Kvae & Bark

Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.
Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.

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.

Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.
Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.

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.

Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.
Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.

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.

Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.
Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.

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).

Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.
Open mouth, open heart. Performance commissioned by Coast Contemporary for Art on Food, by Kvae & Bark, 2024. Photo by OCA Office for Contemporary Art Norway.