Anders Bergman is a Swedish artist who has lived and worked primarily in Helsinki since 2000. Bergman's art practice is a journey through diverse fields of installation, painting, music, sounds and social environments – in which he investigates energy across a vast array of forms. He conceives of music and other forms of sound as a sort of "floating architecture", and in turn he often thinks of paintings and installations as "frozen music".
As Bergman writes:
"I am interested in where and how physical and metaphysical energies intersect. In my various investigations over the years, it's at this crossroads of the material and immaterial that I've learned we can powerfully encounter and engage something I refer to as "presence".
"This offers a unique possibility to communicate with other people within a very free-form spiritual context, one where we are able to mix things that are smart, stupid, high, low, sophisticated, etc. – which, taken as a whole, brings meaning to my life.
A central example of Bergman's exploration of this revelatory intersection of the physical and the metaphysical is his long-term investigation of solar power – from both ephemeral and permanent art installations to incorporating solar-energy into his workspace and gallery.
His long running, recently closed Galleri Bergman featured experimental art from diverse artists around the world, and is another significant example of how Bergman routinely works in ways that challenge compartmentalized thinking. By transforming his studio space into a public art gallery, it for six years provided a key space in the Helsinki art scene during a time when centrally located free exhibition space was essentially nonexistent.
Bergman's art can also be understood as an exploration of various processes of organic transformation. Through his diverse observations and discoveries he asserts connections – "universal laws" – between environments as seemingly disparate as (for example) everyday building renovation sites and the vast lava covered landscapes of the Icelandic wilderness. By placing his focus on these organic, ever-evolving processes (both large and small), Bergman encourages his audience to join him on a subtle yet potentially profound journey of deep linking and fresh thinking.
Anders Bergman graduated with an MA degree from The Academy Of Fine Arts in Helsinki in 2006. His work has been exhibited in major events, galleries and museums in Helsinki, New York, St. Petersburg and Stockholm.
CV
Anders Bergman
1969Born in Gagnef Municipality, Dalarna, Sweden
Artistic education
1997Fornby folkhögskola, Falun
1998-2000Gerlesborgsskolan, Stockholm
2000-2006Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki
Selection of group exhibitions and events
2006The Degree Show of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, Taidehalli
2007City Sol Festival, New York. A cultural festival for renewable energy https://andersbergman.net/works/solarsisu
2007Dialouges, Art biennial in St. Petersburg, Russia
2007Sparkling Design, Performance on closing night, Taidehalli, Helsinki
2008Solarpool. Artistic director of Galleri Bergman's Summer project that toured the Nordic countries in 2008 www.solarpool.fi, Peace & Love Festival in Borlänge Sweden, Podium in Oslo
2009Premonitions, Cable Factory, Helsinki
2012A Dance to the music of time, Espoo Cultural Centre
2012Supermarket Art fair, Stockholm (as curator / artist)
2012Seven Samurais, La bas festival, Kiasma, Helsinki
2012Angel Dust II. Mäntän Kuvataideviikot, Mänttä, Finland
2013Aurinkogeneraattori, Porvoo, Finland
2013Art Goes Kapakka, Cafe Piritta, Helsinki
2014Manifestari, Gallery Myymälää2, Helsinki
2015Aurinkogeneraattori, Galleri Jangva, Helsinki
2015Skankaloss festival, Gagnef, Sweden
2015Boutique Art Couture, Gislaveds konsthall, Sweden
2016Save Vartiosaari, Helsinki
2018Unfolding a place, Ottilia Adelborgmuseum, Gagnef, Sweden
2018Suomi-Finland 100 years afterparty Rue Rivloi 59, Paris, France
2019Ottilia revisited, Nya Kvinnohistoriska Museét, Stockholm
2019Byrokratia, Galleri Rankka, Helsinki
Selection of solo exhibitions
2005Angel Dust. Fine Arts Gallery Kasarmikatu, Helsinki
2006Wealth. Mixed media installation at Sturenkatu 2 Helsinki
2006Taalainmaa. Multimedia installation at Uudenmaankatu 23c, Helsinki
2007Painting and installationTaisto Lindfors, Galleri Bergman, Helsinki
2009Exorcism, Installation/painting exhibition. Bar9, Helsinki
2013Chess Paint Spiderman Fuckup, Galleri Sinne, Helsinki
