14.Juni – 6.September 2015
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In a nutshell, OpenART is Scandinavia’s biggest public art biennial, running for twelve weeks in the city of Örebro in Sweden. The project started in 2008 at the city-run art gallery, where the then Head of the gallery, Mats Nilsson and artist Lars Jonnson came up with the idea to showcase contemporary art in public locations. Contemporary art would be available for everyone – a whole new concept in the city, which would see some of the world’s most exciting artworks showcased outside the traditional norms of elitist art. The admission to the biennial, as well as the participation in collateral events is free.
The first edition in 2008 featured 71 artists, mostly from Scandinavia, whose works were exhibited anywhere from hidden corners downtown Örebro to shop windows, on rooftops or on the surface of river Svartån. In 2009, the confirmation that OpenART was becoming international came once the artist selection process begun.
Following a new political decision, OpenART became an organization of its own in 2013. It has since functioned as an independent project within the Municipality of Örebro. The event is realized in close cooperation with the City Art Gallery, Örebro County Museum and Konstfrämjandet Bergslagen.
About 80% of the artworks are exhibited outdoors, while the remaining 20% is showcased indoors. The venues vary from open spaces in the city center (parks, streets, plazas, buildings, river) to shopping malls, art galleries and museums. Therefore, artworks can be spotted in/ on /above the river that flows through the city, squeezed between buildings, hanging on rooftops, hiding around corners, in trees or on light poles. A huge focus is on large-scale artworks, that challenge the physical perception of the surrounding environment.
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Participating Artists:
Ai Weiwei
Alicia Martin
Amanda Karlsson
Ana Jagodic
Anton Hjärtmyr
Antonio O’Connell
Axel Wolf
BiLDFOBi
Bonjour, interactive lab
Cecilia Jansson
Chen Zhiguang
Cheng Dapeng
Chi Peng
Costin Ionita
David Cerny
DIS/ORDER
Eduardo Balanza
Elina Rantasuo
Eri Kassnel
Erik Ravelo
Erwin Wurm
Franck Fleming
Fu Zhongwang
Gunilla Jähnischen
Guy Lorgeret
Helena Mutanen
Hu Weiyi
Ida Rödén
Ivo Weber
Jean-Luc Cornec
Jim Sims & Johanna Byström Sims
Jan Kaláb a.k.a POINT
Johan Suneson
Josefina Posch
KASUGA
KONSTFACK
Kristina Lindberg
Lena Flodman
Li Binyuan
Lilian Bourgeat
Magdalena Eriksson
Maja Droetto
Mary Ellen Croteau & Ayala Leyser
Melissa Henderson
Michael McGillis
Miri Nishri
Neringa Naujokaite
Peter Johansson
Peter Ojstersek
Petrus Vavami
Pixy Yijun Liao
Roger Rigorth
Royal Art Academy Stockholm &
Art Academy Helsinki
Song Dong
Susanna Arwin
Sylvain Ristori a.k.a Sambre
Tapio Haapala
Ulrika Linder
Ulrike Kessl
Wang Rui
Willy Verginer
Xu Bing
Yang Mushi
Yin Xiuzhen
Yukako Ando
Zandra Harms
Åsa Andersson
