Oslo - Art

In creating this piece, I immersed myself in the delicate balance between strength and vulnerability. Her gaze conveys a narrative of resilience, a silent poise amidst a dreamy backd...

In this piece, I've explored the human form through a dance of colors and textures. The interplay of acrylic, oil, and ink captures the beauty of the figure, blending realism with a ...

In this artwork, I sought to capture a moment of introspection, a woman poised in thought. Dappled with vintage hues, the acrylic and ink meld to evoke a sense of bygone elegance. Th...

In this oil painting, I've portrayed grace and composure, bringing the timeless elegance of ballet to life. With each brushstroke, I captured the dancers' serene expressions, blendin...

In creating this piece, I poured my heart into capturing the essence of innocence and wonder. Utilizing acrylic, spray, and ink, I embraced fine art and impressionist techniques to i...

This artwork presents a striking blend of figure and pattern. A nude figure, posed gracefully in repose, is central to the scene, rendered with soft yet assertive brushstrokes that c...

I've captured the delicate dance of light on water, with oils that carry the dynamism of a spirited regatta. My brushstrokes evoke the vivacity of the scene, marrying the tranquil bl...

In this canvas, I've blended the vivid life of acrylic with the depth of oil to capture the serene whisper of nature. Evoking expressionism with a whisper of impressionism, I sought ...

In this acrylic painting, I've captured the essence of tranquility and the harmony of nature. My brushstrokes bring to life the delicate interplay of light and shadow, as the lush gr...

Imbued with the essence of the enigmatic night, I crafted this piece with tender strokes of acrylic and oil, weaving a dance of moths amidst blossoms that shimmer in the twilight. Ev...

This intriguing artwork captures an introspective moment, featuring a solitary figure curled inward, creating a sense of vulnerability and introspection. The figure's skin is rendere...

In crafting this piece, I've poured my emotions into a symphony of nature's whispers. Infused with the serenity of impressionism, my brushstrokes in acrylic, oil, and ink weave the t...

Imbued with the essence of spring, I've captured the tender gaze of these enchanting creatures through my brush strokes. Merging realism with a touch of impressionism, I brought the ...

In this panting , I’ve drawn upon the rich texture of oil and acrylic to bring to life a moment of intimate reflection. Trough my brushstrokes in the figurative style , blending fi...

In this oil painting, I've captured the rich, velvety essence of plums, nestled amidst the gentle drapery that seems to dance with light and shadow. Every brushstroke embodies my dee...

This artwork, titled "Fort on the Hill," is a mesmerizing exploration of light, color, and form. The painting captures a historic stone fort nestled amidst a lush landscape of robust...

This artwork vividly captures a bouquet of vibrant pink tulips, elegantly arranged in a classic white pitcher. The flowers stand out with their rich hues, exuding an air of natural b...

This evocative painting features a woman standing with her eyes gently closed, exuding a serene introspection. The intricate white lace collar she wears contrasts against the darker,...

In this oil painting, I've captured a serene moment of reflection, where the tranquility of nature meets the inner quietude of the human spirit. The light plays on the figure and sur...

In this piece, I've captured a serene moment of connection with nature—a child and her companion, immersed in the simple pleasure of fishing. The warm, gentle palette and soft brushs...

In this acrylic creation, I've delved into the depths of anticipation, weaving a tapestry of emotions onto the canvas. Through the subdued hues and the contemplative gaze of the figu...

My friend Katya brought apples from her garden, saying that they are not attractive, but delicious and suitable for apple pie. Apples were lying in my kitchen for several days and I ...

In creating this piece, I sought to capture the essence of childlike wonder and the enchanting dance of life. Through layers of acrylic, collage, and ink, I crafted a figurative real...

This triptych showcases a dramatic seascape that captures the raw energy of turbulent waves crashing against rugged rocks. The swirling, frothy waters are depicted with dynamic brush...

This artwork is a captivating exploration of abstract expressionism, characterized by its ethereal blend of swirling gray and subtle earth tones. The piece seemingly captures the eph...

