As chair it is my great pleasure on behalf of the other members of the jury to present the four worthy nominees for the Statoil art award 2011: the three artists Marte Eknæs, Ane Mette Hol and Tori Wrånes, and the group of artists Institutt for Degenerert Kunst.

This is my second term as chair of the jury for the Statoil art award, and I have had the pleasure of working with the same jury during both terms. Our aim during our deliberations this spring, which even continued into the fall, was to agree on four nominees. Like in 2009, it proved to be a challenging task – perhaps even more so than last time. The Norwegian art scene continues to present a wealth of outstanding talent, and it bodes well for the future, indeed. This said, we wish to stress that our result was reached as a consensus and not by a vote of number.

The four nominees were chosen on the grounds of their merits as well as their artistic promise, as will the winner. All of them sport restless, international resumes to go with their skills and ability – a testament to a driven and enthusiastic spirit. In Kunstnernes Hus they have produced an exhibition of diverse thematic concerns, showcasing four very different artistic strategies. Like they have shown so many times before, their artworks are original, strong, and well executed. It will be challenging to single out a winner among four so deserving candidates.

On this occasion I want to express my thanks to the members of the jury – Solveig Øvstebø, Caroline Ugelstad, Øystein Ustvedt and Göran Christenson for their stimulating and dedicated engagement in this process – highly competent and vital spirit! I also wish to thank Mats Stjernstedt of Kunstnernes Hus for hosting the award in an excellent way and making it a rewarding process for everyone involved.

Embarking on the journey of a life as an artist is a bold move. It takes enthusiasm, patience, practice and plenty of hard work to succeed. Re-evaluation and open-mindedness are just as important as talent and consistency. Accomplishments that expose problems often are as valuable as successes, or even more so. It is a road less travelled by, for a reason – but these four all have what it takes.