Who needs a paintbrush when you've got a severed hand?
01 November, 2010
by: Spoonfed Arts Team
A Norwegian artist shuns the usual brushes and pencil in favour of, that's right, a severed hand.
The contemporary art world is no stranger to controversy, but one particular exhibition this November looks like being one of the strangest things to have graced London in some time. Norweigian artist Morten Viskum is having his first UK solo show at Vegas Gallery on Vyner Street, and we're predicting a good deal of Daily Mail disapproval.
Why? Because Viskum paints with a dead hand. Yes, it's true: instead of paintbrushes the artist uses severed human hands to produce abstract paintings, which claim to explore issues around death, existence and religion. And the question on all our lips? Intriguingly, as the PR spiel states, “Who the hands belonged to initially, is one of Viskum´s well kept secrets.”
At the Private View on Thursday 18th November, Viskum – who sees himself primarily as a performance artist – will be at the gallery to enact the production of a new work, for guests to witness, as it were, first-hand. Sorry...
Morten Viskum – The Hand with the Golden Ring is at Vegas Gallery from 18th November to 19th December 2010.
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