Special Exhibitions
Fire and Wood
March 28, 2008-March 29, 2009
Hong Gallery, museum's main building
Two new exhibitions, Fire and Wood and Kubbestol: From Seating to Symbol,
open at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on March 28, 2008, and will
run until March 29, 2009. Everyone is invited to a special opening reception
on March 28 from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
The exhibitions will include historical and contemporary pieces from Vesterheim and private collections. “The Norwegian traditions of woodworking include many different styles and techniques. There is a long history of craftsmanship and beauty that continues through today,” said Tova Brandt, Vesterheim curator.
Fire and Wood is made possible by support from a gift in memory of John T. and Luise V. Hanson. Kubbestol: From Seating to Symbol is made possible by support from Edwin R. and Joan T. Hemphill of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Both exhibitions are further supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The exhibition Fire and Wood focuses on the intersecting traditions of woodworking and metalworking. For centuries, the forests of Norway provided the raw materials for buildings, furniture, and tools of daily life.
"In order to harvest, shape, and refine the wood into a usable form, an array of metal tools were needed—axes, chisels, and countless others. These metal tools needed to be forged in the heat of fire, so in Norwegian culture, fire and wood—metalworking and woodworking—are completely interwoven,” explained Brandt.
The exhibition Kubbestol: From Seating to Symbol looks at the changing role of the Norwegian log chair, from utilitarian piece of furniture to a symbol of Norwegian-American identity. A kubbestol (pronounced KOOB-eh-stool) is a traditional Norwegian chair made from the trunk of a tree. Centuries ago it was a common piece of furniture for rural farm families in Norway.
"As Norwegian immigrants and their descendants have created ways to express their heritage, the kubbestol has grown into a symbol of Norwegian ethnicity. Many artists today continue to find inspiration in the humble log chair,” Brandt said.
Both exhibitions are presented in conjunction with Coming out of the Woodwork: A Vesterheim Symposium on Norwegian Folk Art. During the symposium woodworkers and metalworkers in the Norwegian tradition from all over the U.S. and Norway will gather at Vesterheim for classes, presentations, and fellowship. The public is invited to join them on April 19 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. to meet the artists, watch demonstrations, ask questions, and enjoy their artwork.