Birgir Andrésson & Poul Gernes
Bolt Out of the Blue
at
Sean Kelly
528 West 29th Street
New York, NY 10001

June 24 through July 29, 2011

Opening reception:
Thursday, June 23
6 to 8 pm

Summer hours, which will be in effect following the July 4th holiday, are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm.
Sean Kelly Gallery is delighted to announce the exhibition Bolt Out of the Blue, which features works by Birgir Andrésson (1955-2007) and Poul Gernes (1925-1996). The exhibition will be on view from June 24 through July 29, 2011. The opening will be held on Thursday, June 23rd from 6 to 8 pm.

Bolt Out of the Blue will include a diverse group of works by two of the most influential and groundbreaking contemporary Nordic artists. Whilst formally different in execution, both Andrésson and Gernes operated firmly within the tenets of Conceptual and postmodern strategies.

Andrésson, born in Iceland to blind parents and raised in a home for the blind, developed a powerful and poignant relationship with both verbal and visual forms of communication from the outset. His unique insight into how people interact had a profound and defining impact on the role of language in his art. Rigorously parsing his imagery of extraneous detail, the mechanical appearance of works such as his Portraits demands that the viewer bridge the “fourth wall” between them and the work. In lieu of pictorial references, these portraits contain only descriptive text; viewers are expected to call up their own images of the individuals “painted” by Andrésson. In many of his works, Andrésson created a fictional Icelandic color system – Pantone formulas supposedly derived from colors found in the natural environment. Andrésson’s language can either be purely descriptive, or cryptic and inscrutable, but in most cases the text is suffused with the artist’s trademark wry humor. Two of Andrésson’s expansive site-specific wall paintings are included in the exhibition (the show’s title is derived from one), as well as works on paper from the Noise from the Dictionary series, in which the artist represents written words in their phonetically spelled form.

Gernes eschewed a traditional family life and notions of a formal studio environment, painting instead at his kitchen table. This exhibition includes early, historically significant works from some of Gernes’s most important series, including the stripe and dot paintings. These paintings, rarely exhibited in the U.S., are shown here in great depth for the first time. The stripe and dot series, both from the 1960s, consist of seemingly endless color combinations. Using only industrially available paint and masonite as the support, these paintings suggest the more mechanical qualities of abstraction in their random variations, but actually have a unique sense of the artist’s hand at work. This randomness is seen not just in the execution of the paintings, but also in their display; Gernes insisted that there were no prescriptions for their arrangement or sequence, allowing patterns or rhythms to develop by chance. A contemporary of Joseph Beuys, Gernes – whose work was featured in a Beuys performance in 1966 – was cognizant of the German artist’s theory of “social sculpture” and an artist’s opportunity to be an agent of transformation within society. By 1980, Gernes had increasingly focused on developing color systems to manipulate architectural spaces via commissions for various public and private institutions.

Birgir Andrésson studied at the Icelandic College of Arts & Crafts and Jan van Eyck Akademie, Maastricht, Holland. During his lifetime, he exhibited actively in Scandinavia and Northern Europe. His work has been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally. Major solo shows include a retrospective at The National Gallery of Iceland in 2006 and his representation of Iceland at the 1995 Venice Biennale. A catalogue raisonné of his work is in preparation.

Poul Gernes is amongst the most influential of Scandinavian artists. He constantly sought to link art to life by means of color and design. In the five decades that Gernes was active, he had numerous exhibitions and created architectural color systems for more than 150 buildings in Denmark. In 1961, he was one of the founding members of Copenhagen’s Experimental Art School, which a had long-reaching impact on the contemporary art scene in Denmark. He left behind an important oeuvre, the full complexity of which is only just now being completely appreciated. A significant selection of his work was shown at Documenta XII in 2007. Gernes’s work is the subject of a major retrospective currently on view at the Malmo Konsthall, Sweden, through August 21, 2011.

Bolt Out of the Blue is presented in collaboration with i8 Gallery, Reykjavik and Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, Copenhagen.

