BRIDGE 2024: 

20-25 September 2024
Downstairs and the Department Store, Brixton, London SW9

Participating artists:
ArtCan – Candice Wu – Catherine Jacobs – Diane Comte Frost – Jane Higginbottom – Lea Layeux – Melanie Jordan – Mirella Bandini – Molly Lambourn – Peter Mammes – Phil Cope  Phillip McConnell – Sandy Layton – Svetlana Atlavina

ÖSKG – Adrian Room – Agneta Björklund – Anja Richardt Krabbe – Anna Rochegova – Ben Thompson – Jenny Ahlner – Johanna Schartau – Jonas Larsen – Jonas Rooth – Marcus Bagge – Maria Bjorklund – Susanna Gunnarson – Teresa Rooth

‘Connecting across physical and metaphorical borders’
Thirteen Swedish and thirteen international artists collaborate on a series of art installations, in order to blur cultural, social and political barriers.

BRIDGE is a cross-cultural collaboration between two established artist-run organisations, ArtCan (UK) and ÖSKG (Sweden). BRIDGE is the result of the shared vision of Pernilla Iggström, artist and curator at ArtCan, and Christel Lundberg, manager of ÖSKG/Tjörnedala konsthall. They met at Supermarket Independent Art Fair in Stockholm in 2022, and immediately found common ground and the idea of BRIDGE was born. BRIDGE is a long-term collaboration. Tjörnedala konsthall is situated in the rural landscape of East Skåne (East Scania) while ArtCan is active internationally with its base in metropolitan London – contrasts that create interesting dynamics in the project.

The purpose of the collaboration is to connect across physical and metaphorical borders, and break down cultural, social and political boundaries. The aim is to increase diversity, inclusion and an understanding of artists’ different working conditions.

For BRIDGE2023 (18 Nov – 10 Dec), ten artists from each organisation were selected and paired up. Without knowing each other previously, each pair was asked to connect through email, messages, phone calls and video calls, and were encouraged to meet up in person. Their only guidelines were to communicate beyond the studio space, exchange ideas and to take inspiration from each other’s lives and culture. The focus was on each duo’s shared journey, which resulted in a joint installation at the BRIDGE exhibition at Tjörnedala konsthall in Sweden. Deep friendships were formed. It was a successful exhibition which attracted the local media.

In 2024, it is ArtCan’s turn to host BRIDGE2024 in London. This year we will see 26 artists share their journey in thirteen installations. The exhibition will open to the public at Downstairs at The Department Store in Brixton on 20 September and close on 25 September.

BRIDGE2024 will actively welcome the local community and invite collaborations with Brixton based organisations. The two curators will present an artintervention, MUG, at the exhibition which is based on interviews with people living in Brixton. 

ArtCan, London (UK)

ArtCan is based in the UK and exists to give its over 600 artists members in over 26 countries, a platform and a voice. Their no commission, no membership fee enables its members to focus on developing their art practice, rather than making ends meet. ArtCan creates exhibitions opportunities, offers peer-to-peer connections, professional recognition and access to specialist knowledge and support. It encourages its artist members to initiate exhibitions and collaborations with the support of volunteers and the Board of Trustees. Their work is supported by the efforts of artist-member volunteers, contributions from their Founder Friends and Friends of ArtCan, and the guidance of their Board of Trustees.

www.artcan.org.uk

ÖSKG Östra Skånes Konstnärsgrupp, Simrishamn (SE)

ÖSKG/Tjörnedala konsthall is an artist-run platform, founded in 1974, located in Eastern Skåne, and is supported by Region Skåne and Simrishamn Municipality. ÖSKG organises yearly exhibitions at Tjörnedala konsthall, with national and international scope, as Konstrundan (Art Trail) since 1968, workshops, seminars, concerts, performances etc. All contemporary art, design and craft forms such as sculpture, painting, video, ceramic, glass art and performance art are embraced. The most recent exhibitions have addressed social and environmental issues and have invited both emerging and renowned artists.

The curators :
Pernilla Iggstrom is a Swedish artist and curator based in Brentwood, Essex, England. She was born in South Korea and received her BA (Hons) in Fine Art Painting from City & Guilds of London Art School in 2011. Pernilla’s art practice (oil painting, collage and performance art) and curatorial investigations explore cultural identity where loss, heritage, diversity, inclusion and community are in focus. The aim is to inspire a dialogue with the viewer to reflect on others and thereby increase an understanding of different people and break down stereotypical and preconceived barriers.

Christel Lundberg is a Swedish artist, producer, curator and photographer, based in Malmö, Sweden. In 2021 she became the manager at Tjörnedala konsthall, Simrishamn, and holds an MA in Creative production from Malmö University (2003). Since 2019 she co-curates the international art project Konstkiosk which during 2023-24 is a part of the research project COALA in Kalmar City with the support of Formas (The Swedish Research Council), Swedish Art Council and part of Smålandstriennalen.