KJARTAN SLETTEMARK
Biography, exhibitions and performances
1932 Born on August 6, on the farm Slettemark in Naustdal, Sunnfjord, in Norway, the youngest of four children.
1945 Before his final year of elementary school, he celebrated his 13th birthday just as the atom bomb exploded over Hiroshima.
1948-50 College in Førde.
1952-55 Norwegian Telecom operator course in Lillehammer.
Worked in Otta and completed his military service with the German Brigade in Regensburg.
Study tour to Rome.
1952 Worked in Oslo. Evening studies at the Klemetsrud Malerskole.
1956-59 Statens Håndverks- og Kunstindustriskole in Oslo.
1959 Admitted to the National Academy of Art under Reidar Aulie, but moved to Stockholm after a few weeks.
1960-62 Gerlesborgsskolan in Stockholm.
1962-65 Guest student at the Royal Academy of Art in Stockholm.
1963 Interrupted his studies under Lennart Rodhe and moved out to studios on Skeppsholmen with Erland Melanton as his teacher.
1963-65 Participated in exhibitions in Lidköping, Karlstad, Halmstad, Spånga and Norrtälje.
1964
June UKS Spring Exhibition in Oslo.
Refused by the Autumn Exhibition. Took part in protest exhibition of refused artists.
Course in plastic techniques at the Hantverksinstitutet. His first experiments with the material won a competition for the decoration of a monumental window in the Hallstahammar City Hall. The plastic window was installed in 1966.
1965
May The assemblage "No. I 1965" exhibited as "Picture of the Month" in the UKS showcase in front of the House of Parliament in Oslo.
July The Vietnam picture exhibited in the showcase.
Aug The Vietnam picture was attacked with an axe and received police protection. Later stoned in Stavanger.
First separate exhibition at the Woodstock Gallery, London.
Started teaching at Grundskolan för Konstnärlig Utbildning, Stockholm. Fired in 1968 due to refusal to assess pupils according to a standard distribution curve.
Sept Exhibition in Västervik with K G Nilsson.
Oct Exhibition in Värnamo with Inga Bagge.
Dec Participated in "14 Unge" in Stavanger, Oslo and Trondheim.
1966
Became a Swedish citizen.
Feb Exhibited with "Ung Generation -66".
July Exhibition at Limhamn Konstförening with Jan Håfström.
Sept Exhibition at Liljevalchs, "Contemporary Swedish Sculpture".
Dec Exhibition at Charlottenborg, Copenhagen. "Nordic Youth Biennale".
Exhibition at Galleri Mini, Stockholm.
1967
March Exhibition at Galleri 66, Stockholm.
May Exhibition at Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, Stockholm. "City images".
June UKS Spring Exhibition.
Sept Happening in front of Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo. Norway’s first ever!
Happening in Bredäng Public Library, Stockholm. Two assistants.
Moderna Museet, Stockholm. "Plastic".
Dec Galleri Observatorium, Stockholm. His second separate exhibition is a total environment, which he inhabits together with Robert Jäppinen. Two plasticising performances, "Symfoni Realista Nr. I og II".
1968
March "A Plastic Opera with Fried Eggs". Happening with Robert Jäppinen at Moderna Museet, Stockholm, during a three-day presentation of international underground avant-garde, "Bombay Free School".
"Symfoni Realista Nr III - diamanten Hué". Happening with Robert at an art festival at the Dipoli University, Finland.
April Happening with Robert at the Department of Art History at Stockholm University, assisted by five students.
May Action at the annual ceremony of the Royal Academy of Art, Stockholm, 13 assistants.
June Anti-militaristic action in Norrtälje, 7 assistants.
July Action with Robert against the World Church Meeting in Uppsala.
Aug "Soot sausage with shrapnel mustard and plastic ketchup". Took over a blown-up hot-dog stand.
Sept Galleri Observatorium, solo exhib. "600 White-and-Black Police Hallucinations in Colour". Multi-media exhibition.
Oct Diagnosed as "mentally insane" by a socio-psychiatrist, prescribed a jar of Hibernal and offered a room at a psychiatric clinic.
Dec Galleri Café Mejan, solo exhibition. "600 White-and-Black Police Hallucinations…"
1969
March Skånska Konstmuseum, Lund. "Underground". Plasticising of audience.