2013Free your ass and your mind will follow, Love&Money, Helsinki
2014Beaver Pond and Hut for a parallel Universe, Konstnärshuset, Stockholm
2014The Pizzeria at the end of the Universe, Galleri Myymälä2, Helsinki
2019Glory, Galleri Oksasenkatu 11, Helsinki
Public installations
2008Permanent installation of Solar Sisu The Five Bourughs at the education center The science barge in New York http://andersbergman.net/works/the-science-barge
2010Hand of God. Installation of sculpture/object at Alt Power's office in New York www.altpower.com
2015Birdnest, Skankaloss music and art festival http://skankaloss.com/2015/
2016Boatsculpture, Vartiosaari Helsinki , Vartiosaari, Helsinki
2016The Granny Throne, Vartiosaari, Helsinki
Selection of projects
Galleri Bergman
After completing my Master of Fine Arts in 2006, I was looking for places where I could show my multimedia installation works. It was disappointing to find that galleries in Helsinki had high rents, long waiting queues and strict hanging-times, something that did not fit my way of working. I then converted my own working studio at Uudenmaankatu 23c to a gallery where I first showed my own work, and then also invited friends and colleagues to exhibit. From its inception in 2007 to it´s ending in 2012, some fifty artists have been exhibiting and participated in various projects, here I was gallerist, artist and curator. Galleri Bergman was free of charge for the invited artists. In 2009, the gallery was equipped with a solar panel installation on the building's roof.
The solar panels provide the led lights in the gallery with electricity and contributes with concrete proposals on how to integrate renewable energy in an urban environment. Galleri Bergman functioned as a platform for a dynamic art-climate and an open discussion.
Solar Sisu
Solar Sisu is a an own innovation and developed musical instrument that is operated by small solar panels. When the incoming rays of the sun hits the solar panel it produced electricity. In this case the converted electricity is converted to sound-waves which are transmitted through a small speaker or through headphones. By shading the panels with their hands the operator control pitch and rhythm. The idea is that both children and adoults easily can understand how solar energy works in practice when this is done in a playful and fun way. Solar Sisu found support within Tieto TULI which is a development consortium for innovation where several of the University of Helsinki are included. Tieto TULI come under TEKES. Solar Sisu has been shown in New York, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. Solar Sisu has also become a permanent installation at the education center The Scienece barge in New York http://andersbergman.net/works/solarsisu http://andersbergman.net/works/the-science-barge www. www.solarpool.fi. Techniques and electronic designer for the project has been Gregoire Rousseau. www.rousseau.fi
One Horsepower
This longtime research project focused on How we are affected by the energy that surrounds us on a physical as well as on a metaphysical level and on possible connections in-between those. The project which had a Nordic-Baltic focus was initiated in 2012 and finalized by the end of 2016. Exhibitions, music and performance acts as well as presented cinematic/video material during this time period was in one way or another integrated in the One Horsepower project.
Curating
2009Sverigebåten / Ruotsinlaivaa
This was a group exhibition that I organized with the Finnish and Swedish artists in Stockholm at Winterviken, Skulpturens hus. The idea was to highlight the differences and commonalities between our nations which have a very long common history. Then the visual arts in their various forms offer unique opportunities for direct communication, there is also an opportunity and a responsibility to manage our heritage and our future by supporting the communication possibilities. The exhibition was opened by Mark Levengood who spoke on the topic of similarities, differences, and the possibility of communication. The project was a collaboration with artist Jakob Ankarsvärd in Stockholm
2012Supermarket Artfair
Here a selection of artists from the galleri bergman was presented at Kulturhuset in Stockholm
Publications
2012Galleri Bergman Catalogue where fifteen artists who has been presented at the gallery was published with the support of The Arts Council of Finland
2018Agpé nr 01 and Agpé nr 02.
