Anne-Karin Furunes

San Servolo XIII, 2018
acrylic painted and perforated canvas
280 x 191 cm

ANNE-KARIN FURUNES describes her works as fleeting images, and her practice as one of drawing with holes. She is known for portraits and paintings based on archival photographs that take a stand for the marginalized, silenced and forgotten individuals, expanding also to include landscapes and elements from nature. With her signature technique she manually perforates canvas painted with black acrylic with thousands of holes, letting through varying degrees of light. The method of removing in order to reveal complements her practice that often focuses on forgotten or silenced histories and people. The changing nature of the works is linked to the problematic of depicting the past.  

Anne-Karin Furunes (b. 1961, Norway) lives and works in Trondheim. Her many solo and group exhibitions include venues such as Galleri K in Oslo, Millesgården in Stockholm, Nordenfjedske Kunstindustrimuseum in Trondheim, Ryan Lee Gallery in New York, Tornabuoni Arte in Florence, EMMA Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Trondheim Kunstmuseum, and Palazzo Fortuny in Venice. She has work in numerous public and private collections, including the Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Museo Palazzo Fortuny, Venice; Nasjonaalmuseet, Oslo; Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma; and Wyoming Art Museum. Furunes has realized several public art work commissions, including at University of Helsinki, Deutsche Bank in Sydney, St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, and The National Theatre Station in Oslo, among others. In 2021 she was shortlisted for the Ars Fennica award.  

Cumulus I, 2022
acrylic paint and perforation on canvas
137 x 176 cm

Nature / detail, 2022
based on a photograph by Hanna Resvoll Holmsen, The National Library of Norway
acrylic paint and perforation on canvas
77 x 128 cm

Calving Glacier VI, 2018-22
acrylic paint and perforation on canvas
240 x 404 cm

Landscape I, 2021
acrylic paint and perforation on canvas
240 x 360 cm

San Servolo XI, 2018
acrylic on canvas, perforated
224 x 150 cm

Gestures
5–29 April 2018
exhibition view

Freedom Fighters XV, 2014
acrylic on canvas, perforated
196 x 160 cm

In Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma Collection

Gestures
5–29 April 2018
exhibition view

Illuminated Moments I, 2012
acrylic on canvas, perforated
270 x 490 cm

In Saastamoinen Foundation Collection

Gestures
5–29 April 2018
exhibition view

Palazzo Fortuny, Venice, 2014

Sar Servelo, Palaze Lucale, 2017

BioCVExhibitions

Exhibitions

Bio

Anne-Karin Furunes in conversation with Maaretta Jaukkuri | Ars Fennica 2021 Award nominee video

……………………………….

ANNE-KARIN FURUNES (b. 1961, Norway) uses archival photographic images as a starting-point; she creates portraits of once marginalized women, men and children – individuals who have been forgotten or silenced in the history – using only canvas and light as material. Furunes has developed a signature technique: she perforates canvas painted with black acrylic with thousands of holes. The final portrait lets through varying degrees of light.

In terms of technique, the works are monochromatic acrylic paintings on canvas perforated by hand by the artist. Working on the pieces by hand is important for Furunes, who describes how slow, meditative time spent with the pieces guides her work. Light filtered through thousands of holes of different size creates photograph-like images changing with the surrounding space and ambient light and disappearing when the viewer comes closer. This changing nature of the works in space, their ‘breathing’ as the artist calls it, is linked to the problematic of depicting the past in Furunes’s thinking.

Also in the artist’s aluminium works the metal surface reflects light and changes according to it. In sunlight it becomes almost mirror-like, making it difficult to perceive the image, while in even and indirect light the image becomes more clearly visible to the viewer. The oval pieces space imitate the shape of the original photographs from the archives and, in Furunes’s thinking, also the human figure.

CV

download as pdf

A N N E – K A R I N  F U R U N E S

Born 1961 in Norway
Lives and works in Trondheim, Norway

EDUCATION
1986–88/91–93 The National Academy of Fine Art, Oslo
1989 Graduate of The Norwegian Technical High School, Dept. of Architecture, Trondheim

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION
1993–94 Fifth year at The Academy of Fine Art, Trondheim
1988 Two semesters at The Architectural Association, London, Diploma I, with Peter Wilson
1985 Architectural High School in Oslo, Complex Building, with Sverre Fehn
1984–85 School of Arts and Crafts, Oslo
1983–84 Department of Architecture, The Royal Academy of Art, Copenhagen

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
*Denotes exhibition catalogue or accompanying publication