April Charlottenborg, Copenhagen. "Nordisk kunst". "Hibernal splatter" - plasticising of clothes with Robert.
Founded "Högpartiet" (The High Party) which stood for election to Parliament in 1970.
Diagnosed as a "borderline case" by the social security office psychiatrist.
June "Lesson in the Art of Falling". Performance where Kjartan walks the tightrope in a Stockholm park.
Aug Film show at Uppsala University.
Dec Observatorium, solo exhibition. "Kjartan’s Mental Unhealth - A Borderline Case".
1970
Jan Squatted in Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
Aug Bogesund prison. Interned for two months. Continuously arranges exhibitions in his barracks - "Radhusrätten".
Nov Observatorium, solo exhibition. "Million Art - Social Rehabilitation".
1971
Jan Krognoshuset, Lund, solo exhibition. "The Art of Falling". Squatted the premises.
Feb Film show at Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
June Nixon posters.
Aug Galleri Aquarius, Honningsvåg, solo exhibition. The exhibition was stolen.
Oct Galleri Cheap Thrills, Helsinki.
Dec Galleri Sen Nin, Stockholm, solo exhibition. "A Thousand and One Nixons".
1972
May Action with Nixon posters at Labour Day demonstrations in Stockholm. Eight assistants.
June Published "Nixon Head Catalogue".
Aug Exhibition at NWT Galleriet, Karlstad, together with Robert.
Nov Exhibition at Göteborgs Konstmuseum. "A Thousand and One Nixons" and "Faces old and new". Performance at the opening in a white dress.
1973
Feb UKS, Oslo. "Nixon Visions".
March Norrköpings Konstmuseum, solo exhibition. "Nixon visions".
May Club 7, Oslo, solo exhibition. "Nixon Visions".
1974
Feb Exhibition of "Nixon Visions" in Umeå.
Jan Horne started on his film about Kjartan. First version censured by NRK. Second version shown in 1978.
March Arbetets Galleri, Malmö, solo exhibition. "Nixon Visions".
Graphic Triennale at Liljevalchs, Stockholm.
Passport with Nixon photo issued and stamped.
Performance as fisherman at the International Art Fair in Basel. Later performed at Grafikhuset, Stockholm, and Linds Konsthall, Lund, with Sture Johannesson.
July Passport is exhibited in the press. Sweden’s six major daily papers had the passport photo on the front page.
1975
Feb Poodle performance at Liljevalchs, Stockholm. Submitted himself as a work of art to the Spring Exhibition.
March Poodle performance at Sture Johannesson’s exhibition at Galleri Legèr, Malmö.
Poodle performance at inauguration of Malmö Konsthall.
Poodle performance at Høvikodden Kunstsenter, Oslo.
June Poodle performance at the International Art Fair in Basel.
Aug Poodle performance at Liljevalchs during one of Olle Granath’s tours of the Moderna Museet collection.
Sept Kjartan opened his own "Galleri Konst". The first exhibition was STOP-KONST, KONST-STOP". Video.
Dec Poodle performance at the French Embassy in New York. "The Art of Wagging the Tail".
1976
Jan Poodle performance at the inauguration of the artist’s magazine "Picture Newspaper" in New York.
Feb Galleri Konst. "Transvisions". Exhibited Picture Newspaper. Polaroids.
June Kalvöya festival, Oslo. Posters.
Renamed his gallery "Moderata Museet".
Nov Moderata Museet. Poster exhibition.
Dec Moderata Museet. "Konstitoriet" (Delicartessen). Until March 1977.
1977
Feb "Nixon Visions" and the passport included in the one-year tour of an exhibition arranged by the collective Gruppa Ljunij in Yugoslavia.
Mar Moderata Museet closed until October after fascist activists smashed windows with stones.
1978
Feb Spring Exhibition, Liljevalchs. "Kotteriet". Video performance with Annie Hamburger.
Sept Autumn Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo. Vietnam picture and passport.
1979
May Moderna Museet, Stockholm. "Children and Video".
June Kulturhuset, Stockholm. "Norwegian 70s - Tendencies". Kjartan’s contribution was "A Tutanchbomanic Cultural Excavation" (alluding to the conservative party leader G Bohman). Food, pinecones, video and polaroids.