Okurimono Pigment Print Images from the Okurimono series is available in 3 different formats : * 50 x 75 cm : edition of 10 + (+2ap) * 80 x 120 cm : edition of 7 + (+2ap) * 113 x 170 cm : edition of 7 + (+2ap) Each print is numbered and signed About the work : Work by contemporary photographer Christian Houge, from the Okurimono series. In this series, Houge has, through five trips to Japan (Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto), explored Japans otherworldly subculture and its ritualistic perfection. In this personal art documentary he has ventured into delicate themes such as personal identity, sexuality, longing and gender dysphoria. In this particular series, he uses staging as a method to create a story within a story. The viewers associations are important in meeting this work and ambiguity plays an important role. In this series, Houge has, through five trips to Japan (Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto), explored Japans otherworldly subculture and its ritualistic perfection. In this personal art documentary he has ventured into delicate themes such as personal identity, sexuality, longing and gender dysphoria. In this particular series, he uses staging as a method to create a story within a story. The viewers associations are important in meeting this work and ambiguity plays a Okurimono (meaning both “gift” and “that which is in-between” in Japanese) - is a word that binds together this comprehensive project developed over five trips to Japan between 2007 and 2018. The series explores the personal pursuit of identity, at times with an underlying darkness as Houge had the chance to be introduced to Tokyo’s subculture. In exploring this theme, Houge has ventured into delicate matters such as sexuality, longing and gender dysphoria. In this particular series, he uses staging as a method to create a story within a story. The artist wishes to question the viewer and provoke a reflection on topics that are often seen as taboos in our contemporary societies. The viewer’s own associations are important in appreciating this work where ambiguity plays an important role. The project started in the Harajuku district of Tokyo which is known as a center of Japanese youth culture and where Houge found some of his first motifs: teenage girls dressing up in post-Victorian dresses or ‘cosplay’ costumes to identify with a character of their favorite comics. Here, the desire to express one’s uniqueness is central and the photographer explores the tension between personal identity and aesthetics shared by all (or at least by the same youth group). In many of his carefully staged photographs, Houge’s models are masked, so as to echo the many social masks we wear in our day-to-day lives. In our post-modern information society, drained of wonder, these enigmatic masked characters also evoke the world of shamans and pagan rituals, therefore injecting a sense of mystery and spirituality that many people are longing for. Symbolism and the many references to ritual and identity in an otherwise suppressed society, may at times create a sense of unease among viewers. The Okurimono project also explores the topic of identity and sexuality in gender dysphoria with Japan’s nyūhāfu (the transsexual ‘new halfs’). Here, the quest for identity coincides with a search of femininity and body image which results in complex physical transformations. Viewers may look at these portraits not having any clue that models are nyūhāfu. Yet, the photographs are staged so that viewers are placed in a disconcerting voyeuristic role while looking at otherwise closed world. Shibari (the art of tying), which originates from the Edo period (1600s), is another territory explored by Houge in his Okurimono series. His striking photographs of female models tied with red rope on a white background take us into this powerful journey into vulnerability and surrender, power and freedom. Through tradition, symbolism and technology, Okurimono also explores the hugely potent symbols that help define parts of Japanese culture and national identity, between old and new. As Art historian Erling Bugge put it: “Christian Houge guides us into a mystery. It resides between the ritualized shapes of the traditional and withdrawn Zen garden in Kyoto and the equally ritualized spaces of futuristic, urban Tokyo. For a westerner, Japan might look familiar, since what is held up for us looks like a futuristic spectacle somehow grounded in a western imagination. This judgment, however, is too easy. In Houge’s photographs, the sense of sameness withdraws and a very different feeling of strangeness creeps up on us. In fact, what this series registers is a remarkable place of alterity in today’s global order, a radical difference bang in the middle of the familiar.” The images of the Okurimono series share a ghostly, otherworldly quality. In reality and dream, ritual and play merge while the boundaries between the known and the unknown dissolve. Christian Houge – Now – Okurimono Christian Houge guides us into a mystery. It resides between the ritualized shapes of the traditional and withdrawn Zen garden in Kyoto and the equally ritualized spaces of futuristic, urban Tokyo. For a westerner, Japan might look familiar, since what is held up for