  • 2026
    • Observing Nature, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki
  • 2025
    • Illuminating Nordic Archives, National Nordic Museum, Seattle
  • 2024
    • På besøk, Vigeland Museet, Oslo
  • 2023
    • ALL MOST: Paintings of Svalbard, Ryan Lee, New York
  • 2022
    • Reassembling Reality, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki, Finland
    • Reassembling Reality, Galleri K, Oslo
    • Antimonument, K.U.K, Hanna Ryggen Triennale,Trondheim
  • 2021
    • Plissé, Stiftsgarden, Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum,Trondheim, Norway
  •  2019
    • Together but Apart, RYAN LEE, New York, US
  • 2018
    • Gestures, Galeleri K, Oslo, Norway
    • Gestures, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki, Finland
    • Tornabuoni Arte, Florence, Italy
  • 2017
    • Back to Light, Installation at San Servolo, Venice*
  • 2016
    • Anne-Karin Furunes, Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montréal, Canada
    • Of Nordic Archives, Ryan Lee Gallery, New York
    • Image liuminouse/Illuminating Pictures, Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montreal
    • Madonne del silenzio, Galleria Traghetto, Venice
  • 2014
    • Beyond the Portraits, Millesgården, Stockholm
    • Shadows, Museo Palazzo Fortuny, Venice
    • Gallery Benda, New York
    • Crystals, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki
  • 2013
    • Galleria Traghetto, Venice
    • Galerie de Bellefeuille, Quebec
  • 2012
    • Through Images, Galleri K
  • 2011
    • Hå gamle prestegard, Nærbø
    • Barry Friedman, New York
    • Västerås Konstmuseum, Västerås
    • Rake visningsrom, Åpningsutstilling with Fredrik Lund, Trondheim
  • 2010
    • Dialogue with Light, Trondheim kunstmuseum
  • 2009
    • Darkness Illuminated, Galleri Andersson Sandström, Stockholm
    • Galleria Traghetto, Arsenale Novissimo, Capannone 102
    • Ismar-Cnr, Instituto di Scienze Marine, Venice
    • Conny Dietzschold Gallery, Sydney
  • 2008
    • Anonyme, Galleria Traghetto, Rome
    • Passage, Spaziomillesimato, Montalcino
  • 2007
    • Double Portraits, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki
    • Barry Friedman Ltd, New York
    • Galleri Andersson Sandström, Umeå
  • 2006
    • Pictures of Portraits / Finland 1918, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki
  • 2005
    • Conny Dietzschold Gallery, Sydney
  • 2004
    • Schröder Galerie, Cologne
  • 2003
    • Galleria Traghetto, Venice
    • Conny Dietzschold Gallery, Sydney
    • Excursion into the Slightest of Signs, Nina Roos & Anne-Karin Furunes,
    • Galleri K, Oslo, * (text by Anders Kreuger)
  • 2002
    • Galleri Stefan Andersson, Umeå
    • Galleria Kari Kennetti, Helsinki
  • 2001
    • Tromsø Kunstforening
  • 2000
    • Galleri K, Oslo*(text by Mika Hannula)
  • 2000
    • Trondheim Kunstmuseum *(text by Steve Dixon)
    • Galleri S.E., Bergen*(text by Audun Eckhoff)
  • 1999
    • Galleria Kari Kennetti, Helsinki
    • Die Weisse Galerie, Cologne*
  • 1998
    • Galleri K, Oslo*(text by Gary Michael Dault)
  • 1997
    • Jane Corkin Gallery, Toronto
  • 1996
    • Galleri K, Oslo*(text by Gertrud Sandqvist)
  • 1994
    • The Project Room, Galleri F15, Gertrud Sandquist, curator

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
*Denotes exhibition catalogue or accompanying publication

