Ann Iren Buan

Ann Iren Buan (b. 1984) lives and works in Oslo. In her practice, Buan explores the notion of decay and destruction through drawing and sculpture. Monumental, delicate, sensuous and haptic, her work investigates the materiality of drawing in a three-dimensional sculptural expression. Her sculptures refer to decay and ruination, a process further reinforced by her choice of materials. Edging towards a point of collapse, the works insist on a continued existence and are often used as elements in new artworks in a cycle of decay and renewal. Buan experiments with conceptual aspects of drawing and is interested in the limitations and possibilities of the two dimensional surface. With monumental works made by using materials including dry pastels, paper, plaster and metal, she challenges the conception of what drawing can be. Her sculptural expression retains the meditative quality of drawing and adds corporeality to the medium. In the work process, she draws layer upon layer of dry pastel, creating unique shades and paper textures. Colour is an impor­tant aspect in her practice, and she often works with deep and intense hues of colour. To the artist, the colour itself is charged with emotions and qualities: they might be blustery, tempting, or sorrowful, always stating a temper that evokes a certain set of emotions. The desire to know if what the eye sees corresponds to what the hand might touch is always present in Ann Iren Buan’s work, where the tactile and physical component plays an important part both in the creative process and in the works. Buan’s sculptures act as both remnants and foreign bodies; they simultaneously reinforce and exert pressure on their surroundings, liberating architecture from static and chronological history. The works are massive yet light, sophisticated and tender. They are never entropic in their abstraction, mirroring something from life – a person, a landscape or a piece of skin. Buan holds an MFA in Visual Art from The Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo (2011). Previous solo exhibitions include The Vigeland Museum (2018) and OSL contemporary, Oslo (2021, 2018); Kristiansand Kunsthall, Kristiansand (2021); Apalazzo gallery, Brescia (2019). Buan has participated in a number of group shows including the Drawing Triennial hosted by The Norwegian Drawing Association at Kunstnernes Hus (2019); Trondheim Kunsthall, Trondheim (2019); Palazzo Mazzarino, Palermo (2018); Stavanger Art Museum, Stavanger (2015); and The Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo (2015). In 2024, she presented solo exhibitions at Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo and Museum for Papirkunst, Blokhus. Buan is part of several public and private collections, including the National Museum (Oslo), Oslo Kommune Kunstsamling, The Versace collection, Storebrand Art Collection, Equinor and the Norwegian Parliament Art Collection.