Welcome to the launch of the book Rock Portraits by Frode Felipe Schjelderup, taking place at Kunsthall Stavanger on Thursday, June 23, at 17:00pm. The artist will be present parts of the book, after which you can get your book signed. Everyone who pre-orders or buys the book at the opening will receive a special poster.
Rock Portraits began its life as a Moleskine notebook, in which the artist created a series of paintings over multiple years. While some of the images have been showcased before, this is the first time the book in its entirety is made available to the public. The artist's signature style is recognisable throughout, and it touches on topics the artist keeps returning to, like metal music, identity, landscapes and wildlife. In addition, the artist shares his thoughts on relevant topics and guides the viewer through the book with short texts throughout the publication.
Rock Portraits is published by Sæter Jørgensen Contemporary, edited by Erik Sæter Jørgensen and designed by Studio Bergini.
The publication received a production grant from the City of Stavanger.
b. 1982
Schjelderup (b. 1982 in Colombia, lives and works in Stavanger) often finds inspiration in popular culture, from horror films to black metal music - and current political issues. Questions surrounding and the exploration of one's own identity are central to his works, especially the duality associated with being both within and on the side of society. This laid the foundation for the title of his solo exhibition at Kunsthall Stavanger in 2016: The Outinside Art. The artist often works on projects over many years, for example by working in sketchbooks with an overarching theme, but where each page can also be seen on its own. This is also how Rock Portraits began, where the artist painted the subjects on pages in a sketchbook over a period of several years. Some of the paintings have been shown previously as part of other projects, but this is the first time it is possible to experience the work in its entirety from start to finish, as the artist intended. The book consists of a number of portraits, landscapes and animal motifs - with short texts from the artist who take the reader through the book.
Schjelderup is educated at the Art School in Stavanger, and has previously exhibited at Kunsthall Stavanger, Gallery New Jerseyy in Basel, Sør-Troms Museum and Sæter Jørgensen Contemporary. In the summer of 2022, he is part of the opening exhibition I call it art at the National Museum in Oslo, and shows Notes for a Journey as part of Stavanger municipality's project I sjøkanten.