The Norwegian artist and photographer, Per Fronth's eighth time exhibiting at the Dillon Gallery in Chelsea is a collection of works called Mapping the Surface. Works that touch upon the moral aspects of living in the richest country in the world per capita. Norway is considered one of the happiest countries in the world, it rewards the Nobel Peace Prize, facilitates significant peace negotiations, and gives off a vibe that is generally positive. However, it also ranks as one of the world's largest weapons producers.
The exhibition is diverse in regards to medium. Fronth uses sculpture, paintings, tapestries, photography, and mixed media to represent the current “Norwegian Dilemma.” Fronth wants viewers to take notice and acknowledge the moral inconsistency exhibited by the people of Norway. The same cognitive dissonance could apply to the US: The wealth and arguably, much of our happiness, is fueled by our petroleum and weapons industry. Fronth explores how that inconstancy effects people's lives.
One noteworthy piece in the exhibition is a photograph, enlarged immensely, sectionalized, cold tones. Fronth took the original exposure when he was sixteen years old playing hooky – Disaster / First Aeroplane Flight. He somehow jumped a government chartered media plane and from above, witnessed the the largest disaster is Norwegian oil industry history, The Alexander Kielland Oil-rig Disaster where 123 people died, March 27th, 1980.
There are many different layers and perspectives to develop viewing this exhibition, a creative and artistically innovative take on greed, society, and modernity.
Check out the acclaimed artist's inhibition from November 21st to December 21st at the Dillon Gallery in Chelsea, 555 West 25th Street, NY, NY.
Text and photos by Carlos J Fonts