yina chan

Cat: Where are you going?

Alice: Which way should I go?

Cat: That depends on where you are going.

Alice: I don’t know.

Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Hvor pokker ble magien av?

Hvor ble fantasien av i arkitektur, faglitteratur, ferdige fiskeretter og podkaster – men mest av alt:

Hvor ble magien av – mellom oss to?

Corona-tiden filleristet, unnskyld: finjusterte, filtrerte og fantaserte vennskapet mellom fotograf Yina Chan og illustratør Tone Emblemsvåg. De satt på hver sin ytterkant: Yina i skogen, Tone i byen.

Yina rømte til skogen for å unngå smitte og Tone isolerte seg tidvis i sin kompakte, urbane hjemmesfære. Trangen traff begge kunstnerne – om å skape noe sammen ut av frustrasjonen – drevet av å vite så lite om hva som kommer.

Yina gjøv løs på Trysilskogenes uendelig vakre landskap med kamera – og delte fotografiene med

byfaste Tone via Zoom. Tone manet fram karakterer fra egen fantasiverden, ofte med hint til sine favorittbøker, eldre filmer og nokså obskure Lynch-dramaer – mentalt milevis unna Yinas landsted i Trysil.

Skogen er, som kunsten, absolutt siste sted man kan gå seg skikkelig vil – og eventuelt føle seg vel.

Yina og Tone vitner om at skogen har innebygd noise cancelling, samtidig som den huser uante lyder, lys og lukter som er luksus andre steder.

Den har også fordelen av å være mørk og dyster nok til å ha rom for lysende fantasier som endelig her kommer til sin rett, samt å være irriterende uoversiktlig nok til å trigge sovende, blasert nysgjerrighet.

Mystikken og magefølelsen har dårlige kår : Utstillingen er muligens ment å vekke til live en flik av magien – som ikke nødvendigvis kan, må eller bør – forklares – men som fort gløder desto mer den fortrenges.

Vi lokkes til å vandre i lurvete, uformelig mose, over krokete røtter og fuktige hull du kan bli sittende fast i. Her er skisser, skikkelser, skygger, kikkhull og silhuetter du kan møte som ikke er ment å gjengis – annet i skrøner, drøye fortellinger – og på denne utstillingen.

Hvis noen lurer på hvor det ble av magien i alt fra koronatid, naturopplevelser, fondssparing, hjemmesitting, gjemmesteder, partyflørting og pastasaus – heng på.

Tekst av Karl Eirik Haug.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”―Albert Einstein

Imagination is a prerequisite for all creative endeavours. It is as essential for the scientist and inventor as it is for the artist in their work. It can be a significant source of joy in life. For a child's development, it's important - psychology tells us - to stimulate three things: symbolism, imagination, and creativity. This contributes to building resilience in the face of difficulties that we all encounter in life.

Through play and imaginative activities, they explore the world around them, understand their own identity, and experiment with different roles. This exploratory phase contributes to shaping their future thinking and the ability to think outside the box. As they grow older and become more self-aware their purity of imagination changes as they acquire new knowledge and take influence from society.

All the children in this project were 5 years old when photographed. They have decided themselves what to wear, or not, for the shoot. It's not necessarily about being a superhero or a famous character. They are just playing. The impossible is possible, even if only for a brief moment.

Accompanying the images are captions taken from conversations with the children where they talk about what they like about being their alter ego, what they want to become when they grow up, what they dream about, etc.

The children show us how important it is to play and dream. They give us hope and remind us that life in this world can be magical and enjoyable. And sometimes, we need alter egos that empower us to be more, do more, endure, and stretch ourselves a little further. For those who experience illness and a body that doesn't function quite as it should, fantasy and hope are extremely important.

Ultimately, imagination is a key factor in human development and achievement. Encouraging and supporting imagination, especially in children, is crucial for building a future of innovation and positive change.

#alterego5yearsold

This project was realised through generous sponsoring by Sæthren og Wraaman, More Group Norge AS, Ringnes and Aller Media.

8 different black and white photos on 100 billboards all around in Oslo, 2000.

In the news: VG

Commissioned decoration for Zap offices, a marketing initiative towards young people aged between 15 and 19 years, owned by Ringnes and Orkla. 

Oslo, 2001

Midnight Burlesque offers the experience of real, authentic burlesque, with beautiful women and tough men. A glamorous, exotic dance show with humor and elegance. The festival and the performances are written, arranged and produced by Mari Sletten, Norway's elite burlesque artist. 

For the magazine NO with words by Edy Poppy.

By chance Yina won a trip to Barcelona just when Spencer Tunick was doing a shoot with 7000 naked people at Placa Madrid. She volunteered to participate and brought her own camera (Olympus Mju II) to the event. The pictures became the series "En Spansk En" which were exhibited at Haustfargefest, Peer Gynt. Hundorp, Vinstra, 2003. 

Inner City Art Attack, Skur55 Bjørvika. Oslo, 2002

Group show with Tone Emblemsvåg, Goal, Pushwagner, Unni Askeland, Mr.Mucho, Pil&Bue, Anders Eiebakke, Sverre Maling, Marianne Darlén Solhaugstrand, 1561, K.Hong, Mack, Anders Lian. Curated and produced by Knut Håkon Frølich, Free Food.

Each artist created a big city area.

Yina was allocated the red light district. 

Ps. If you have photos from the exhibition please get in touch.

Lucy Dee's Angels are a professional go-go girl group from The Netherlands. 

For the magazine MANN with words by Cecilie Asker.

Robert Meyer Kunsthøgskole. Oslo, 2001

"Paradise" - an interactive photo installation.

Prints glued to floor. Black paint, and varnish to make it solid.

Impossible to remove. The whole floor had to be painted black.

Not really a good idea, but yet it was.

Totto was a green and yellow budgie. Cute, but a little slow. He was a beloved pet, the husband of Poppi. One morning Totto was found dead, lying on the floor of the bird cage. It was quite the shock. He was laid to rest in a milk carton on a bed of cotton.

Decor for garage rock festival put on by Rock&Spesialreiser at Gamla downtown Oslo, 2002.

Idea and project management by Yina Chan.

Group exhibition with contributing photographers Kristin Svorte and Frank Karlsen. Selected prints hung with gaffa tape on big bubble wrap that took forever to paint white. Motives from 'The Wild Weekend', Benidorm 2001.

Oslo Culture Night is organized by Kulturetaten, the city of Oslo’s Department of Cultural Affairs, in cooperation with the city’s cultural institutions, organizations, artists, performers and the business community.

There are more than 200 venues in Oslo involved, in the city centre, the city districts and at the Culture Night marketplace at Oslo City Hall.

Events are categorised into: music & dance, art, history & museums, film & theatre, buildings, literature, explore & experience, food & drink, and children & young people.