July Førdehuset, Norway. "Children and Video".
1980
Feb Fotogalleriet, Oslo. Polaroids.
Gallerit, Stockholm. Passport and IDIOT-cards.
May Norrköpings Konstmuseum, solo exhib. "LOOK I SEE". Video - Polaroids.
Aug Monumental ornamentation for Høyanger Rådhus consisting of 25 laminated Polaroid prints.
Oct Autumn Exhibition, Oslo. Video - Polaroids.
Nov Kunstakademiet, Oslo. Guest lecturer in video art.
1981
Feb Studio Teatro Galleria, the Culture Palace, Warsaw, solo exhibition. Polaroids.
1982
July The Norwegian people donated the Vietnam picture to Nationalgalleriet, Oslo.
1983
Jan Folkets Hus, Årsta. Group exhibition.
July Television programme on a Swedish national channel: Fantasiöppet TV2, Ivideohuvet på en konstnär – Individeohead.
1984
Dec Galleri Café Vära, Oslo, solo exhibition.
1985
June Dagen i Hagen, Oslo, an outdoor event.
Nov Stockholm International Video Art Festival, Kulturhuset, Stockholm. Representative of historical and contemporary video art. Live ART video performance, "Chroma-key Identity Blue".
1986
Feb Stockholm Independent Art Fair. Flower art sculptures. "Garbage Fashion Show".
March Galleri Helium, Paris. Installation with flower art and art video show.
March Hotel Rex Art. Performance, Garbage Fashion Show, Art en March.
May Toulouse. Exhibition and performance, Art Garbage Fashion Show.
July Sola Art International Festival, Norway. Exhibition at Sola Strand. Art Platform. Performance, "Art and Garbage Fashion Show".
Aug Kongeparken, Stavanger, Norway. Creative project for children.
Sep Stockholm Mobile, Clothes as characterisation, group exhibition.
Sep PS1 Event, Augustendal, Stockholm. Performance, "Garbage Fashion".
1987
March Galleri Fenix, Örebro. Solo exhibition, garbage collage, flower art sculptures. Video workshop.
April Art Garbage Fashion Show. Skärholmen Cultural Committee and Business Association.
May Sola Vidaregåede Skola, Norway. Retrospective, creative work with children.
Oct Performance, "Konsten går" (Art Goes), Inauguration of Art Week, Örebro.
Oct Performance, "Art Spraying", Örebro Länsmuseum.
Dec Galleri Engström, Stockholm. Solo exhibition, flower art, garbage collage, sculptures, video installation.
1988
Feb Exit Stockholm, live video performance.
March Galleri F15, Norway. Video festival, live video performannnce, art video.
March Galleri S:t Olof, Norrköping. Solo exhibition, flower art, garbage collage, sculptures.
May Fylkesgalleriet, Förde, Norway. Solo exhibition. Flower art, garbage collage, video, sculpture, Helicopter-Performance.
May Awarded the City of Stockholm Honorary Prize for his artistic oeuvre.
June Kellerman Art collection. Dress in art, works by nine artists.
Dec Konsthögskolan, Stockholm. Art-88. Gestalt performance.
1989
April Uppsala University. Live Video Performance, Art Spraying.
May Galleri Sveger, Glasnost Segerkonst (Victory Art). Joint exhibition.
June Sandvikens kulturfestival. Performance, "Art Spraying".
Aug Vadköpings Örebro konsthall. Installation, "Videoandakt" (Video Eucharist).
Oct Sveagalleriet, Stockholm. "Utsökta kroppar" (Exquisite Bodies). Joint exhibition.
1990
Jan Drammens Kunstforening, Oslo, Norway. Solo exhib. Vacuum icons.
Feb Wasahallen, Stockholm. Black Light Performance.
March Muu ryy Galleri, Helsinki. Solo video exhib.
Galleri Mallander, Helsinki. Solo exhibition. Retrospective.
March Galleri Sveger, Stockholm. Solo exhib. Paintings and objects.
June Smålands Konstarkiv. Joint exhib. "Utsökta kroppar" (Exquisite Bodies).
Oct Cultural seminar, Förde, Norway. Exhib. at Fylkesgalleriet.
1991
March Galleri Furst & Sörensen, Oslo, Norway. Retrospective and new art. Camille Colette Konst.