Music and Performance
My Youtube channel where a selection of my music, music-videos and performances is presented
https://www.youtube.com/user/andersbergman69
IKIHEVONEN
This was an improvisation group that examined the boundary between music, sound and performance. All of our performances where completely improvised and the music we performed mainly have their roots in rock, blues and noise. In January 2009, we recorded under the direction of Professor Shinji Kanki at the Sibelius Academy's recording studio in Helsinki www.silakka.fi We performed some fifty performances between 2006-2015 in Finland, Sweden, Russia, Germany and Lithuania. In 2015 we performed at Flow festival in Helsinki.
Sakristian
Electro acoustic bluesy folky tunes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmkUWd9OC_o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM5bHDsT24w
Horse&Tiger (2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDxL-0fiGuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59eTd24CohI
Statsministern och Skuggregeringen. 2019- ongoing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmNDYDoAd0k&list=UUOzP3lrEil8UvWEuGvv6Saw
Döden talar svenska.
The project was initiated in 2012 when I designed a T-shirt and artwork for advertisement of Galleri Bergman. The gallery came to an end. But the T-shirt lives on and works as a free nomadic continuation of the gallery and the spirit of it. http://www.andersbergman.net/en/works/doden-talar-svenska
Internships and assistance
2004Vito Acconci, New York. Here I participated in Acconci Studios operations run by artist / architect Vito Acconci. Their business consists mainly of creating interactive conditions in public environments such as playgrounds, squares, parks, schoolyards, waitinghalls at train stations and subways etc. www.acconci.com
2004Altpower, New York. Here I participated in the integration of solar panels on buildings. The work was performed at Downtown Manhattan adjacent to The Solaire Project www.altpower.com
2004Christian Wassmann, architect. Here I participated in a larger installation project at the Brooklyn Music Academy www.christianwassmann.com
2004Robert "Bob" Wilson, director and artist. Here I participated in the set up of the exhibition Wall Street Rising. It was an installation work where Bob Wilson's private art collection was shown in Deutsche Bank's premises at Wall Street, New York
Obtained residences and rewards
2007Consulting aid from Tieto TULI ( TEKES) for the development of innovation Solar Sisu
2008Nordic Culture Found Scholarship for Solar Pool project
2009The Arts Council of Finland, grant for solar panel installation at Galleri Bergman
2009Cultural Foundation of Finland and Sweden for Curating the exhibition Sverigebåten
2011Uusimaa Regional Arts Commission for the project Rösten som rum
2012The Arts Council of Finland for international cultural exchange
2012Uusimaa Regional Arts Council for the procurement of equipment / renovation
2012The Arts Council of Finland, procurement of equipment / renovation
2012Nordic Culture Point Mobility support, for a study trip to Iceland One Horsepower
2013Grönqvistska fonden, prize
2013Arts Promotion Center Finland, 1 year working grant One Horsepower
2013Nordic Culture Point Mobility support, for a study trip to Sweden One Horsepower
2013Cultural foundation Finland-Sweden, One Horsepower
2014Svenska kulturfonden, project grant One Horsepower
2015Svenska kulturfonden, working grant One Horsepower
2015Residency at Arenys de Mar, Spain (Taike)
2016Residency at Penedo Cultural Center, Brazil
2017Residency at Villa Karo Benin
2017GAIR Gagnef Art In Residency, Gagnef, Sweden.
2017Travel grant from Svenska Kulturfonden for fieldwork in Ethiopia
2018Project grant from Taike, regarding parformance documentation, Vartiosaari, Helsinki
2018Stay grant Cultural foundation of Finland & Sweden for field studies in Dalecarlia, Sweden
2018Residency at Danielsgården, Bingsjö, Rättvik, Sweden
2018Gagnef Art in Residency (GAIR) Gagnef, Sweden
2018Helge Ax:son Johnsons foundation, travel grant
2019Svenska Kulturfonden, travel grant
2020Svenska kulturfonden, project grant
Anders Bergman
Mechelininkatu 4a 16
00100 Helsinki
+358 50 5020 369
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