Many of us have one piece of art of which we are very fond – an art work which stays with us for a long, long time. So which items in our collection do people develop a special attachment to and why? Let’s find out.
“When I was asked to single out my favourite piece of art, I was torn between half a dozen pictures and sculptures,” says Inger Ueland, a journalist at Statoil’s head office in Stavanger.
“I finally chose
Kitka River by Ilkka Halso because it is a piece of art that I will always like. But then again, maybe not. To my surprise I have noticed that my emotions change – sometimes radically. Some of the pieces in Statoil’s art collection that I used to love I now dislike, and vice versa,” she discloses.
Kitka River, C-print, Diasec (triptych),183 x 300 cm, Ilkka Halso (Finnish, born 1965). Enlarge >
Why did you choose this picture in particular?
Ever since I first saw
Kitka River at an art museum in Stavanger, I’ve loved it. The exhibition was supported by Statoil and had stunning works by 10 Finnish photographers from the Helsinki School.
Kitka River has stayed with me, and I’ve thought about it intermittently ever since I first saw it the summer of 2010. Nowadays it’s on display at the head office.
It’s not exactly clear to me why I like it. I only know that I like to pause in front of it. Somehow I get the feeling that it comforts me.
What does this picture mean to you?
Even though I find it soothing, the picture is quite disturbing. A beautiful, tranquil piece of nature is in the process of being domed in. Is this where our planet is heading?
At first glance, the motif might look like an old-fashioned conservatory. Looking closer, the pillars and arches are modern cranes and scaffolding reminiscent of today’s industrial sites. I wonder how this head-on collision between pristine nature and industry can be so aesthetically pleasing? And why do I appreciate this beauty and at the same time find the motif disconcerting?
What does art in the workplace mean to you?
At work I like it when art fascinates and energises me. Lately we’ve had some photographs that exude depression. While I dislike them at work, perhaps I’d like them if I saw them at an art gallery.
I enjoy our sculptures very much and savour the moment when I arrive at the entrance of some of Statoil’s locations. I am particularly fond of the way our office at Rotvoll in Trondheim, Norway, greets its visitors.
I get a sense of pride when I arrive at a location and see a well-made sculpture in attractively landscaped grounds.