Kistefos Museum unveils Kader Attia’s Whistleblower

Kistefos Museum is delighted to announce the unveiling of Whistleblower, six captivating glass sculptures by internationally acclaimed artist Kader Attia. The sculptures, revealed to the public on August 22, 2024, are nestled in the tranquil forest south of The Twist. Whistleblower is the 54th work in the sculpture park, contributing to the museum’s rich collection with its profound exploration of the relationship between nature and culture.

About Whistleblower:

Kader Attia’s Whistleblower is a poignant reflection on the tension between natural elements and human-made objects. The inspiration for the work comes from the sound created when the wind passes through the neck of a bottle—a simple yet powerful symbol of the interaction between nature and culture. Through this work, Attia explores how our natural environment’s immanence resists the pressures of mass consumerism, which is a major contributor to environmental degradation.

In the artist's own words, Whistleblower is not just a physical object, but a multisensory experience designed to involve the viewer both individually and collectively. The sculpture uses both visual and auditory stimuli to suggest an alternative approach to environmental stewardship, one that connects us intimately with nature, our loved ones, and future generations. The subtle, mysterious harmony created by the wind whistling through the bottlenecks serves as a metaphor for the need to re-evaluate humanity's perceived superiority over nature.

Attia's work emphasizes the urgency of systemic change to preserve the natural environment, echoing the global calls from scientists and activists for more significant action. The title Whistleblower captures this dual narrative, referring both to the physical phenomenon and the moral imperative to protect our planet.

Each glass sculpture was carefully sited by the artist in the Kistefos forest. The work’s formal qualities can give associations to cairns, which are commonly used to mark trails in nature – another interaction between nature and culture. The deep blue color of the hand-blown glass also reflects a rich local history: just a few kilometers south of Kistefos, the Blaafarveværket (Blue Colour Works) produced blue cobalt glass from 1776 to 1898. A short drive further south, Nøstetangen Glassworks was the first professional glassworks in Norway, established in 1741. Nøstetangen supplied fine table glassware to all of Denmark-Norway, including to the king in Copenhagen, the Danish nobility and beyond.

About the artist:

Kader Attia (b. 1970, France) grew up in Paris and Algeria, and his multifaceted upbringing in diverse cultural landscapes, including time spent in Congo and South America, has deeply influenced his work. Attia studied at the École Supérieure des Arts Appliqués Duperré and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and at Escola Massana, Centre d’Art i Disseny in Barcelona.

Attia’s artistic practice is characterized by an intercultural and interdisciplinary approach, exploring how societies perceive their histories, particularly in the context of deprivation, suppression, violence, and loss. His research has led him to develop the concept of Repair, which he explores both philosophically and symbolically in his work. This concept, rooted in the continuous process of mending and restoring, is a constant in nature and humanity alike, connecting individuals to broader social, cultural, and historical processes.

In 2016, Attia founded La Colonie in Paris, a space dedicated to fostering trans-cultural and trans-disciplinary dialogues, particularly around decolonization and social repair. His dedication to these themes has earned him numerous accolades, including the Joan Miró Prize (2017), the Yanghyun Prize (2017), and the Prix Marcel Duchamp (2016).

Attia's work has been exhibited extensively in prestigious venues around the world, including solo exhibitions such as Descente au Paradis at MOCO, Montpellier (2024), and Kader Attia, J’Accuse at Berlinische Galerie, Berlin (2024). His work is also part of significant collections such as the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.