May Trondhjems Kunstforening, Norway. Joint exhib.
TMW Festival, Trondheim, Norway. Performance.
June Trondelags Kunstnerscenter, Trondheim, Norway. Solo exhib.
June The Allende Museum, Santiago, Chile. Swedish protest art to Chile.
Oct Midsommargården, Stockholm. AGY, Hägersten Art Society. Joint exhib.
Dec Gallery VYY, Stockholm. Rotating Christmas smorgasbords.
1992
Jan-Feb Galleri Plaisiren, Hässelby Palace. Artists living around Mariatorget in Stockholm.
Feb Östersund. Seminar at the art college.
Feb Salon Municipal de Exposiciones, Montevideo, Uruguay. Retrospective solo exhibition.
May Trondhjems Kunstforening, Norway. Joint exhib. of the Museum’s collections.
Nov Guest on Aschberg chat-show. Performance Landstingskubism (County Council Cubism).
1993
March Stockholm International Art Fair. Galleri M, daily video performance.
Mar Main Greenhouse, Rosendal botanical gardens, Stockholm. Dennispaketet går upp i rök (The Dennis Traffic Scheme Goes Up in Smoke). Joint exhib.
Mar-Apr Galleri M, Stockholm. Solo exhib.
Nov-Jan Teatergalleriet, Uppsala Theatre. Solo exhibition.
Nov Andalusiska hunden, Stockholm. Kjartan’s sculptures, photos by Diana Duhalde.
Dec Konstreservatet S:t Erik. Joint exhib. Opening performance.
1994
May Galleri M, Stockholm. Joint exhib.
May Mejeriet, Naustdal, Norway. Solo exhib. Retrospective performance, "Art Spraying".
May Tivoli, Kungsträdgården, Stockholm. Exhibition.
June Haugesund, Sogn och fjordane. Purchased artworks in small retrospective exhibition. Performance, Art Spraying.
Nov The Dept. of Botany, Stockholm University. Inauguration of artistic decoration in the glass cabinet purchased by the National Public Art Council.
Dec Galleri Mocca, Göteborg. Solo exhib. sculptures.
1995
March Stockholm International Art Fair, Galleri M, One Man Show, sculptures, graphic works.
June Galleri c/o, Oslo. Solo exhibition, sculptures.
Aug Galleri Tomarps Gård, Kristianstad. Solo exhibition, sculptures, graphic art.
1996
June Millesgården, Stockholm. Solo exhibition of vacuum icons, graphic art, outdoor installation, "Garden of Eden of Sweden".
July Millesgården, Stockholm. Performance, "Kjärringa med staven", (The Hag with the Staff).
Sep Bergen University. Performance, "Kjärringa med staven" ((The Hag with the Staff).
Sep Galleri s.e., Bergen, Norway. Solo exhibition, sculptures, vacuum icons, graphic art.
Nov Galleri Agneta Kallur, Stockholm. Solo exhibition, sculptures.
Dec Sandnes Kunstforening. Solo exhibition.
1997
Feb Presentation of a sculptural installation, "Sentralborddamerne og Kjartan" (The Central Switchboard Ladies and Kjartan), at the Telenor head office in Oslo. Purchased by Telenor, Oslo.
Feb Inauguration of the sculpture "Den lilla harpan" (The Little Harp) in the Norwegian House of Parliament, Oslo. Performance, Harp Art, together with Arne Nordheim and Norwegian MPs.
Feb Drammen Kunstforening, Solo exhibition, vacuum icons, graphic art, "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
July Fylkesgalleriet i Sogn och Fordane, Förde, Norway. Solo exhibition, sculptures, cacuum icons, graphic art, "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
Sep Galleri 54, Gothenburg. Solo exhibition, sculptures, "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
1998
Feb "Come Closer", ’90s Art from Scandinavia and its Predecessors, group exhibition shown at Liechtensteinische Staatliche Kunstsammlung in Vaduz, Nicolaj Museum in Copenhagen and the Ludwig Museum in Budapest.
March "Hjärtat sitter till vänster" (The Heart is to the Left), group exhibition of Swedish art 1964-1974, Göteborgs Konstmuseum, Luleå Konsthall, Uppsala Konstmuseum and Södertälje Konsthall
April The Astrid Lindgren Children’s Hospital in Stockholm. Scultural installation, "Världspremiär" (World Premier), purchased by Stockholm County Council.
