[{"id":"48245","title":"ERIK S\u00c6TER J\u00d8RGENSEN "All Watched Over" @ Reed Projects, Stavanger, Norway","alias":"erik-s\u00e6ter-j\u00f8rgensen-all-watched-over-reed-projects-stavanger-norway","catid":"1","published":"1","introtext":"\r\n\tIt gives Reed Projects great pleasure to introduce this exhibition and in particular, this artist to the gallery. Erik has been on our radar for quite sometime and when we first saw this series, kne<\/span><\/span>\n","fulltext":"\r\n

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\r\n\tIt gives Reed Projects <\/a>great pleasure to introduce this exhibition and in particular, this artist to the gallery. Erik<\/a> has been on our radar for quite sometime and when we first saw this series, knew immediately that it was right for Reed Projects. Erik is a self taught artist and a recognised (often outspoken) creative force in the regions visual art scene, unafraid to confront and challenge traditional fine art institutions, including those established to support fellow artists, Erik has successfully fought to be formally recognised as a professional artist. Erik extends this attitude into his fine art practice and is not afraid to deal with controversial issues, he often creates work that raises political, ethical and moral questions, and through various media explores the blurry lines between the real and the virtual, whilst also questioning the validity of social dogma.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\tTaking it's title and inspiration from Richard Brautigan's renowned poem, "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace", the show explores, through a series of carefully staged images, concepts of dominance and power in the public space and the intersection between man, nature and machine. Adopting the same strategies of avoidance as a graffiti writer, the artist, armed with camera and glowsticks, heads out into the night to document local graffiti bomber "Rebel's" various tags, throw-ups and pieces. The glowsticks acting as a contemporary version of those bourgeois brass lights more commonly found lighting traditional oil paintings. It is these "street installations" that are then photographed to create the final work.<\/p>\r\n

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