TALK/THE/TALK WITH Maria Helena K. Nerhus
Maria Helena K. Nerhus (1992) is an architect with artistic practice based in Bergen(NO). Nerhus works with plural narratives unfolding in socio-cultural cases connected to the notion of a place, a concept, or an object. Through subtle acts of investigating relations between fictitious and physical spaces, territorial and geographical areas, and borders, she explores how human and non-human agency comes into play. In analogue photography, Nerhus is fascinated by spatial qualities in casual situations, and she observes accidental and dynamic changes, in the relation between the photographed object, and its awareness, of the camera’s presence.
Q&A
To those who are not familiar with you or your work; how would you briefly explain it?
MHKN: I am like a chameleon that changes its skin to blend in with my surroundings or expose my inner emotions. I search for tension, stillness, and lines to capture in situational snap shots. I use cheap analogue cameras, such as Asahi Pentax ME that I got from a colleague when I worked as a barista a decade ago. And a broken Ricoh XR-2 withlight leakage, that I bought for a few bucks as it was broken, when my Canon AE died. However,I have multiple objectives that work differently. All of them were given to me by people that just didn't use them themselves. My current favorite is Asahi auto-Takuma 1:2.2/55. - super basic. Next, I develop the film in the darkroom at Isotop Fotoverksted. Usually, I scan the negative digitally to do small post-edit adjustments, in some cases I directly enlarge them from negative to paper.
What is the most important drive for you to create and why?
MHKN: My creativity is a kind of coping mechanism of processing information and relate to my surroundings.
How do your own experiences influence your work?
MHKN: I cannot distinct myself from the material I produce. We are interconnected. My experiences as well as the limitations of my knowledge affect my choices. The process of creation is a space of freedom, where I am as much living in the world of imagination as I am living in reality. It’s in the doing not knowing where it will lead, I feel the most alive and joyful.
Can you elaborate on an important moment in your life where you experienced a big change, chose to make one or another event which altered your way of thinking or your approach to creativity ?
MHKN: Every moment is valuable. There was a moment when I realized that arts have some invisible rules or framework.I was a child, maybe five, and I wanted to have a summer exhibition with all my drawings, but my parents just laughed at me and didn't take me seriously. I didn't understand way they didn't want to exhibit my drawings as they always commented that they were so well made. I think that was a moment where I realized that one must learn to do things a certain way, or that it exists a sort of selection of who is allowed to display their works in an exhibition, and who is not. However, that Christmas I was allowed to have a dance performance for my family around the Christmas three every evening. I had a real ballerina dress I got from my aunt who was a teacher for the Opera ballet in Helsinki. That’s maybe why I got into dance before contemporary art. Through ballet and discipline, I learned that one must work very hard to be good enough and be the chosen one. It’s all about an integrated lifestyle and life choices. Through dance I also learned to never take reactions personally and never give up practicing.
What do you want to communicate through your work? Is there a message - political or otherwise?
MHKN: That space is performative, history and narratives are always constructed. I find it crucial to advocate for critical thinking, and alternative ways of learning, and question the given in search for a world that is more inclusive, giving, and loving. For me, political and social change is not about revolution, its evolution. Its commonly known that representations reflect society, ideologies, and technology. But how aware are you about how representations shapes and direct how we behave, think and act?As much as it is educational, cultural, and social power in history and norms, each human possesses the power to add on, or rewrite the given by engaging. That is one of the most valuable powers everyone caries as a part of a plurality of communities, cultures and a decade, and a millennium. It can be challenging to desire other ways of doing, as its easier to dwell on limitations, that makes it even more important to be conscious and daring in one owns acts and choices.
Who or what do you value as a great inspiration for you creatively?
