Karen Kviltu Lidal

(She/her)
The address to Karen Kviltu's studio is Myntgata 2, Myntgata 2, rom 304 (3.etg), 0151 Oslo
The studio is open Sunday April 23rd

Open map

— In my practice I weave, draw, make textile sculptures and video performance where I map out, trace, document and displace architecture and spaces. I’m interested in the interplay between logic and bodily experience, and the execution of the projects through craft and the work of the body is important. Often using my own body as scale, I investigate the built structures around us; how the city and architecture relate to the human body, and the connections they hold to the social sphere, gender and power. (Artist statement, Karen Kviltu Lidal)

Bio:
Karen Kviltu Lidal (b. 1979 in Akershus, Norway) lives and works in Oslo and Berlin. She holds a masters degree from Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2008). Solo exhibitions include "My Architecture" at Kunstnerforbundet in Oslo, “Bauen Wohnen Denken” at Tegnerforbundet in Oslo and "The Body and the Map" at Moss kunstforening. Group shows include “Contextile Biennal 2022”, Portugal, several of The Association for Norwegian Crafts juried and curated exhibitions: in North Norwegian Arts Center in Svolvær, Sørlandets kunstmuseum in Kristiansand, Turbinhallen in Fredrikstad and in the National Museum in Oslo. Other group shows i.a. at TCG Nordica in China, Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo, Akershus kunstsenter in Lillestrøm and SOFT Gallery in Oslo. Lidal’s works are included in the collections of the National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Trondheim and KODE Art Museums in Bergen.

Textile, drawing, sculpture and installation

www.karenlidal.net
Contact the artist through Atelie.art

Portrett karen k lidal photo kristine agøy sand

Portrait taken in the studio. Photo: Kristine Agøy Sand

01 min arkitektur karen kviltu lidal foto thomas tveter kunstnerforbundet

"My Architecture", Karen Kviltu Lidal, 2022. Linen, wool and pine. Installation view. Solo exhibit in Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo. Photo: Thomas Tveter

01 the hands that unravel the sweater kjell ove storvik nnks

"Femme Maison", Karen Kviltu Lidal, 2022. (Right). Handwoven with wool from old norse sheep, linen, wood and rope. Dimensions variable. Installation view from "The Hands That Unravel the Sweater", NKs theme exhibit, Curated by Anne Klontz. Photo: Kjell Ove Storvik/ Nordnorsk kunstnersenter

"Le Corbusier's Measuring Tape", Karen Kviltu Lidal, 2012. Performance with handwoven measuring tape. Wool, 226 cm, primary colours. Photo: Elisabet Storhaug

Planned projects and exhibitions

- «The Work That Textiles Does» Central Museum of Textiles, Lodz, Polen. June 2023.
- «Lian/ Connect» TCG Nordica, Kunming China. TBA 2023
- Solo exhibit Sandnes kunstforening. January 2024

CV

Karen Kviltu Lidal (b. 1979, Akershus)
Lives and works in Oslo and Berlin
www.karenlidal.net
@karenkviltulidal

Solo Exhibitions
2024 Sandnes kunstforening (Upcoming)
2022 My Architecture, Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo
2017 Soft City Pieces, Window Box, Galleri Pushwagner, Oslo
2017 Body/City, Rønningen folkehøgskole, Oslo, commission
2016 Improvisert plan, Sofienberg skole, Oslo, commission
2015 Kroppen og kartet, Moss kunstforening
2014 Kyriakon II, SÅ2014 festival, Gran. With Camilla Chmiel
2012 Kyriakon (Relocated Holy Space), SÅ2012 festival, Gran
2010 BAUEN WOHNEN DENKEN, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo. With Ingrid Lønningdal
2008 Verksted: Publication release, Sound of Mu, Oslo. With Runa Carlsen*
2006 Protect Your Property, Galleri Seilduken, Oslo. With Runa Carlsen

Group Exhibitions
2023 The Work That Textiles Does, Central Museum of Textiles, Polen. Curated by Marta Kowalewska, Jakob Gawkowski and Anne Szefer Karlsen (June)
2023 Lian/ Connect, TCG Nordica, China (TBA). Curated
 2022 Contextile Biennal, Portugal. Norw. textile art, Curated by Målfridur Adalsteinsdottir and Cláudia Melo 
2022 The Hands That Unravel the Sweater, NNKS, Svolvær. Curated by Anne Klontz*
2022 Lian/ Connect, Areopagos sommerfestival, Scandic Fornebu. Curated  2022 Oslo Open, Studio presentation
2021 The Annual Exhibition for Norwegian Craft, SKMU, Kristiansand. Juried
2018 Onyx, Alfa Gallery, Miami, FL
2018 Consciousness, Alfa Gallery, Miami, FL
2018 Velvet Ropes, Galleri Golsa, Oslo
2018 Oslo Open, Studio Exhibit
2017 Det store mjuke øyeblikk på Finnskogen, Jubileumsutstilling for Norske tekstilkunstnere. Juried*
2017 Sense and Sensibility, Studio Exhibit, Oslo Open
2016 Tegnebiennalen 2016: En kollektiv psykogeografisk guide til Oslo. Curated by Ida Følling, Ottar Karlsen and Eirik Senje
2016 Kunsthåndverk 2016, Hydrogenfabrikken, Fredrikstad. Juried*
2016 Østlandsutstillingen 2016, (16 chosen works), Oppland kunstsenter, Lillehammer. Juried*
2016 Open House: Studio Exhibit, Oslo Open
2016 Østlandsutstillingen 2016, Akershus kunstnersenter, Lillestrøm. Juried*
2014 Present(ation): Studio Exhibit, Oslo Open
2010 Gentle Actions, Kunstnernes hus, Oslo. Curated by A. K. Jortveit/ Eva Bakkeslett
2010 Portage: Textiles, Extremes of Scale, Bonhoga Gallery, Shetland*
2010 Kunsthåndverk 2010, Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo. Juried*
2010 2000 Lillestrøm, Akershus kunstsenter. Curated by Geir Haraldseth*
2010 Tendenser, Galleri F15, Moss. Curated by Knut Astrup Bull
2010 Salong 2010, ROD BIANCOs apartment, Oslo
2010 Squatters Like Us, Podium, Oslo. Curated by Anita Hillestad
2009 Utstillingen09, Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo. Juried*
2008 9 rom, Akershus kunstsenter, Lillestrøm. With Runa Carlsen*
2008 Hovefestivalen, Arendal
2008 Masterminds, GAD, Oslo. Curated by Anne Szefer Karlsen*
2008 Rykk tilbake til start #5, 0047, Oslo. Curated by Jan Christensen/ Anne Szefer Karlsen
2007 CrossTalking, Christiansand kunstforening. With Manifest 2007. Curated by Aage Langhelle *
2007 Paradise City, Soft, Oslo
2007 Manifest 2007, By the Way, Bergen
2007 Kappeland, Oslo Open outdoor project. With Runa Carlsen*
2007 Manifest 2007, The White Tube, Oslo
2006 Anafylaksi, Galleri Brenneriet, Oslo
2005 Einbahnstrasse, Neugerriemschneider, Berlin
*catalogue available