  • 2024
    • Collection Survey, Nasjonal Museet, Oslo
  • 2023
    • Anne-Karin Furunes og Hanne Friis, Hå Gamle Prestegard, Nærbø
  • 2022
    • Hanna Ryggen Triennale 2022, Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim
  • 2021–22
    • Ars Fennica exhibition with nominees, Hämeenlinna Museum, Finland
  • 2021
    • Big Picture with Gutierrez,Kass,Ross & Sultan,RYAN LEE Gallery,NewYork, USA
    • Utstilling Dag Skogheim Seminar, Eivind Hofstad Evjemo, Anne-Gro Erikstad, LevArt,Levanger, Norway
  • 2020
    • Gymsal, Gym/LKV, Trondheim, Norway
    • Borggården Exhibition 2020, arranged by KUK Autumn exhibition, Røros/Summer in VågåStormfestivalen,Trondheim, Norway
  •  2019
    • Friends, Galleria Traghetto, Venice
  • 2018
    • Mirror Mirror, Paul Robeson Galleries, Newark Rutgers University, Newark
  • 2017
    • Participation, Trondheim Kunstmuseum*
    • Porto Marghera, 100, Fondazione Musei Civica, Palazzo Ducale, Venice
  • 2015
    • Proportio, Palazzo Fortuny, Venice, cur. Axel Vervoordt & Daniela Ferretti
    • Individual: Portraits from the Collection, Northern Norway Art Museum, Tromsø
  • 2014
    • Touch – Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection Exhibition, EMMA Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Espoo
    • The Divine Marchesa, Museo Palazzo Fortuny, Venice
    • Face to Face, Wall to Wall, Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, Montana
  • 2013
    • Resonanc:. Audible Silence in Portraiture, the Fine Arts Gallery, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
    • International Print Center, New York
    • Eye to I… 3000 Years of Portraits, Katonah Museum, Katonah, NY
  • 2012
    • PictureTakers, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
    • Wynwood Miami, Barry Friedman Gallery
  • 2011
    • Helt ude i skoven/Out in the Wildwood, Galleri Bo Bjerggaard, Copenhagen
    • Kind of Nice, The Twentieth Anniversary of Galerie Anhava, Galerie Anhava, Helsinki
  • 2009
    • Hamsun fantasier, Trondheim Kunstmuseum, Trondheim
    • Pavilion of Art and Design, Barry Friedman, London
    • Slash Paper Under the Knife, Museum of Arts and Design”, New York
  • 2008
    • The Collection, KIASMA Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki
    • Borås International Sculpture Exhibition
    • The Enigma of William Tale and Other Stories, The Agency, London
  • 2007
    • Kunstmarked, Gallerie Andersson Sandström, Stockholm
    • From the daguerreotype to digitalization, Preus Fotomuseum, Horten
  • 2006
    • Symbolic Order, Rogaland Kunstmuseum
    • Prosjektrommet 93-06, Galleri F15, Moss Bryggeri Utstillingshall
  • 2005
    • Beijing Biennale 2005
    • Diskurs, Drammens Museum, Lychepaviljongen
    • Stockholm Artfair, Galleri Stefan Andersson
    • Artfair in Bologna, Galleria Traghetto
    • Art Palm Beach, USA
    • Köln Artfair, Conny Dietzschold Gallery
    • Artforum Berlin, Galleri K
    • Trondheim Kunstmuseum
  • 2004
    • Dynamics Of The Face, Galleria d’Arte Moderna di palazzo Ducale in Pavullo nel Frignano*
    • Sal Haaken, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Oslo*
    • Stockholm Artfair, Galleri Stefan Andersson
    • Artfair in Bologna, Galleria Traghetto
    • Artforum Berlin, Galleri K
    • Art Palm Beach
    • Art Chicago
    • Maleri?, Galleri F15, Moss
  • 2003
    • Artforum Berlin 2003, Galleri K
    • Night Train, Surrealist Routes to Kiasma’s Collections, KIASMA, Helsinki
    • Artfair in Bologna, Galleria Traghetto
    • Stockholm Artfair, Galleri Stefan Andersson
    • Art Palm Beach, USA
    • Art Fair Milano, Galleria Traghetto
  • 2002
    • Lys, Bomuldsfabrikken, Arendal
    • Art Basel Miami, USA
    • Melbourne Art Fair 2002, Conny Dietzschold Gallery, (Australian and International Contemporary Art Project)
    • Artforum Berlin 2002, Galleri K
    • Umedalen Skulpturpark, Galleri Stefan Andersson, Umeå
  • 2001
    • Painting&Painting, Kristinehamn Museum of Art
    • Biennial in Painting , The Nordic Countries & the Baltic States – Väsby
    • Konsthall and Galleri Vilunda, Stockholm*
    • To Build a Collection, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
  • 2000
    • Melbourne Art Fair 2000, Die Weisse Galerie (Australian and International Contemporary Art Project)
    • Artforum Berlin 2000, Galleri K and Galleria Kari Kenetti
    • Andres Verk /Interplay, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
    • Kvit Akse, Bergen Kunstforening*
    • Bomuldsfabriken, Arendal
    • Hå gamle prestegård, Jæren
    • Out of Home / Ausser Haus, Trondheim Kunstmuseum*
    • Stockholm Art Fair, Galleria Kari Kenetti
    • Swanljungs Collection Exhibition, Helsinki*
  • 1999
    • Carnegie Art Award Exhibition, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo*
    • Amos Andersons Art Museum, Helsinki
    • Konstakademien, Stockholm
    • Sophienholm, Copenhagen
    • Listsafni Islands, Reykjavik
    • Barbican Art Center, The Curve, London
    • Stockholm Art Fair, Galleri K
    • Galleri K, Oslo
    • Frankfurt Art Fair, Galleria Kari Kenetti
  • 1998
    • Art Forum Berlin, Galleri K*
    • 80/90 Mirrors of our time, works from the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo at Listsafni Islands*
    • International Photoscene Cologne 1998
      with Tracey Moffatt & Mary Lou Pavlovic, Die Weisse Galerie, Cologne*
    • 4 Utstillere, Norges Hus, Stockholm*
  • 1997
    • Jeanne d ´arc, Riksutstillingene*
    • Sørlandets Kunstmuseum, Kristiansand
    • Nordenfjelske Kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim
    • Vestlandets Kunstindustrimuseum, Bergen
    • Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum, Tromsø
  • 1996
    • Mørketidsutstillingen, Tromsø Kunstforening
    • Portrait, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo*
    • Trøndelagsutstillingen, Trondheim
  • 1995
    • DIXI, project featuring 34 emerging Norwegian artists, Oslo*
    • Høstutstillingen, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo
    • Juni-utstillingen, Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo
  • 1994
    • Desemberutstillingen, Trondheim Kunstforening
    • Høstutstillingen, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo
    • Heimdalsutstillingen, Trondheim*
    • Trøndelagsutstillingen, Kunstnersenteret i Trøndelag
  • 1992
    • Desemberutstillingen, Trondheim Kunstforening
  • 1991
    • The Oral Picture, Galleri Mevlana, Oslo, Norway, curated by Tom Sandqvist*
      Dialogue, Galleri Rotor, Goteborg
  • 1990
    • The True and Untrue Picture, The Norwegian Art Academy in Oslo, curated by Tom Sandqvist*
    • Overganger, with Ingrid Book and Carina Hedén, Oslo Kunstforening*
  • 1988
    • End of the Year Exhibition, Architectural Association, London *
    • Bahnhof Westend, with H.D.K., Berlin
  • 1987
    • Artlantis, Håholmen, with H.D.K., Averøy*
    • Interaction, 4 students from Art Academy in Oslo, Galleri Rom
  • 1986
    • Project – A chair, Interior-Messe Milano
  • 1985
    • Architecture from inside-out, Ecole Speciale d´Architecture, Paris

