Modern society has had as its central project to guard against dangers, prevent bad luck, and minimize uncertainty. Long, deep tunnels now pierce Norwegian landscapes once dominated by landslide risks. Even luck has been systematized; superstition has been replaced by lottery tickets and self-help courses. Still, life is unpredictable, and misfortune can strike at any time. In a time of rising uncertainty, people’s sense of safety and control has started to crack.

In Eli Mai Huang Nesse's film installation Close, we encounter a person who narrowly escaped a landslide and thus death, a tunnel enthusiast who dreams of establishing new geographical connections, and a Norwegian Lottery employee whose job is to call lottery winners. As in her previous works (screened at Kunstnernes Hus Cinema during the exhibition), Huang Nesse uses everyday events to pose life’s big questions: Is there a connection between chance and magic? Can safety be calculated—can uncertainty be measured? Is the lucky person also deserving? Close revolves around the relationship between luck and misfortune, how we protect ourselves against disaster, and the eternal dream of stumbling upon the greatest fortune.

Eli Mai Huang Nesse (b. 1992, Sogndal) is looking into the need for shortcuts and how to prevent accidents – to maintain hope, feel secure and in control. At the moment Eli is gathering stories from people who have been trapped by landslides, visiting roads that are closed due to avalanche danger and traveling into the core of mountains to film tunnel workers. Eli has an MFA from Oslo Art Academy (2022) and a BFA from the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm (2018). Her works have been shown at the Autumn Exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus, ABF-huset (SE), Galleri Christinegaard, Bergen International Film Festival and Anafi International Film Festival.

The exhibition with Huang Nesse inaugurates a new series at Kunstnernes Hus, Undergrowth, which focuses on young artists. Undergrowth refers both to the age of the artists and to the artist-driven scene that the initiative aims to connect with, as well as to the fundamental principles of sustainability underpinning the project.

Sarah Lookofsky

The exhibition is supported by the Fond for lyd og bilde, the Arts Council of Norway and BKV - Billedkunstnernes vederlagsfond. Eli Mai Huang Nesse has been in residence and used equipment from BEK - Bergen Electronic Arts and Notam.

Undergrowth is supported by the Bergesen Foundation and Talent Norway.