us looks like a futuristic spectacle somehow grounded in a western imagination. This judgment, however, is too easy. In Houge’s photographs, the sense of sameness withdraws and a very different feeling of strangeness creeps up on us. In fact, what this series registers is a remarkable place of alterity in today’s global order, a radical difference bang in the middle of the familiar. This is pushed to the limit in the technological and virtual wonderland of Akihabara in Tokyo, where shop after shop trade in electronic products and computer games, while a weird costume play, “cosplay”, is being performed in streets. A similar kind of simulation is being acted out in the district of Harajuku, where Houge found some of his motifs. There is no authenticity here, no western “essence” or “reality”; instead, the virtual conquers the carnal body in a purified play of surface, image and the hyperreal. This is exotic. All the while as we are conscious of these notions as pinnacle points in a western idea of the post-modern. But in this sense Japan has always been “post-modern”. It has always integrated the most refined culture and technology from the outside while somehow retained an identity for itself. So, what would this identity be? Houge takes the view of ritual and play. Indeed, Japanese culture seems to be grounded solely on ritual, in business and in sex, in its relation to nature and in religion. This play transcends the notion of authenticity altogether, unlike the West which is haunted by the “ghost” of origin and beginnings. In Japan, “now” would mean just that; it is a “no looking back”, but rather a flow of intensities integrated in the play and ritual of the ever-present, okurimono. There is no threat of being eaten up by western culture and technology here, for, like in Zen practice, the ritual oversees everything and has no historical drag. Japan becomes weightless, shot into orbit outside the material of earth itself. Is acting out the role as Lewis Caroll’s Victorian girl driven by a sense of nostalgia? I think not. It is a striving for a moment of perfected presence, in dialogue with Houge’s optical machine. It is the moment of Now. The girl, the Zen garden and the image shares in a perfection modified by small uncertainties, coincidental imperfections that become somewhat oblique points of entry for us - a discarded handkerchief or seemingly unremarkable shapes and reflections in the prismatic play of surfaces. There is a ghostly, otherworldly quality in these images, even in the fleeting blossoming cherrytree and the play of shadows across a concrete minimalism. The doubly exposed or reflected light on the lens reminds us of the uncertain beginnings in photography’s history, with its widespread belief that the camera was able to perceive more than the naked eye, like spirits and ghosts. In Houge’s images there are different specters, skeletal, natural shapes on the one hand, the machine and the virtual on the other. Here, like some scene from the film Blade Runner, there is an uncanny confusion and mix between the human and non human. Maybe the search for a perfect moment in the perpetual flow of things is a romantic or melancholic longing for transcendent wholeness, a drive that is harnessed in a rigorous attention to visual detail. This compulsive discipline might seem absurd to any western observer, while longing itself form a common ground and will ultimately be the basis in our meeting. Erling Bugge Bio: Christian Houge (born in Oslo 1972) Based in Oslo, Norway, I have been making photographs for over twenty years and new insights continue to open. By exploring the relation, and conflict, between Nature and culture, I get a better understanding about Mans` condition. I am interested in the consequences of Humankinds progression and how science often is the result of our conquering of Nature, both on Earth and beyond. Mans` ego, consumer society, the last remnants of pure Nature and identity are recurring elements in my work. I often juxtapose the visually aesthetic with an underlying uneasiness. This often emanates a cognitive dissonance in the viewer to invite deeper truths and personal references. Looking at our actions and place in environment, which we are so dependent on, is a recurring theme in all my exploration and can use everything from digital cameras to large format and panoramic analog cameras for specific projects. I have exhibited extensively in galleries and museums in my native country Norway, as well as the US, England, France and China. The series `Death of a Mountain`(2016-2021) is nominated for the 2021 Leica Oskar Barnack Award, as well as receiving an arts grant from Norwegian Arts Council. Most recently, my series `Residence of Impermanence` 2017-2019 has been exhibited at five museums and several galleries already (including a solo show at Fotografiska, Stockholm (2019), and Les Recontres d`Arles, Haugar Artmuseum, Preus Muaeum of Photography and 2019 (Galerie Omnius, Arles). In 2021, this series received ten nominations for the Prix Pictet Award with the theme FIRE. `Residence of Impermanence` is currently exhibited at the UCR: California Museum of Photography in Los Angeles with the exhibition `Facing Fire,` Art, Wildfire and The End of Nature in the New West...