Education
2006-08 MA Visual Art, KHIO: Oslo National Academy of the Arts
2003-06 BA Visual Art, KHIO: Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Textile faculty)
2000-03 BA Art Education, HiO/OsloMet: Oslo University College
1999-00 Art and Drawing, HiO/OsloMet: Oslo University College
1999 Ex. Phil., UiO: University of Oslo

Grants
Kunsthåndverkernes fond, three year grant: 2023 – 2025
Billedkunstnernes vederlagsfond BKV, one year grant: 2022, 2015, 2011
Bildende kunstneres hjelpefond BKH, one year grant: 2021
Statens kunstnerstipend, three year grant: 2016 – 2018
Diversestipend: 2019
Statens utstillingsstipend: 2015
Norsk kulturfond, project grant 2022, 2015
Billedkunstnernes vederlagsfond, project grant 2022, 2015
Bergesenstiftelsen, project grant 2022
Oslo kommune, project grant 2022

Public Collections
National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Nordenfjeldske kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim
KODE museums, Bergen

Publications
Layouts, Artist book, 2010
Verksted, Project publication, 2008
UKS Forum 1/2007 Evas arkiv, Manifest 2007
Oslo Open 2007 Catalogue contribution, Manifest 2007

Bibliography/ Press (selected)
Kunsthåndverk 2/22, Review: Eksistensielle filleryer, Kjetil Røed
The Vessel #5: Exposing Power Structures (On Karen Kviltu Lidal), Sofie Ciel (Zofia Cielatkowska)
Klassekampen 19.08.22, Perspektiv Kunsthåndverk 2/22 + Hakapik 05.08.22, Review: Tostemt systemkritikk, Øystein Voll Areopagos.no 16.05.22, Article: Bevegelser mellom verdener, Margunn Krohn Sævre
Norwegian Craft, Exposing Power Structures (On Karen Kviltu Lidal), 2019, Zofia Cielatkowska
The Printmaking Ideas Book, p.142-143. Octopus Publishing Group 2019, Eds. Lucy McGeown, Frances Stanfield
Norwegian Craft, Craft 2016: Larger than itself
Kunsthåndverk no 3/15, To Assert Trends, Gjertrud Steinsvåg
Kunsthåndverk no 1/11, Handmade Actions, Anne Karin Jortveit
www.kunstforum.as 04.10.10 Ladede gjenstander, Vilde Andrea Brun
Kunst+ 03/10 Kunsthåndverk=kunst?, Jan Kokkin
Klassekampen 01.09.10 Teori møter praksis, Mona Gjessing
Kunsthåndverk no 03/10 og www.kunsthandverk.no
Billedkunst 7/09 Håndarbeid, samarbeid og tiden det tar å lage ting, av Anne Karin Jortveit
Billedkunst 7/09 Håndlagde handlinger, Anne Karin Jortveit
Romerikes Blad 11.09.2008 Kunstsenter i ny drakt, av Marit C. Anderssen
www.Kjeft’a.org 26.06.2008 Karen Kviltu Lidal på Hovefestivalen 2008
Billedkunst 4/07 Inkluderende kunstliv i Oslogryten, av Janicke Iversen
Billedkunst 3/07 Spore til vitalisering, Ingvill Henmo
BT 25.05.2007 Unge kunstnere på barrikadene, av Kari Faustanger
NRK kulturnyheter –En unik mulighet, av Jon Ove Steihaug (også sendt NRK P2, 07.05.05)
www.Foto.no 05.05.2007 Oslo Open, av Nina Toft
Dagsavisen 04.05.07 Teppelagt torg, av Mona Larsen
Aftenposten 04.05.07 Lappeteppe av Oslo-kunst, av Åshild Bekke Eidem
Dagsavisen 29.04.07 Plutselig åpen kunst, av Mona Larsen

Memberships
Norske Billedkunstnere (NBK), Norske tekstilkunstnere (NTK),
Norske Kunsthåndverkere (NK), BONO

Other
2014 – Teacher in Art and Architecture, Rønningen folkehøgskole, Oslo. 50%
2013-14 Assistant Professor, AHO: The Oslo School of Architecture and Design
2009-13 Art teacher, Grevlingen skole og kultursenter