Taming an Otter

Excerpt from the exhibition text ‘Det ville er håpløst’ by Line Ulekleiv:

The title of the exhibition, ‘Taming an otter’, brings us into Kristin Tårnesvik's world. An otter is an agile aquatic predator, a maestro at catching fish and a key figure in aquatic ecosystems. The otter's insulating fur repels water, it has webbed toes, and this total adaptation to its environment is something we humans observe from a distance. The otter does not turn against us, but lives a necessary and parallel life. The idea of trying to tame it seems fundamentally far-fetched and slightly absurd: What good would it do?

The exhibition at Tromsø Kunstforening has a sideways glance at life in the sea. Fish appear in shoals and the sea is a surrounding environment on paper and textile. The variegated exhibition form, with many parallel expressions and media that never seek rigour, escapes taming: it is itself to be regarded as a wild otter. Tårnesvik's motifs revolve around all kinds of animals; seals, giraffes and swans may be freely sketched with a light outline, but at the same time they are written into a politically pointed message. The ecosystem has been messed up by our actions, while at the same time embracing a greater resistance to oppressive strategies. There are parts of nature that should never be tamed and moulded, but we continue tirelessly against our better judgement. The wild is hopeless.

Curated by Hilde Methi.