Main entrance:

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
United We Stand, 2004
3 box knitted flags made of undyed wool
15 x 19 1/2 inches (38.1 x 49.5 cm) each
BAN-0480

Gallery 1 (south wall):

Top row
BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (alphabet), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0455

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (allegory), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0447

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (abstract), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0326

Second row
BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (academy), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0422

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (analyse), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0423


BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (alter-ego), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0425

Third row
BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (ambition), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0327

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (adrenaline), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0328

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Noise from the Dictionary (alcohol), 2005
gouache on paper
paper: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm)
framed: 18 x 25 inches (45.7 x 63.5 cm)
titled, signed and dated by the artist in pencil, recto
BAN-0325

Gallery 1 (west wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled , 1967-1968
enamel paint on masonite
35 7/8 x 48 inches (91 x 122 cm) each
PGM-68.005a-e

Gallery 1 (north wall):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Self Portrait as a Seeing Eye Dog , 2007
9 Glicee prints on Fine Art Rag paper
paper: 5 7/8 x 7 7/8 inches (14.9 x 20 cm) each
framed: 9 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches (24.1 x 29.2 cm) each
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0246a-i

Gallery 1 (east wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled (tic tac toe painting), 1967
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-67.005

Hallway (left side from the top):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(dark ashen grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0202


BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(cold-grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0200


BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(monotony of greyness), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0212

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(light grey-blue), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0210

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(not very dark grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0213

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(dark grey bordered with white), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0203

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(light green and grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0208

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(inky grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0207

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(woeful grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0216

Hallway (right side from the top):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(lightish grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0211

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(spotted grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0215

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(heavy grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0206

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(light grey becoming greyer and greyer), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0209

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(dark...and dreadful grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0201

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(ragged grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0214

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(yellowish grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0217

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0204

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Grey Colours in the Work of William Morris
(greyer than grey), 2006
Glicee print on Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
paper: 23 5/8 x 31 1/2 inches (60 x 80 cm)
framed: 24 13/16 x 32 11/16 inches (63 x 83 cm)
edition of 6
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0205

Gallery 2 (clockwise from east wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled (fried egg painting), 1977-1978
enamel paint on masonite
47 1/4 x 47 1/4 inches (120 x 120 cm)
PGM-78.003

Gallery 2 (south wall):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Untitled (dots), unknown
oil on canvas
16 7/8 x 16 7/8 inches (42.9 x 42.9 cm)
BAN-0528

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Stamp (Hekla 1947), unknown
silkscreen and oil on aluminum
silkscreen: 35 3/8 x 25 3/8 inches (89.9 x 64.5 cm)
framed: 35 1/2 x 26 inches (90 x 66 cm)
BAN-0531

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Untitled (dots), unknown
oil on canvas
16 7/8 x 16 7/8 inches (42.9 x 42.9 cm)
BAN-0534

Gallery 2 (west wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1966
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-66.033

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1966
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-66.026

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1966
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-66.032

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1966
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-66.023

Gallery 2 (north wall):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
half awake half like dreaming, 2006
paint on wall
dimensions variable
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0279

Main gallery (clockwise from left north wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled (tic tac toe painting), 1967
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-67.021


Main gallery (east wall):

Top row
BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait (She probably appears rather unsightly to...) , 2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0094

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait (She is twisted...) , 2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0093

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait (She is not of average build, in her 25th year) , 2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0095

Bottom row
BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait #6 (Slightly more than average height) , 1999-2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0091

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait #8 (Although not a large man, he is very...) , 2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0097

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Portrait #7 (He is above average size...) , 2005
chromogenic print face mounted to Plexiglas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8 inches (80 x 60 cm)
edition of 3 with 1 AP
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0168

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(The African Queen), 2006
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
signed by the artist, verso
BAN-0410

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(Gold Rush), 2007
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
signed by the artist, verso
BAN-0148

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(City Lights), 2007
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0289

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(Dr. Strangelove), 2005
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
signed by the artist, verso
BAN-0333

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(Spellbound), 2005
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
signed by the artist, verso
BAN-0300

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
Black and White Classics in Icelandic Colours
(The End), 2004
oil on canvas
23 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches (60 x 60 cm)
signed by the artist, verso
BAN-0198

Main gallery (south wall):

Top row
POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.030

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.017

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.027

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.021

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.024

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.019

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.023

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.026

Bottom row
POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.025

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.029

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.028

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.018

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.022

POUL GERNES
Untitled, 1965
enamel paint on masonite
48 x 48 inches (122 x 122 cm)
PGM-65.020


Main gallery (west wall):

BIRGIR ANDRÉSSON
BOLT OUT OF THE BLUE, 2004
paint on wall
dimensions variable
work is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity
BAN-0271


Main gallery (north wall):

POUL GERNES
Untitled (Dot painting), 1966-1968
enamel paint on masonite in 4 parts
painting: 48 x 48 inches (121.9 x 121.9 cm) each
overall: 96 x 96 inches (244 x 244 cm)
PGM-68.002a-d