Merete Joelsen Aune (born 1984, Oslo) is a visual artist based in Oslo, Norway. She works with different mediums such as drawing, text, artists’ books, painting, printmaking and photography. Aune holds a master's degree from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and has a background in art history studies from the University of Bergen. She recently took part in exhibitions at Drammen Museum (2020); Kunstforeningen Verdens Ende (2019); Cosmoscow (2017); House of Foundation (2017) and Tegnerforbundet (2016). Her work is currently featured at Østlandsutstillingen 2021. In 2022 she will have a solo exhibition at Sandefjord Kunstforening.
"An important thematic focus in my artistic practice is exploring poetic connections between an external and internal world. I often combine references from natural science, various historical records and art history with impulses from my own inner life; my intention is to create associations between close and distant realities, between nature and consciousness, between the subjective and the objective. In recent years, I have been particularly interested in the universe. I imagine processes and states in outer space as an abstract embodiment of what unfolds in my consciousness; thoughts, feelings, ideas, memories, that which in itself has no form. My works range from free abstract watercolors that imitate astronomical environments and stellar explosions, systematic surveys of celestial spheres made with pencil, ruler and compass, and quiet motifs with a surreal look on surroundings which lies closer in time and space. My projects usually have a more or less clear anthropomorphic attitude, and they often contain elements of storytelling in visual or written form".
2012 -2014 Master of Visual Arts, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2009 -2012 Bachelor of Visual Arts, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2007 -2008 One-year programme in Art and Design, Oslo Met University, NO
2004 -2007 Bachelor in Art History, University of Bergen, NO
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 (Upcoming) Sandefjord Kunstforening, NO
2014 The Intimate Sufferings of a Musician, Window Box, Pushwagner Gallery, Oslo, NO
2014 Reading Time, BOA, Oslo, NO
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 (Upcoming) Østlandsutstillingen, Vestfold kunstsenter, NO
2021 (Upcoming) Østlandsutstillingen, Trafo Kunsthall, NO
2020 Novemberutstillingen, Drammen Museum, Drammen, NO
2019 Novemberutstillingen, Drammen Museum, Drammen, NO
2019 GIFC & Velvet Ropes, Galleri Golsa, Oslo, NO
2019 Østlandsutstillingen, Kunstforeningen Verdens ende, NO
2018 Novemberutstillingen, Drammen Museum, Drammen, NO
2018 The Drawing School (SHKS) 200 years anniversary, Alumni Exhibition, Oslo, NO
2018 GIFC, Galleri Golsa, Oslo, NO
2018 AVTRYKK, Hå gamle prestegard, Jæren, NO
2018 San Francisco Art Book Fair, San Francisco CA, US
2017 Bergen Art Book Fair, Bergen Kunsthall & Landmark, Bergen, NO
2017 Cosmoscow International Contemporary Art Fair, Moscow, RU
2017 Concerning the Spiritual in Art, The Norwegian Institute at Athens, Athen, GR
2017 Print Matters, Gallery Norske Grafikere, Oslo, NO
2017 Mazes, Nebulae, Sedimentations, House of Foundation, Moss, NO
2016 En kollektiv psykogeografisk guide til Oslo, The Drawing Biennial 2016, Oslo, NO
2016 The Drawing Biennial 2016, SKISSEN, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, NO
2016 Art in Case, Helsinki-Malmi lentoasema, Helsinki, FI
2016 Zodiac, LYNX, Oslo, NO
2016 Platons huskestue, Tegnerforbundet, Oslo, NO
2014 Knock Knock, Norsk Billedhuggerforening, Oslo, NO
2014 MA Degree Show, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2013 En kollektiv kraftanstrengelse for tapte saker, PODIUM, Oslo, NO
2013 It’s a Girl, Akershus Kunstsenter, Lillestrøm, NO
2012 BA Degree Show, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
BOOKS
2017 I Have Seen How the Universe Swallows, Artists’ Book
2014 Du må ikke forveksle reservehjulet med fuglen, Artists’ Book
2012 I Am a Bird Now, Artists’ Book
PUBLICATIONS / PRESS
2021 Catalogue, Østlandsutstillingen 2021
2021 Artist interview, Tegnerforbundet/ The Norwegian Drawing Association
(https://www.tegnerforbundet.no/nyheter/manedens-tegner-merete-joelsen-aune)
2019 Catalogue, Østlandsutstillingen 1979-2019
2018 Untitled poetic text published in OSLO PILOT (2015–17)—a project investigating the role of art in and for the public space—laying the groundwork for Oslo Biennial First Edition, 2018, Mousse Publishing
2017 Poem published in The Inklings # 1, Volume 1
2017 Cold Current, Contemporary Artists from Norway, Benetton Collection
2016 Catalogue, SKISSEN, The Drawing Biennial 2016
2015 Poem published in Bøygen # 1, 27. årgang
2015 Poem published in ETTER # 3 f
2014 Catalogue, MA Degree Show, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2011 Catalogue, BA Degree Show, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS
2019 Participant in closed competition, KORO Public Art Norway
ARTIST TALKS + LECTURES + ART ASSISTANT WORK ETC
2016 Artist talk and drawing workshop, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2016 Guest lecturer, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, NO
2015 Cover art and design for Norwegian singer/songwriter SVANES
2013 Art assistant to Norwegian artist Tiril Schrøder
2013 Art assistant to Norwegian artist Vanna Bowles
GRANTS
2019 Artist grant, Ingrid Lindbäck Langaard stiftelse
2018 Travel grant, The Norwegian Drawing Art Association
2016 Artist grant, Oslo Kommune
2012 Artist grant, Statens stipend for kunstnere
MEMBERSHIPS IN ARTIST ASSOCIATIONS
The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (Norske Billedkunstnere)
The Norwegian Drawing Association (Tegnerforbundet)
Young Artists’ Society (Unge Kunstneres Samfund)(Upcoming)