In this expressive piece, I've layered acrylics to capture the delicate interplay of light and color among the blooms. My emotions flow through the brushstrokes, evoking growth and r...

This artwork masterfully captures a serene autumn landscape, immersing the viewer in its warm, earthy tones. A winding path cuts through a forest, dappled with sunlight filtering thr...

In this painting, I've captured the essence of the alpine serenity, blending acrylic and oil to create a texture that invites touch. My brushstrokes carry the weight of the mountains...

n this artwork, I married acrylic and oil to translate the serene elegance of sunlight dappling an idyllic Alpine scene. The brushwork, rooted in fine art and impressionism, undulate...

This artwork is a striking still life composition, characterized by its vivid and harmonious interplay of colors and textures. At its center, a lush, vibrant chrysanthemum blossoms w...

In this painting, I've swirled together acrylics, oils, and ink to capture the mesmerizing chaos and fluidity of emotions. The colors twist and turn, symbolizing life's unpredictable...

This exquisite artwork, attributed to Nadya Stupina, showcases a masterful rendition of a white rose at its center. Painted on a circular canvas, the flower's soft, layered petals ex...

This artwork vividly captures a serene, sun-drenched landscape dominated by pruned trees, their twisted trunks and limbs reaching skyward. The leaves, painted in vibrant shades of ye...

In my creation, I've infused the timeless aura of a historical landscape with the vibrant yet subtle dance of light and shadow. Oil paints allow for rich texture, conveying the soul ...

Our magnetic fields

Yellow roses are universally known as symbols of friendship, most people give them to each other for their birthdays or to celebrate the love between two good friends. Roses symboliz...

This captivating landscape painting immerses the viewer in a serene natural setting, capturing the essence of a quiet forest bathed in the gentle light of late afternoon. The artwork...

In this canvas, I've captured the tranquil essence of the sea's dance with light, employing a symphony of brushstrokes to create a serene atmosphere. I was driven by the compelling c...

In crafting this piece, I was deeply moved by the serene interplay of humanity and the sea. Employing oil paints, I tapped into the impressionistic soul, capturing the fleeting cares...

In creating this piece, I sought to infuse the canvas with the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, captured in the oil medium with a fervor that breathes life into the figurative ...

The gallery presents the Norwegian artist Nadezda (Nadya) Stupina , a high professional who has been working in the international art market for many years. Professional artist with...

In this oil painting, I aimed to capture the tranquil yet mysterious essence of a nighttime scene, viewed as if through a window. My brushstrokes, shaped by impressionism, blend ligh...

In this painting, I've interwoven the raw textures of acrylic and the fluidity of ink to explore the mysticism of natural landscapes. The deep contrasts and vibrant splashes symboliz...

I was inspired to create this series by the film “The secret garden “ from the director Marc Munden. Оf course, the garden is only a metaphor . In a world overloaded with informatio...

I was inspired to create this series by the film “The secret garden “ from the director Marc Munden. Оf course, the garden is only a metaphor . In a world overloaded with informatio...

I was inspired to create this series by the film “The secret garden “ from the director Marc Munden. Оf course, the garden is only a metaphor . In a world overloaded with informatio...

The gallery presents the Norwegian artist Nadezda (Nadya) Stupina , a high professional who has been working in the international art market for many years. Professional artist with ...

The gallery presents the Norwegian artist Nadezda (Nadya) Stupina , a high professional who has been working in the international art market for many years. Professional artist with ...

This artwork presents a striking still life composition featuring a vibrant bouquet of flowers arranged in a deep blue ceramic pitcher. The flowers, depicted with meticulous attentio...

`Residence of Impermanence` 2017-2019 My performance series, `Residence of Impermanence`, explores our relationship to animals, fire and Nature. Through the element of fire, I hav...

In this artwork, I've harnessed the fleeting beauty of a vibrant sky, as it blankets an idyllic harbor scene. The texture of the oil paint captures the dynamic clouds and glistening ...