MHKN: I am driven by being affected, curios, intuitive, and fascinated of the world around me, and I have an urge to explore and (un)learn perceived understandings of ways of being. I get inspired by play and movement. I am amused by the work of Ananda Coomaraswamy, Eyal Weizman, Martha Graham, Judson Dance Theatre, and Tove Jannson. A few books to mention that colours my work are 'a lover's Discourse: Fragments’ by Roald Barthes, The Emancipated Spectator’ by Jacques Ranciere, ‘Talisman Forvandlinger’ by Yoko Tawasa translated by Arild Vange and ‘Ville Dektektiver’ by Roberto Bolano translated by Kristina Solum.In my late teens the photogbook ‘Amerikanske Bilder’ by Jacob Holdt made a huge impact on me. An inspirational tv series I really recommend everyone to see is ‘Die Neue Zeit’ by Lars Kraume. Three albums I am playing on repeat while working is ‘Portrait with Firewood’ by Djrum, ‘how to leave your body’ by Not waving, and ‘Arkhe Typos’ by Snorre Mangar Solberg.
I only shoot analogue, because for me the magic lies in the risk of losing the moment, so I also have framed every single picture in my mind.I enjoy getting to know various films characteristics, not at least the very tactile sensation of being in the dark room. And maybe even more the time between shooting and developing, when I constantly think about the undeveloped film waiting.It’s unique medium, distinct both from direct body mind connections like, a hand holding a pencil moving it with various pressure on top of a paper, and the highly digital process of making animation, 3d-moddeling or renders.
For me analogue photography has an intense dual character, where at the one hand, I distance myself from actively engaging in the situation as I gaze through the lens. On the other hand, my concentration on the technical and focus on the intuition of timing - pressing down the button on my camera not to early and not to late- invites me to be highly embedded in the moment.
How does digital and social media affect or inspire your life and creations?
MHKN: I have a love and hate relationship to social media. I accept it as a platform to communicate my artistic profile. I’m grateful for every like I receive, thank you! Also, I really enjoy looking at other people creating or experience exiting things they chose to represent in a little 1080px by 1080px on IG format that get distributed in a parallel material world. On the other hand, social media operate at a high speed, where the pictures get fragmented and disoriented in various feed content. It became a flash in mass of expression, and Individual value somehow dissolves, and it becomes soulless. In the act of looking at a screen one disconnects oneself from the physical world and become too passive consuming instead of living in the moment, which I find scary.
Do artists of today have some kind of of social responsibility?
MHKN: Everyone has a social and ethical responsibility. No exception for artists, as we will always be a product of our time, mind, and inner emotions. To consciously act upon it or not, is another question. For me, the artistic urge to express and share cannot be disconnected from the desire to meet other humans through the artistic process and outcome. In my opinion, the life of the artwork after its creation is dependent on being exposed to other people
If you could change one thing in the world today, what would it be?
MHKN: Maybe re-structure the spatial surroundings in society. Make it obligatory for politicians to go to a dance club to discuss, and let the decisions be made in a sauna or a swimming pool. Make prison not about punishment but about re-learning and skills making. Make health care systems function well in the whole world based on local knowledge and cultures as well as share the news science accessible. Make sure that everyone has a house and a bed - maybe free housing. Abandon the military and weapons. Then, redistribute the resources to make centres for peace and diplomacy.
What does «collective» mean for you?
MHKN: Inclusion, giving and receiving. Believing in, and a drive to contribute to the process of shaping a shared reality. In general, to collaborate with inspiring people and learn through doing together.
What are the main reasons you collaborate with COLLECTIVE OSLO?
MHKN: Being an independent artist, doing everything from the administrative work, promotion, exploring, creating, connecting and so on, means many work hours spent alone. It’s an honor and a pleasure to have a community I can lean on, be inspired by, and share with.
I am looking forward to what the future can bring.
What role do you think art should play in today’s society?
MHKN: Art opens for other ways of exploring, perceiving, drawing, understanding, and living in the world. It creates parallel realities and allow dreams and desires to become reality. It makes people meet them self and society through exposure to art, and it has the power to create mobilization and change the world.
What do you aspire to? In the near future? In life in general?
MHKN: In general, to build bridges between dreams of a better world, empathy, and realities. Specifically, I dream of projecting and realizing an opera or a theatre and establish an alternative free educational platform on sustainability on all levels.
