MATRIX INSTALLATION

​Text for catalogue by Jan Garff , curator of the Danish Participation at the International Biennial of Graphic Art, Ljubjana, Slovenia 1999 
 
The International Biennial of Graphic Art in Ljubljana has existed since 1955, but it seems that it has never settled into a rut. Over the years it has been, and still is, subject to changes. Last time the commissioners of the individual countries were kindly but unequivocally asked to put young artists high on the list in order to bring to light "the newest trends in printmaking". At the opening it turned out that this request had not always been complied with. I must admit that personally I am also of the opinion that innovation will often be found with the mature artist - based on many years of work with the medium and on untraditional experiments with its possibilities.

Bjarne Werner Sørensen’s works in the show include selected parts of a major work, Matrix, with a total of 105 lithographic sheets in different shades of yellow. 
Matrix is mathematical elements in a rectangular arrangement into rows and columns, and this is also the principle - aesthetically interpreted -behind the presentation of Bjarne Werner Sørensen’s lithographic sheets. The system is flexible and can be adapted to local conditions. The individual position of the sheets may be changed from exhibition to exhibition. Although there is a mathematical limitation on the number of variations, the possibilities seem endless. The idea for the series was born spontaneously during the artist's work with lithographic prints originally intended as monochrome single sheets. Suddenly he felt like combining prints from two lithographic stones on the same sheet in order to try out the effect, and the result was a quite systematic coupling of selected prints. He chose yellow and shades of orange, ochre and lemon because he aimed at a high intensity of color and a limited contrast. As he says himself: "This suggested to me a paradox of uniformity and individuality".

From The Danish Art Workshops, Copenhagen 1998
where Matrix Installation project was printed.

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Brænderigaarden, Viborg, Denmark 
From group-exhibition "Private Lessons" 
May 1998

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23. International Biennial of Graphic Art 
Tivoli Castle 
Ljubjana, Slovenia 
June - September1999

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Hafnarborg 
Instute of Culture and Fine Arts 
Hafnarfjördur, Iceland 
January 2000

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"Spirit of Image"  
Jiang Su Art Gallery  
Nanjing, China 
June 2000 

The Box containing Matrix Installation