All available sizes & editions for each size of this photograph: 90 cm. x 120 cm. Edition 7 126 cm. x 170 cm. Edition 7 `Residence of Impermanence` 2017-2019 My performance series, `Residence of Impermanence`, explores our relationship to animals, fire and Nature. Through the element of fire, I have found a way to express myself in totemic ritualistic performance by burning decaying trophy animals. The element of fire is very symbolic. It represents both destruction and creation. Animals and fire have, in many ways, formed our culture since the dawn of Mankind. They have also served as essential symbols in myth, spirituality, art and religion. Fire has protected us and given us hope. Given us a means to evolve in all culture. In Greek mythology, remember Prometheus. In the hand of Man, fire can be anything. It is our ethics that define it. We have always mirrored ourselves in Nature. What we see staring back at us may not be the image we were hoping for. This series is a reminder to where we have come regarding our relation to Nature and the huge effects of climatechange in the Anthropocene. My work often juxtaposes the visually aesthetic and uneasiness. An underlying feeling of that which is lost often plays an important role. I like to explore work themes that emanate a cognitive dissonance in the viewer to reveal more profound truths. I regard trophy animals as symbols of Man´s vanity and presumed victory over Nature. To me, they also serve as symbols of our general attitude towards Nature. The flames gives each animal a last breath of life as it creates a new portrait. The animal is set free again, ending a symbolic circle of life. A closure if you will, both physically and existentially. The English-inspired wallpapers represent imperialism and a colonial idea from a time when we were obsessed by conquering Nature and other lands. These too are burned with the animals symbolizing a protest toward our autocracy towards Nature itself. The repetitive performance of burning each animal serves as both an offering and a liberation. This is a violent act, but also a meaningful and beautiful act to me. The animals` personality changes dramatically throughout the burning process. This cannot be planned and therefore the animals give off a sense of further individuality. In the process of burning animals, I am also taking an object of desire off the market for further sales. An act that hopefully will spark dialog our use of Nature, as well as where we want to be heading in the near future. Dialog foments change and action. I spent seven years collecting old trophy animals and taxidermy of different sorts. Many were bought through auctions, while others were given to me by hunters` or the widows of hunters for this specific project. During the following three years, I went through a somewhat cathartic process of burning and obsessively exploring the symbolism of fire and our relation to animals with my performance. The intention with my series is to connect the public to the crucial matters at hand through something tangible, personal, and symbolic. These three years of working with this series has made me so much more conscious of how delicate nature is and how we have taken it for granted for too long. A reminder of how crucial both animals, fire and nature, for our so-called progress in survival and progress. Through this process, exploring new questions and inviting a larger audience to ask their own crucial questions in the massive global changes we all are witnessing, is what I strive for. Loss of animal diversity, poaching and massive forest fires are increasing so rapidly that Nature itself is at a major turning point. A call for action is needed. Working so close to the animals in my project has been as uplifting as it has been obsessive and heartbreaking, as the animal's eye connects with you on a personal level as a human does in non-verbal communication. In 2016, the government in Kenya burned poached ivory worth an estimated 130 million dollars, making a clear statement that these tusks should only belong to a living animal. This dramatic action created meaningful dialog around the world beyond news and statistics. Fires are destroying critical areas of much-needed land vegetation, thus creating considerable effects on climate change. The meeting between Nature`s fragility and Mans` ego has shown that forests disappear, glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising and species become extinct. Humans have too easily exploited all parts of nature with our own culture and growth. In this short process, we have lost the very essence of what we are a part, and thus forget the very nature in ourselves. What can photography do to create questions regarding climate change, and help us move towards a sustainable future? In photography, we can ask important questions about changes in our surroundings and who we are—Man’s condition. Background: `Residence of Impermanence` has been exhibited at five museums and several galleries already (including a big solo show at Fotografiska, Stockholm (2019), and Arles Fotofestival (2019). Work from `Residence of Impermanence' is currently exhibited at the UCR: California Museum of Photography in Los Angeles with the exhibition `Facing Fire,` Art, Wildfire and The End of Nature in the New West.` This exhibition explores the ever-worsening Californian forest fires due to climate change. My previous environmental work has been nominated for the Prix Pictet Award on several occasions with my previous series for both Earth, Power and Fire themes. In 2005, my series `Arctic Technology` was shortlisted for the BMW Prize at Paris photo (through Scout Gallery, London). My other series has been shown in museums, including a symposium at Johnson Museum, N.Y. and been part of travelling exhibitions with WHATCOM (Museum of Washington) with the exhibition `Vanishing Ice` and a China tour on environmental issues with Three Shadows Photography...

In creating this piece, I endeavored to capture the serene union of nature and humanity. The textured oil strokes enliven the park scenery, reflecting an impressionistic love for the...

The gallery presents the Norwegian artist Nadezda (Nadya) Stupina , a high professional who has been working in the international art market for many years. Professional artist with...

In crafting this artwork, I intertwined layers of acrylic, spray, and ink to capture a moment of pure, spirited connection between nature and humanity. The vibrant strokes and impres...

Abstract composition that based on floral motifs .Working on abstraction is often very intuitive and sometimes the artist has to rein in this "beast" to achieve the desired image.In ...

The gallery presents the Norwegian artist Nadezda (Nadya) Stupina , a high professional who has been working in the international art market for many years. Professional artist with ...