Coinciding with Aurdal and Mugaas' exhibition at the Kunstnernes Hus in Norway, this book was initially intended as an exhibition catalog for Siri Aurdal's artwork, however Eline Mugaas reconceived Aurdal's reproductions into an artist book, placing equal weight on the diverse forms of documentation in an attempt to preserve Aurdal's archive. The reproductions include installation views, slides, drawings, collages, portraits, and ephemera from the 1960s until 2016, highlighting many works that are no longer in existence. Through Mugaas' lyrical approach, the book creates an extended collage between her past work, her archive, and her current studio practice. Siri Aurdal achieved prominence in Norway during the 1960s and 1970s with her large -scale sinusoidal sculptures made of industrial materials that were prefabricated for the developing Norwegian oil industry, allowing them to be destroyed and potentially recreated at a later date. These wave sculptures were created as public works for parks and schoolyards, encouraging participation from viewers to the point of defacing the work. In other works, hanging geometric sheets of colourful Plexiglas or wall-based wave sculptures drastically alter their surroundings. Aurdal’s interest in mathematics and patterns translated into complex forms whose planes were highlighted or de-emphasised with colour. By using common materials and allowing the public to use the sculptures in their own way, Aurdal’s work engaged with the shifting social and political concerns of the time.
The book also features texts from Will Bradley and Eline Mugaas which shed light on Aurdal's artwork, reception, and Mugaas' process in working with Aurdal.
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346 pgs, 26.5 × 19 cm, Softcover, 2016, 9780990689676