WORKS IN COLLECTIONS
Art Council, Norway
Borås internationella skulpturfestival
Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art,Venice,
Heino Art Foundation Collection, Helsinki
Jönköpings Kommun
KIASMA Museum on Contemporary Art, Helsinki
Kistefos Museum, Jevnaker
Konstvägen, Sweden
Kunstmuseum Nord Trøndelag, Namsos
Kuntsi Museum of Modern Art / Swanljung Collection, Vaasa
Landstinget Västernorrland
Landstinget Västerbotten
Landstinget Jönköping
Landstinget Kronoberg
Landstinget Gävleborg
Landstinget Västra Götalandsregionen
Museum of Arts and Design, New York
Museo Palazzo Fortuny, Venice
Niemistö Collection, Hämeenlinna Art Museum
Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum,Trondheim
Norwegian Culture Fund
Saastamoinen Foundation Art Collection
Statens Konstråd, Sweden
Statoil Collection, Norway
Sveaas Art Collection, Oslo
Sundsvalls Kommun
The National Museum in China, Beijing
The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo
The Museum of Fine Art, Trondheim
Tromsø Museum of Contemporary Art
Trondheim Kommune
Umedalen Skulptur, Balticgruppen, Umeå
Västerås Konstmuseum
Wyoming Art Museum

COMMISSIONS

2022 Portraits of Tekla Hultin, Emma Irene Åström & Karolina Eskelin, Galleria Academica portrait collection, Helsinki University Museum, Finland
2019 Jonas and Hilda, Fjällnäs Mountain Hotel, Funäsdalen, Sweden
Memory I & Memory II (2 aluminium scultptures), Karlskoga Lasarett, Örebro, Sweden
2018 The Fram Centre 2- High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment., Tromsø
2017 Romsdal videregående skole, Molde
2016 Barkaby skolan, Stockholm
Arvesølv, KLP, Oslo
2015 Nylænne 1930/2015, et gjenskapt minnebilde, (cm 380 x 861, KORO), Kimen Cultural Centre, Stjørdal
Järfälla skolan, Stockholm
Nye Raumyr Barneskole & Kongsgårdmoen skole, Kongsberg
2013 Skogskyrkogården, SL, Stockholms tunellbana
Strinda VG skole, Facade of the school, Trondheim
2012 XXII VII MMXI, Mariaklosteret, Tautra, (cm 103 x 543), Norway Statoil Art Collection
2011 Sara, ASEA-torget, Västerås
Veitvet undergang, 24 portraits, Oslo, Norway 2008 Aker Kværner Headquarter, Fornebu, Oslo
2007 Marit, Gøteborg,The National Public Art Council
2005 Trees, Deutsche Bank/ Norman Foster Building, Sydney
Henrik Wergelands Hus, Eidsvoll, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim
2004 The new Tower, Avinor, Trondheim Airport, Norway 2003 Another day at the Sea, Grane oil platform, North Sea
2001 Bathers, Stjørdal V.G. skole
Brunel Award 2001, Best Commissioned Art
2000 Two murals, Telenor Bergen