KVAE & BARK - Karoline Sætre & Øyvind Novak Jenssen

Den mjuke skogen er kun til låns / The soft fores is ours on loan. Solo exhibition at UKS Young Artists Society (2023). Photo by Jan Khür for UKS.
Den mjuke skogen er kun til låns / The soft fores is ours on loan. Solo exhibition at UKS Young Artists Society (2023). Photo by Jan Khür for UKS.

Kvae & Bark is an artist duo consisting of Karoline Sætre and Øyvind Novak Jenssen, who work and reside in Trysil. The duo explores their surroundings through foraging and processing of natures produce, goods and materials. Their projects take the form of sensuous installations with a wide range of materials, as well as performative gestures including taste, smell, sound and site-specific narratives.

KVAE & BARK website.
Karoline Sætres website.
Øyvind Novak Jenssens website.

Den mjuke skogen er kun til låns / The soft fores is ours on loan. Solo exhibition at UKS - Young Artists Society (2023). Photo by Jan Khür for UKS.
Den mjuke skogen er kun til låns / The soft fores is ours on loan. Solo exhibition at UKS – Young Artists Society (2023). Photo by Jan Khür for UKS.

Karoline Sætre (b. 1992) and Øyvind Novak Jenssen (b. 1988) are both educated artist while Øyvind also has a background from various professional kitchens and chef competitions.

From the project To eat is to weigh up and to distribute, in Surnadal. Photo by Daniel Vincent Hansen.
From the project To eat is to weigh up and to distribute, in Surnadal. Photo by Daniel Vincent Hansen.

Their work as a duo revolves around food and foraging, and their sculptural works often take the form of more or less practical structures for their performative meals.

Strukturer for ytelser og gjenytelser / Structires for benefits and benefits. Terminal B, Krikenes.
Strukturer for ytelser og gjenytelser / Structires for benefits and benefits. Terminal B, Krikenes.

Recent projects include the solo exhibition ‘The soft forest is ours on loan’ at UKS (NO, 2023), and the installation ‘The veil between nest and forest’ for the group show ‘Hemmets fundament’ at Havremagasinet (SE, 2024).

Felles bord, delt jord / Common table, shared earth. Festspillutstillingen 2023 - "Det gode liv / The Sweetness of Living"
Felles bord, delt jord / Common table, shared earth. Festspillutstillingen 2023 – "Det gode liv / The Sweetness of Living"