(Translated from norwegian)
Hos Arne is a gallery that one can look forward to visiting. Upon arrival, you are asked to remove your shoes before entering a room that feels like a cozy living room. On the left side of this 'living room,' the gallery opens up with large, white walls and a high ceiling that lets in natural daylight through a window. You are then led into the next room and further up a staircase to the rooftop terrace. It’s rare to experience a gallery that combines a homely atmosphere with a professional feel in the way that it is done here.
I arrive a bit late for the opening of Julius Karoubi’s exhibition, "LESS THAN WHOLE/MORE THAN HALF." The "living room" is packed with people streaming in and out. I hear someone mention that the number of visitors now doesn't compare to how many were here earlier in the evening. I'm not surprised by this; Julius Karoubi is a charismatic and popular contemporary artist with a large circle and great reviews. And while the opportunity is here, I seize the chance to catch the exhibition. The lights are off in the gallery room, but I get permission to go in anyway and take a look. In the dark room, I can see the works bathed in a natural blue hue, and a sense of mystery descends in the space, almost like the atmosphere you experience at home before you turn on the lights on a late summer evening. Natural light gives the art at Hos Arne an extraordinary glow, and the artworks truly come to life in the gallery. But suddenly, the lights come back on, and those of us who arrived a bit late still get the chance to view the artworks more closely—a gesture I appreciated.
In the impressive room, you are met with several mosaic works showcasing various patterns and forms. They immediately feel comforting. It's challenging to interpret them, as they are abstract, and it's not necessarily the intention to fully understand them.
Julius Karoubi presented mosaics at Hos Arne last year, and I still remember the first impression I got from that exhibition, called “Colle a Carrelage.” I was truly impressed and fascinated, and it became clear to me that Julius Karoubi is an artist who is going to create a lot. At the same time, these mosaics are quite different from the ones before me now. I would describe the earlier works as more minimalist and "clean." This time, he has introduced more color pigments and experimented with them in his mosaics. The works feel alive, and it is clear that a lot of time and effort has been put into them. At the same time, they give the impression of being created quickly and efficiently. I can imagine that the artist has spent time reflecting and wanted to introduce something new to this exhibition compared to the one from last year.
It’s fascinating that Julius originally trained as a visual artist. Yet the mosaics can feel painterly because of the abstract, light forms, reminiscent of earlier paintings or motifs he has explored. You can recognize Julius' style in the mosaics, but nothing compares to the brushstrokes and color combinations he uses in his paintings. That's why it was great to see that he had also included a painting in the exhibition. The painting, called WATERMARK, was the first thing I noticed, and it was this piece that I liked the most. It is painted with a light red color, and some darker tones in black and lighter gray around and between the red brushstrokes.
The transparent colors seem diluted, giving a light, reassuring feeling, as if the painter is in control, even though he is free. In the middle of the painting, it looks like an abstract rose could have been painted. A similar motif appears in a mosaic next to it, but here the "rose" is formed by the grout that fills the spaces between the glass pieces. The two works belong together but are sold separately. I thought the related rose motifs added a romantic undertone to the exhibition, giving me the impression that there is more hidden behind Julius' complex and strategic mosaics—almost becoming sculptures—namely, an artist who carries with him a romantic, deeper underlying artistic dimension. This is something I hope to see more of in the artist's future works.
The curator of the exhibition is Camilla Antoinette Bøgh, who is also the gallerist for Hos Arne. I would like to point out that this is among the best I have seen in terms of composition in curating. Nothing felt out of place or wrong. The curator has carefully chosen what to place where, and Bøgh's taste proved to be spot on. I was drawn into the works naturally, where the eye landed exactly where it should, and it simply felt on point. I particularly appreciated that they had placed a sculpture in the room—not in the middle, but slightly toward the right side of the room, giving the feeling that there was enough space to view the works on the walls, while also being able to walk around the sculpture and study it more closely. The sculpture was quite large, but it didn’t feel in the way; rather, it felt like a well-chosen element of the exhibition.
Another thing I felt strongly was when I entered the second room and was surprised by a much darker series, which almost resembled spiderwebs woven into the mosaic. I can only describe it as some kind of sci-pop with a dark undertone, which completely captured my attention. The mosaics were black and dark, and seemed, if not even more, shattered; like a type of mosaic collage, giving the feeling of a pressing seriousness. These surprised me after I had only seen the mosaics in the previous room, which had a more naive and youthful expression. I got associations with gaming culture and the peace sign, which evoked something younger and playful in me.
Hanging on one of the walls are three different mosaics side by side—a delightful sight with varying colors, almost as if they were created in the order they are hung. On each side of this mosaic series, there are two paintings from an earlier series Julius painted in 2023. They feel somewhat outside the rest of the exhibition, and although they stood out, that’s exactly what made them fit in so well. If all the art in an exhibition is overly cohesive, I find that it can feel a bit monotonous, and I can easily become indifferent to the works. But here, the curator takes us on a sort of journey, where along the way we are met with works from different genres at the right time. The exhibition reflects a good collaboration between curator and artist, which is essential for a good exhibition experience.
Julius Karoubi is an artist I have been following for a while, ever since his first solo exhibition at Blank Gallery in 2020, which at the time took place at Grünerløkka. I remember that my first encounter with him and his artistic work gave me a lot. It was pop, but also street; it was sweet and at the same time cool. Julius introduced himself to me as a versatile artist with incredibly great potential. At the same time, you could truly feel that you stepped into his inner world, which he managed to recreate and convey in a universal way. This resonates with many and creates a sense of community in his artistry. It is elegant, but also tough, and provides a refreshing experience that you won’t find elsewhere in the city.
During his studies and the years after, Julius has participated in and contributed to many exhibitions, all demonstrating his commitment to exploring and creating at his own pace. Although he is highly productive and creative, it seems as though he carefully considers what to showcase at any given time. This is clearly shown with this latest exhibition at Hos Arne, which offers elements we’ve seen from him before, but still feels fresher and more explored. He has avoided trying to create effects that don’t align with his artistic direction and message, and "LESS THAN WHOLE/MORE THAN HALF" feels genuine and authentic, even though the artist fits almost too perfectly into the world of contemporary art to be true.
I look forward to seeing more of Julius Karoubi, and hope that in the future he will be even more open about his inner world, and maybe even guide us through the complexities of his artistry.
