of public space, advertising and the implications of public art practice at its core.
Nuart’s goal is to help redefine how we experience both contemporary and public art: to bring art out of museums, galleries and public institutions onto the city streets, and in some cases, vice versa.
Nuart has 16 years experience in producing both small and large-scale public artworks, and has witnessed, first hand, how numerous street artists have successfully adopted direct communication strategies to circumnavigate the traditional path into the art world.
Within the ever-evolving movement known as ‘street art’ the act of subverting advertisements (or ‘subvertising’) has long been utilised as a tool for social commentary and protest. By appropriating commercial billboards artists are able to raise awareness about who has the power and authority to communicate messages and create meaning in our urban environment. By mimicking the scale and visibility of advertising, The Aftenblad Wall also acknowledges street art’s heritage of ‘subvertising’.
The Aftenblad Wall is located at Ryfylkegata 22 in Storhaug, Stavanger east – a stones throw from Nuart Festival’s exhibition venue at Tou Scene Centre for Contemporary Art and in the heart of the city’s creative district.
The Aftenblad Wall’s inaugural artist was the Canadian painter Sandra Chevrier, who created her largest artwork to date as part of Nuart Festival’s 15th anniversary. Sandra Chevrier’s installation – as well as the construction and installation of the physical billboard – was co-founded by Nuart and Stavanger Aftenblad newspaper in September 2015.
The second invited artist was activist Jordan Seiler: best known for his long-term civil disobedience project, PublicAdCampaign (which seeks to challenge outdoor advertising’s predominance in public space). For his participation in The Aftenblad Wall, Seiler especially developed an augmented reality app that brought to life his 2D artwork in 3 dimensions.
This project is made possible with the support of Stavanger Kommune.
