Torbjorn Rodland (born 3 April 1970) is a Los Angeles-based photographer known for portraits, still lives and landscapes that transcend their often banal settings and motifs and move into the otherworldly. Since the late 1990s, his work has been exhibited widely. It was included in the main exhibition of the 1999 Venice Biennale. The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art in Oslo arranged a retrospective exhibition of Rodland’s work in 2003. Public collections also include Fonds national d'art contemporain (Paris), Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam), Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (Chicago), The Corcoran Gallery of Art (Washington, DC) and the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York City). After years of short stays in Tokyo, Beijing, Melbourne, Paris, Berlin, Oslo, Tallinn and New York, Torbjorn Rodland has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 2010.
Rodland is currently represented by Air de Paris, Paris; Algus Greenspon, New York; Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels; Nils Staerk, Copenhagen; STANDARD (OSLO), Oslo.
Background and Education
Rodland was born in 1970 in Stavanger, Norway. He studied Photography at the National College of Art and Design in Bergen, Norway and cultural studies at the Rogaland University Centre in Stavanger, Norway.
Rodland's photography moves from genre to genre; portrait, landscape, still life can all be found in his constructed imagery of the everyday, whether in his Scandinavian hometown or in visual translations and explorations of Japanese Moe aesthetics or Americana. Wanting to push forward the artistic boundaries of his medium, Rodland has reconceptualized and integrated aesthetic qualities dismissed in postmodern art. Building on the work by The Pictures Generation and Jeff Wall, Rodland's photography represents a surprising revaluation of lyricism and what he calls the sensuality of the photographic moment. Originally known for his images of young beauties, Rodland transcended this potential trope by consistently inventing new lures for viewers of his photographs. An example of these lures is the subtle co-existence of the twisted with the warm normalcy of his figures; as seen in his photograph of a woman's hand with an octopus tentacle creeping through her sleeve and wrapped around her fingers. Also a subtle symbol of nonduality, this image is characteristic of Rodland's work. His matter of factness, even in stylized imagery and multiple exposures, is what allows Rodland to straddle both the commonplace and the otherworldly. Or, as curator Bennett Simpson put it in an essay on Rodland, published in 2000: "His images are subjunctive; they operate under the yoke of a doubt, an impacted desire, the possibility of an impossibility."
Between 2004 and 2007 Rodland produced six video works. One of these, titled 132 BPM, was exhibited solo at MoMA PS1 (Long Island City) and at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (Hiroshima).
Sasquatch Century, Mousse Publisher / Henie Onstad Art Center : Milano / Oslo, 2015. ISBN 9788867491308
Vanilla Partner, MACK: London, October 2012. ISBN 9781907946318
Andy Capp Variations, Hassla: New York, 2011. ISBN 9780982547168
A day in the life of.., Libraryman: Stockholm, 2009. ISBN 9789186269029
I Want to Live Innocent, SteidlMACK: Gottingen, February 2008. ISBN 9783865216175
White Planet, Black Heart, SteidlMACK: Gottingen, June 2006. ISBN 3865212220
2013 : Torbjorn Rodland, Algus Greenspon, New York
2013 : American Photography, Nils Staerk, Copenhagen, Denmark
2012 : Before Behind Above Below, Air de Paris, Paris, France
2011 : Eighteen Analouge Double Exposures, Standard (Oslo), Oslo, Norway
2010 : A Black Ant Traveling, Michael Benevento, Los Angeles, California
2010 : 132 BPM, Studio Exhibition, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, Japan
2010 : Dearest Kitty, Nils Staerk, Copenhagen, Denmark
2009 : Pyromancy, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels, Belgium
2009 : Andy Capp Variations, Standard (Oslo), Oslo, Norway
2008 : Flegma, Sorlandet Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway
2008 : Myke Ekko/Soft Echos, The Festival of North Norway, Harstad, Norway
2008 : Go to the VIP Room, Air de Paris, Paris, France
2007 : Heads, Hands, Liquids, Michael Benevento, Los Angeles, California
2007 : More Whenever Minutes, Standard (Oslo), Oslo, Norway
2006 : Uglesommer, Huagar Art Museum,Tonsberg, Norway
2006 : Fantasies Are Facts, Kodama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2006 : The Exorcism of Mother Teresa, Rochester Art Center, Rochester, Minnesota
2006 : 132 BPM, P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, New York
2005 : Dark Overground Light Underground, Nils Staerk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
