Upcoming
Under development
1.618...
2025 – 2030
Wenkai Xu
THE CAT CONTRACT in Jane
“To have a cat you had to sign a contract before bringing the animal home”. A practice that invited the witness of people and gods in a formal ceremony was started during the Song dynasty in ancient China, 800 hundred years ago. The contract is a list of duties, expectations and hopes of reciprocity between cat and person, known as “The Cat Contract”.
“There was no such thing as art, no such category or discipline existed in China until recently. One made things, and art was simply a quality found and sought in things. Everything is a thing. The Chinese word for animals, literally translated, is ‘moving things’. It includes people.”
For this exhibition Xu gathers nearly a hundred of her drawings, many models, furniture, prints, illustrated ceramic pots, porcelain and tiffany lamps, cups and plates, books, logs, cooked wool toys, a puzzle, musical instruments, hand made knives, linoleum cuts, and countless animals.
This prolific exposition also absorbs into itself remnants from previous projects by artists whose work evolved Jane and remained in it. There is a bed that Sverre Wyller made in 1979 as part of his entrance exam to the art academy, where Matthew Quentin Midtskau later slept while writing his book there; Wenkai’s traditionally illuminated cabinet and a blue floor ribbon from the time Jane was a reading room; the floor Reyes Santiago Rojas painted in Pantone 448C, the exact colour code of a cigarette package; an entire mirrored wall after 222T. Every single item Wenkai brought to such a Jane has its particular story linked by clear reasons. “Drawing is documenting, making so as to not forget. A bird, because I found dead birds, flying John Berger white bird, the Blaker Archive, after seeing collections of birds by Russian prisoners, the black bird from my previous apartment; hedge hogs, teenager pet from many years back home. I like to hand polish objects past grade 7000 to sustain contact, to see things in wood, see change that comes from longstanding contact, like a pet.”
THE CAT CONTRACT in Jane
“To have a cat you had to sign a contract before bringing the animal home”. A practice that invited the witness of people and gods in a formal ceremony was started during the Song dynasty in ancient China, 800 hundred years ago. The contract is a list of duties, expectations and hopes of reciprocity between cat and person, known as “The Cat Contract”.
“There was no such thing as art, no such category or discipline existed in China until recently. One made things, and art was simply a quality found and sought in things. Everything is a thing. The Chinese word for animals, literally translated, is ‘moving things’. It includes people.”
For this exhibition Xu gathers nearly a hundred of her drawings, many models, furniture, prints, illustrated ceramic pots, porcelain and tiffany lamps, cups and plates, books, logs, cooked wool toys, a puzzle, musical instruments, hand made knives, linoleum cuts, and countless animals.
This prolific exposition also absorbs into itself remnants from previous projects by artists whose work evolved Jane and remained in it. There is a bed that Sverre Wyller made in 1979 as part of his entrance exam to the art academy, where Matthew Quentin Midtskau later slept while writing his book there; Wenkai’s traditionally illuminated cabinet and a blue floor ribbon from the time Jane was a reading room; the floor Reyes Santiago Rojas painted in Pantone 448C, the exact colour code of a cigarette package; an entire mirrored wall after 222T. Every single item Wenkai brought to such a Jane has its particular story linked by clear reasons. “Drawing is documenting, making so as to not forget. A bird, because I found dead birds, flying John Berger white bird, the Blaker Archive, after seeing collections of birds by Russian prisoners, the black bird from my previous apartment; hedge hogs, teenager pet from many years back home. I like to hand polish objects past grade 7000 to sustain contact, to see things in wood, see change that comes from longstanding contact, like a pet.”
Sept. 12th - Oct. 20th
2025
2025
A Writer’s Jane
Matthew Quentin Midtskau
Now and during these coming autumn months, Jane is a writer’s room. We are very happy to have Matthew Quentin Midtskau once again among us at K.O.S A. In this work sequence, he will continue a book project developed in parallel with his exhibition “Dawns to Come Without Me”, shown in Jane in 2021. This time, instead of his sculptures, Matthew himself will be spending his days and nights in Jane, completing his writing. We look forward to see if its unfolding is possible here!
It is an experiment, an investigation into the difference between ideas and things, a study of the applicability of the theatre, of the scenography of art, to a man simply working on his book.
Thinking about our upcoming project on similar matters, of 1.618… and here of one of its witnesses. A very private, writer’s Jane. The screens are always closed, so for now, looking at it from the outside, we can only imagine how its interior life is unfolding as Matthew’s Quentin Midtskau’s literature. The screens are opaque only from the outside. When sitting in the pavilion, the world outside is a gauzy mist, but it is visible. That portends, but what?
