Maren Juell Kristensen, Liv Tandrevold Eriksen and Ingrid Toogood Hovland ‘s new exhibition ”Predawn Occultation” opens Thursday the 8th of October in Stavanger Kunstforening. The exhibition consists of painting, drawing, video and installation. A common theme is an interest in the magical and supernatural. It is the first time these three artist exhibit together.

Occultation is a phenomenon that arises when one object is hidden by another, an eclipse. In astronomy it is used to describe a solar or lunar eclipse, but the most common use of the word is the fairly frequent passages of the moon in front of a star. When the moon passes between the sun and the earth it casts a shadow on the earth’s surface and partially eclipses the earth. Eclipses and occultation’s have always been shrouded in mystery and myths. In many cultures it is believed that ‘evil’ forces are more powerful during an solar eclipse, and the phenomenon is connected to both judgment day and natural disasters. In Norse mythology it is believed that the wolves Skoll and Hati hunted the sun and moon. When they finally succeed in catching them an eternal darkness would shroud the earth. The Chinese and the Native Americans had similar tales of dragons and dead spirits that swallowed the sun.

Maren Juell Kristensen (born 1976) lives and work in Oslo, Norway. Maren has had several solo shows and participated in group exhibitions, amongst others “Lights on” at The Astrup Fearnley MoMa and Liverpool Biennial in 2008.

Liv Tandrevold Eriksen (born 1976) lives and work in Oslo, Norway. Liv has exhibited in several solo , group shows and public commissions. She is in the collection of both The Swedish and the Norwegian Arts council. Liv’s work will also be exhibited in a solo show at Kunstnerforbundet in Oslo this autumn.

Ingrid Toogood Hovland (born 1976) lives and works in Stanvanger, Norway. Ingrid was voted “Stavanger artist of the year” by Stavanger city council. This autumn she is exhibiting in a solo show in Artconnextion in France and she is chairman of the jury of the Norwegian autumn exhibion.