2004 : Grave with a View, Goteborg Museum of Art, Gothenburg, Sweden
2004 : Herning Kunstmuseum, Denmark
2003 : More Songs, Buildings and Girls, Air de Paris, Paris
2003 : Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Room, Goodnight Breasts, Galleri Wang, Oslo
2003 : Rogaland Kunstmuseum, Stavenger, Norway
2003 : Grave with a View, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway
2002 : Black, Ars Futura, Zurich, Switzerland
2001 : Priests, Art & Public, Geneva, Switzerland
2001 : White, Jack Hanely Gallery, San Francisco, California
2001 : Everything as Always, Nils Staerk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
2001 : Rocks, Galleri Wang, Oslo, Norway
1999 : Joy inside my Tears, Air de Paris, Paris, France
1999 : Even Now, Galleri Wang, Oslo, Norway
1998 : Close Encounter, Arkipilag, The Hallwyl Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
1997 : Norrtalje Konsthall, Norrtalje, Sweden
1996 : Galleri Wang, Oslo, Norway
2014 : Lens Reflex, Thomas Duncan Gallery, Los Angeles
2014 : The Body Issue, Hannah Hoffman Gallery, Los Angeles
2013 : Sea Salt and Cross Passes, The Modern Institute, Glasgow
2013 : Altars of Madness, Casino Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers
2013 : Rien faire et laisser rire, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels
2013 : Standard Escape Routes, Standard (Oslo), Oslo
2012 : Lost and Found: Anonymous Photography In Reflection, Ambach & Rice, Los Angeles, California
2012 : Inside the Banana, Algus Greenspon, New York, New York
2012 : The Crystal Chain, Invisible-Exports, New York, New York
2011 : The Eye is a Lonely Hunter: Images of Humankind, Heidelberger Kunstverein, Heidlberg, Germany
2011 : Sam Samore, Torbjorn Rodland, Ryan McGinley, Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels, Belgium
2011 : Our House in the Middle of the Street, Maison des Arts de Malakoff, Paris, France
2011 : Catalogue of the Exhibition, Triple V, Paris, France
2011 : Train Fantome, Cruise & Callas, Berlin, Germany
2010 : La Suite, Air de Paris, Paris, France
2010 : The Front Room, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
2009 : Summer Show, Hotel, London, England
2009 : Phot(o)bjects, Presentation House Gallery, Vancouver, Canada; Lawrimore Project, Seattle, Washington
2009 : Backstrom/Mannikko/Rodland, Mai 36 Galerie Showroom, Zurich, Switzerland
2009 : N’importe quoi, Musee d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, Lyon, France
2009 : To Be Determined, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, New York
2009 : A Winters Tale, Gl. Holtegaard, Holte, Denmark
2008 : The Station [inaugural exhibition], The Station, Miami, Florida
2008 : Disturbance, Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
2008 : Nordic Moods – The Landscape in Contemporary Nordic Photography, Arken Museum for Moderne Kunst, Ishoj, Denmark
2008 : Research on Men in Art Today, The John Institute, Palace, St. Gallen, Switzerland
2007 : Destroy Athens, Athens Biennial, Athens, Greece
2007 : Mad Love, Arken Museum for Moderne Kunst, Ishoj, Denmark
2007 : People Take Pictures of Each Other, Lamontagne Gallery, Boston, Massachusettes
2007 : Beneath the Underdog, Gagosian Gallery Madison Avenue, New York, New York
2007 : Hello I am Crashing, Salon 94, New York, New York
2007 : Rock n’ Roll Vol. 1, Norrkopings Konstmuseum, Norrkoping; Sorlandet Art Museum, Kristiansand, Norway
2006 : Dreamlands Burn, Kunsthalle Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
2006 : Olaf Breuning & Torbjorn Rodland, Galeria Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
2006 : Fiction, La Box, Bourges, France
2006 : Cold, Cold Heart, Courtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, London, England
2006 : Mafia (or One Unopened Packet of Cigarettes), STANDARD (OSLO), Oslo, Norway
2006 : Draft Deceit, Kunstnerses Hus, Oslo, Norway
2005 : Trials and Terrors, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois
2005 : Musica-video-musica, Reina Sofia Museum Madrid, Spain
2005 : 5 X U, Team Gallery, New York, New York
2005 : Greater New York, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, Long Island City, New York, New York
2005 : Similarities and Differences, Preus Museum, Horten, Norway
2005 : De Natura, Abbaye Saint-Andre, Meymac, France
2004 : Nordic Art, Museum Kuppersmuhle, Duisburg, Germany
2004 : Geschiebe, Haus fur Kunst Uri, Altdorf, Germany
2004 : Anders Zorn og Nordisk Samtidskunst, Arken Museum for Moderne Kunst, Ishoj, Denmark
2004 : Momentum – Nordic Festival of Contemporary Art, Moss, Norway
2004 : 20/20 Vision, Stedelijk Museum CS, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2003 : Regarde, il neige (schizogeographie de la vie quotidienne), Le Centre national d’art et du paysage de Vassivee en Limousin, Vassiviee, France
