Gallery Eva Harr & Her Story
Looking for the landscape, behind the landscape.
In the summer of 2007, a permanent location for Eva Harr’s art emerged in the Reine Cultural Center. Here, in of the most picturesque places on earth, unfolds an enchanting narrative of her artistic journey.
A curated collection of her paintings, spanning her illustrious career, adorns its walls alongside a selection of her intricate graphic creations. A seamless extension of the gallery experience leads to a cinema hall, with various films being showcased, currently showing “Landskap i Nord”. A movie made by Trym Ivar Bergsmo about the northern landscapes. The music in the movie is made by Runa Bergsmo. And when buying your entrance ticket, this movie is included in the price 📽️😊.
Moreover, the establishment hosts a quaint bookshop, a treasure trove where one can acquire Eva Harr’s evocative graphic works, as well as an assortment of ephemera including cards, books, and posters showcasing the talent of both these artists.
Gallery Eva Harr and the Reine Cultural Center stand as a testament to the vision of its proprietors. The visionary architect Ole Tørklep from Oslo owns the center, together with Lars Løseth. Karl Henrik Kirkesæther (Steinbiten Drift) has been running the center since 2018.
Throughout the summer, from May to September, the gallery warmly welcome visitors to bask in the artistry and ambiance it embodies. While the curtains fall on the main season, the gallery remains poised to open its doors on request, inviting intrepid travelers and art enthusiasts to explore its treasures even beyond the traditional bounds of summer.
Keep on scrolling 🖼️👇
*All images by: Aurora Stenersen
THE ARTIST
EVA HARR
“I embrace a meditative approach to my craft, where the cycles of nature take center stage. The various moods of each day, the interplay of light and darkness, the inception and culmination of night—most notably, the moon with its potent symbolism and influence on our lives.
The symbols I unearth within nature often transcend boundaries and resonate deeply. It’s a realm I choose to explore and immerse myself in. My canvas is an inner landscape, a metaphor for my personal journeys. I aspire to mirror nature and its profound significance in our lives.
I’m moved by the unpredictability that defines our era, the restlessness and clamor that threaten our natural world. These influences shape my perspective and subtly inform my choice of subjects. Simultaneously, I recognize the undeniable allure of shifting light and the landscapes of the north as a wellspring of inspiration.
In seeking the sublime amidst the ominous, I find purpose. In a world inundated with mental and visual cacophony, I’m compelled to give voice to silence. I operate as both a painter and a graphic artist, with each technique nurturing the other. It’s here that I discover echoes and wellsprings of inspiration, a harmonious interplay.”
A Journey Through Time and Expression
Eva Harr, a revered contemporary artist from Norway, has etched her name among the esteemed creative luminaries of her nation. Within the illustrious tapestry of Norwegian artistry, she stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Christer Glein, Ruben Eikebø, Line Marsdal, Anne-Karin Furunes, and Johannes Høie, crafting her legacy within the rich artistic heritage of her homeland. Born in Harstad, in the transformative year of 1951, her life and work reflect a profound connection to the evolving artistic currents of her era. After battling with cancer, Eva passed away 9th of February 2024, 72 years old, leaving behind a big void amongst family and friends.
Eva Harr’s artistic odyssey flourished against the backdrop of the 1970s, a period of dynamic change and evolution within the world of art. This era marked a critical juncture, a reaction to the established norms of the previous decades. It was a time of conceptual awakening, where art sought to transcend the confines of traditional mediums, and minimalism gave birth to the seeds of fresh creative thought. However, Eva Harr’s journey embraced a more expansive vision, echoing the ethos of Land Art that dared to venture beyond the confines of galleries, immersing itself in the vast expanse of the outdoors. Here, creative expression intertwined with the budding concepts of environmentalism, echoing the harmony and tension between humanity and nature.
In her quest for meaning and artistic depth, Eva Harr embraced process art, a fusion of conceptual thought and formal exploration. This experimentation birthed cryptic and thought-provoking bodies of work, mirroring the essence of a world in flux. Against this backdrop, the figurative canvas regained its prominence, reclaiming its expressive power that had waned since the heyday of Abstract Expressionism. Germany emerged as a nucleus for this resurgence, with luminaries such as Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer, and Georg Baselitz redefining the artistic landscape with their distinctive visions.
Yet, Eva Harr’s narrative remained deeply personal, a tale woven with threads of introspection and connection to her inner landscape. Born of a time rife with change, she skillfully harnessed the language of symbols found in nature, embedding universal and evocative motifs within her creations. Her artistic pilgrimage delved into the contemplative, juxtaposing the serenity of moonlit nights against the backdrop of tumultuous modernity. The unpredictable currents of her era, characterized by unrest and noise that threatened the very fabric of the natural world, found a voice in her brushstrokes.
Simultaneously, the ever-shifting play of light and the captivating northern landscapes ignited a wellspring of inspiration within Eva Harr’s artistic soul. In her quest to unearth beauty amidst the shadows of uncertainty, she discovered profound purpose. Her canvases became mirrors reflecting the equilibrium between the sublime and the ominous, inviting viewers to partake in this dialogue.
Eva Harr’s artistic persona finds resonance within the broader tapestry of the Italian Arte Povera Movement that gained global acclaim during the same epoch. Jannis Kounnelis, Mario Merz, and Michelangelo Pistoletto, among others, shared a vision of art deeply rooted in raw materials and a fusion of conceptual depth, reflecting the pulse of the times.
As Eva Harr continues to shape her legacy, her work stands as a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression. With each stroke of her brush, she bridges the chasm between nature and humanity, stillness and chaos, inviting us to embark on a journey through time and emotion.
How to find inspiration in Reine? Just look out trough the window, or step outside. The surrounding landscape will loosen up any stiff jaw…