Matthew Quentin Midtskau
Now and during these coming autumn months, Jane is a writer’s room. We are very happy to have Matthew Quentin Midtskau once again among us at K.O.S A. In this work sequence, he will continue a book project developed in parallel with his exhibition “Dawns to Come Without Me”, shown in Jane in 2021. This time, instead of his sculptures, Matthew himself will be spending his days and nights in Jane, completing his writing. We look forward to see if its unfolding is possible here!
It is an experiment, an investigation into the difference between ideas and things, a study of the applicability of the theatre, of the scenography of art, to a man simply working on his book.
Thinking about our upcoming project on similar matters, of 1.618… and here of one of its witnesses. A very private, writer’s Jane. The screens are always closed, so for now, looking at it from the outside, we can only imagine how its interior life is unfolding as Matthew’s Quentin Midtskau’s literature. The screens are opaque only from the outside. When sitting in the pavilion, the world outside is a gauzy mist, but it is visible. That portends, but what?
August – November 2024
Group Exhibition
A P O T E K
Damla Kilickiran, Johanne Birkeland, Marit Følstad, Marius Engh, Morten Slettemeås, Sverre Wyller, Thomas C. Wyller, Wenkai Xu
Catharsis Studio with Rolf Gerstlauer and Wenkai Xu: Christina Sund, Daniel Clearwater, Hanna Elise Jozefiak, Haonan Sun, Huanlingzi Lei, Jiahong Lin, Marie Keukeleire, Markus Moen Von Krogh, Niels Abraham G. Lerkerød, Tina Julianne Marzano, Vilius Jokubaitis
Curated by Vera Wyller in collaboration
with the artists
photography by
Vera Wyller
September 2023
Morten Slettemeås
JANE TRILOGY parts 1 and 2
Curated by K.O.S A
photography by
Vera Wyller
June 2023 – September 2023
Sverre Wyller
Yon Egil Askeir
Gordon Matta Clark
Atopian Habitat vol. 3
A triptych Designation at
ARTendal
Presented by 222T
Co-curated with K.O.S A
photography by
Vera Wyller
October 2022 – February 2023
Sverre Wyller
Marit Følstad
Atopian Habitat
volume l
A collaboration with 222T
Curated by Ole Jørgen Ness
Photography by
Vera Wyller
Curated by Ole Jørgen Ness
Photography by
Vera Wyller
222T, September 2022
Arrangement
marking the completion
of the new National Museum
in Oslo
photo by Vera Wyller
To mark the completion and long awaited opening of the new National Museum in Oslo, K.O.S A arranged and held a celebratory reception for its architect, Klaus Schuwerk, friends and colleagues, artists, friends of art and friends of the museum. It was an affirmation of work, endurance and collective achievement, whose exhibition is centrally important to K.O.S A. This event was attended by more than 200 guests from many parts of the world, all of whom had a chance to see ARBUSCULA that was on view in Jane during that time.
Krutthuset, June 2022
Bo Bisgaard
Ole Jørgen Ness
Arbuscula
Site specific project
Presented by 222T
at K.O.S A
Curated by Marit Følstad
Photography by
Vegard Kleven / Vera Wyller
Jane/222T, June 2022
Vera Wyller
Ikonostas
Site specific object
Presented by K.O.S A
at 222T
Co-curated with Marit Følstad
Photography by
Vegard Kleven / Vera Wyller
Jane/222T, June 2022
Helene Sommer
En våtmarkskrønike
Site specific video installation
Curated by Helene Sommer
Photography Helene Sommer
Vera Wyller
Jane, November 2021
Jorunn Hancke Øgstad
Kermess
Site specific installation
Curated by KOSA
Photography Vera Wyller
all copyrights reserved
Marius Engh
BOHEMIA part 6/12
Dr. Faustroll’s Study
curated by Marius Engh
photography by Vera Wyller
Matthew Quentin Midtskau
Dawns to Come Without Me
curated by K.O.S A
with Matthew Quentin Midtskau
photography by Vera Wyller
Øvre Romerike tingrett
Eidsvoll,
November 2020
November 2020
Endre Opheim
The Heart Does Not Beat
In The Middle Of The Body
Curated by
K.O.S A with
Sara Yazdani
photography by Vera Wyller
K.O.S A
Krutthuset Oslo SA
Krutthuset Oslo SA
Gamle Maridalsvei 128
0890 Oslo
kosa@krutthuset.com
0890 Oslo
kosa@krutthuset.com
This website is supported by Oslo Kulturetaten
Website designed by Gabrielle Cresseaux