2003 : The Politics of the Place, BildMuseet, Umea; Edsvik Konst och Kultur, Sollentuna, Sweden
2003 : Beyond Paradise, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2003 : Yours Truly, Nils Staerk Contemporary Art, Copenhagen, Denmark
2002 : Fundamentalism of the New Order, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen
2002 : View Finder, Arnolfini, Bristol, England
2002 : The Golden Weekend, Kodama Gallery, Osaka; Gallery Side 2, Tokyo, Japan
2002 : Heroes and Holies, Invited ev+a, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick, Ireland
2002 : On Top of the World, Gio Marconi Gallery, Milan, Italy
2002 : Beyond Paradise, National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand; National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2002 : The Politics of the Place, BildMuseet, Umea; Edsvik Konst och Kultur, Sollentuna, Sweden
2001 : If a double-decker bus crashes into us.., Air de Paris, Paris, France
2001 : Make me feel, Art Athina 2001, Helexpo Exhibition Centre, Athens, Greece
2001 : Interferenze, Paesi Nordici, Palazzo delle Pappesse, Siena, Italy
2001 : Angel Heart, Air de Paris, Paris, France
2001 : Spring, Galleria Laura Pecci, Milano, Italy
2001 : In vivo, Centre Regional d’Art Contemporain, Sete, France
2001 : Kjaerleikens ferjereiser, Lofoten International Art Festival, Svolvaer, Norway
2000 : Living, part I, Chicago project room, Los Angeles, California
2000 : Utopia, Rogaland Kunstmuseum, Stavanger, Norway
2000 : Viva Scanland, Catalyst Arts, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2000 : Elysian Fields, Purple Institute, Musee National d’Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
2000 : Park, Momentum–Nordic Festival of Contemporary Art, Moss, Norway
2000 : Organising Freedom, Nordic Art of the ‘90s, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden;
2000 : Organising Freedom, Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark
2000 : Stadt/Land/Mensch, Galerie Arndt & Partner, Berlin, Germany
1999 : Palace, The Modern Institute, Glassbox, Paris, France
1999 : Surveying the Landscape, Lombard Freid Fine Arts, New York, New York
1999 : Can you hear me?, 2nd Ars Baltica Triennial of Photographic Art, Stadtgalerie im Kulturviertel Sophienhof, Kiel, Germany; [2000] Kunsthalle, Rostock; Kunst Haus Dresden, Germany
1999 : Composite, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Oslo, Norway
1999 : dAPERTutto, 48th International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, La Biennale di Venezia, Italy
1999 : Near and Elsewhere, The Photographers’ Gallery, London, England
1999 : Signs of life, The Melbourne International Biennial, Melbourne, Australia
1999 : Wall 6>> Landscape #3, Air de Paris, Paris, France
1998 : Nordic Nomads, White Columns, New York, New York
1998 : Standard Keyboard, The Pineapple, Malmo, Sweden
1998 : Slipstream, Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, Scotland
1998 : La Voie Lactee, as proposed by the Purple Institute, Alleged, New York, New York
1998 : Fellessentralen, Cultural Production in Norway in the Nineties, Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, Norway
1997 : Nor-A-Way, Stadtgalerie im Kulturviertel Sophienhof, Kiel, Germany
1997 : Alikeness, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne; Canberra Contemporary Artspace, Canberra, Australia
1996 : i am curious: These Days, Cubitt Gallery, London, England
1996 : Straight from the heart, Valokuvagalleria Hippolyte, Helsinki, Finland
1995 : Call of the Wild, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland
Antaya, Christine, "Current Shows: Torbjorn Rodland." Frieze, February 2013.
Gavin, Francesca, "Torbjorn Rodland." Dazed Digital, January 2013.
TIME Photo Department, "TIME's Best of 2012: The Photo Books We Loved." TIME, December 2012.
The Photo Department, "Our Top 10 Photo Books of 2012." New York Times Magazine, December 2012.
Storm, Christian, "Visiting the Art Exhibits in Torbjorn Rodland's Dreams." Vice, November 2012.
Rodland, Torbjorn, "Sentences on Photography." Triple Canopy, May 2011.
Taft, Catherine, "Torbjorn Rodland at Michael Benevento." Artform, October 2010.
Nickas, Bob, "The Perverted Photography of Torbjorn Rodland." Vice, January 2009.
Lavalette, Shane, "Torbjorn Rodland in Conversation." Photo-Eye Magazine, October 2008.
Roed, Kjetil, “Books: I Want To Live Innocent.” Artreview, June 2008: Issue 23.
Kessler, Sarah, “Torbjorn Rodland: Opposites Must Never Cease to Come Together.” Whitewall, April 2008.
Blank, Gil, "Interview: Torbjorn Rodland." Uovo Magazine, March 2007.
Herbert, Martin, "Profile: Torbjorn Rodland." Contemporary Magazine, September 2004.
Fox, Dan, "Another Green World." Frieze, June-August 2001: Issue 60.