July Bodö Kunstforening. Solo exhibition. Art from the ’80s and ’90s. "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
Sep Stavanger Kunstforening, Stavanger. Solo exhibition, sculptures, "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
Sep Stockholm Cultural Capital 1998. "No One’s Dog", Moderna Museet.
Oct Stockholm Arkipelag, Nordiska Museet. "Swedish Mess".
Nov Tim Galleria, Sofias Skafferi, Stockholm. Solo exhibition.
Dec Södertälje Konsthall. "Juldyrkarna" (The Christmas Worshippers). Group exhibition, sculptures.
1999
March Galleri Christian Dam, Oslo. Solo exhibition, sculptures.
June Haugar, Vestfolds Kunstmuseum, Tönsberg. Retrospective exhibition.
Nov "Diáspora", Oviedo, Spain, International Art Meeting. Sculpture installation at Campo Amor, and chess performance on the Cathedral Plaza.
2000
June Uppsala International Contemporary Art Biennial. "Kjärringa med staven" performance.
Sep Sunfjord Kunstlag, Förde. 25th anniversary, group exhibition. "Digitalisman" performance.
Sep Autumn exhibition 200, Bergens Kunstmuseum. Sculptural installation, "Digitalisman" performance.
2001
Jan Stockholm International Antiques Fair, Sculptural installation, "Digitalisman" performance.
Feb Sandefjord Kunstforening. Joint exhibition.
March Bahnhof Stockholm. "Digitalisman" performance in connection with the inauguration of Bahnhof’s IT server hall.
May Eikaasgalleriet, Jölster. "Till bords" (At Table), joint exhibition.
June European Conference on Art and Politics, Hotel Bristol, Oslo. "Digitalisman" performance.
Sep Skulpturens Hus, Stockholm. Sculptural installation. Joint exhibition.
2002
jan Haugar Vestfold Kunstmuseum, Tönsberg, Norge " Bodies " separatutställning
sep Steninge Slott, Märsta, Stockholm, retrospektiv utställning tillsammans med
Odd Nerdrum
dec Trans-Art, Trondheim, Norge "bodies" separatutställning
"Helt om konst" performance
2003
maj Haugar Vestfold Kunstmuseum, Tönsberg, Norge, retrospektiv separatutställning
pågår t o m maj 2006
2004
mars Trondheims Kunstmuseum,Norge retrospektiv separatutställning
maj Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Moderna by night, performance "Kjartanistan"
och "Digitalisman"
maj Rydöbruks Konstnärsby, Halland, "4 kanter" samlingsutställning
performance "Digitalisman"
juli Sogn og Fjordarne Kunstmuseum, Förde, Norge, retrospektiv separatutställning
nov Haninge Konsthall, Stockholm, "Attityd" samlingsutställning
performance "Marilyn"
dec Candyland, Stockholm, performance "Usch Bush"
2005
feb Norrtälje Konsthall, Norrtälje, "Attityd" samlingsutställning
performance "Marilyn"
april Norrköpings Konstmuseum, Norrköping, performance "Digitalisman"
maj Candy Tour, Stockholm, performance "Videobehandling
sep Vevring, Norge, samlingsutställning, performance "Digitalisman goes
Medicinman"
2006
feb Konstnärshuset, Stockholm, "Mini-Market"
feb Stockholm Art Fair, Galerie Bel´Art
maj Galerie Bel´Art, Stockholm, samlingsutställning
juni Hå Prästegård, Jären, Norge retrospektiv separatutställning, performance
"Digitalisman goes Medicinman"
aug Festivalutställare Steinker Jazzfestival,Norge performance "Digitalisman
goes Medicinman"
aug Ålesund Kunstförening Ålesund, Norge, retrospektiv separatutställning
performance "Digitalisman goes Medicinman"
sep Bomuldsfabriken Arendal Norge, retrospektiv separatutställning
okt Jubileumsutställare Konstnärsklubben Stockholm
okt Norska Kyrkan Stockholm, samlingsutställning
nov Sollentuna Konsthall, Sollentuna "Attityd" samlingsutställning