CHART Talks

For the latest episode of the CHART Talks podcast, we are happy to share a recording of a conversation between the Danish artist Benedikte Bjerre and Mai Dengsøe, art historian and curator at Gammel Strand. Together they discuss Benedikte Bjerre's practice ahead of the artist's upcoming solo exhibition at Gammel Strand in May 2026. Primarily working with sculpture and installation, Bjerre consistently examines sculptural qualities in relation to the architecture of a given space all while using observations from her everyday life.
Starting with an introduction to Bjerre's work to-date, the conversation goes on to consider how our understanding of art is shaped by the context in which we view it. Bjerre talks about her background as a sociologist and the motivation that brought her to contemporary art practice instead. Among other things they also discuss the role of humour in art, the importance of where you get your information from, behavioural modelling, and how Bjerre understands her place in a Danish vs. an International context.

In this episode we are delighted to present a conversation between Danish artist Kim Richard Adler Mejdahl and Magnus Kaslov, curator at SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark, and also previously curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde.
Together, they explore Mejdahl's practice, where nostalgia and trauma intertwine through a distinctive blend of “sticky bubble gum nostalgia” and “gothic horror tragedy.” Central to the discussion are his previous works Provinsbøssernes Drøm (Hillbilly Faggot Dream), Rat Palace, Ode, and Hour of Moth. Music is discussed as a driving force in the creative process, often acting as the starting point and emotional backbone of the work. Ultimately, the talk traces how personal experiences, especially growing up with and losing a father, are transformed into art pieces, revealing both the pain and the liberating power of shaping one’s life into creative expression.

In this episode, we share a panel discussion exploring the notion of Nordic art, its values, and its future role within the global art world. Moderated by Helga Christoffersen, Curator-at-Large and Curator of the Nordic Art and Culture Initiative at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the conversation also includes Anna Mustonen, Chief Curator at Kiasma in Finland and Curator of the Nordic Countries Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition in Venice, Swedish/Czech artist Klara Kristalova, represented at the Nordic Pavilion in 2026, and Auður Jörundsdóttir, Director at Icelandic Art Center in Reykjavík.
The conversation begins with a behind-the-scenes discussion of the development process for the 2026 presentation at the Pavilion of the Nordic Countries at the Venice Biennale. From this example of Nordic collaboration within the contemporary art world, the panel expands the discussion to a broader context. Together they reflect on how global perceptions of Nordic art have shifted since the 1990s, and consider the opportunities for sharing and collaboration within the current geopolitical moment. The conversation also addresses tensions within the idea of a shared Nordic identity, noting that for some people it remains a category they actively seek to escape.

In this episode, artist Ahmed Umar speaks with Mariam Elnozahy, researcher, writer and Artistic Director at Konsthall C, Stockholm, at CHART 2025 about material, memory, and belief.
The conversation explores Umar’s series Glowing Phalanges, presented concurrently at CHART by OSL contemporary and previously exhibited at Kunstnernes Hus and Bergens Kunsthall.
Umar reflects on growing up between Sudan and Saudi Arabia, his early training in painting, printmaking, and ceramics, and how his practice gradually shifted toward sculpture.
The discussion traces the origins of his work back to a talisman he created in 2014, opening a complex reflection on talismanic motifs in Islamic Sufi traditions - objects both spiritually charged and theologically controversial.
Together, they discuss Umar’s performance practice, including his enactment of the Sudanese bridal dance, and how these deeply personal artistic gestures can challenge colonial narratives, confront cultural expectations, and honor ancestors. Working largely alone, Umar describes his process as a form of intimate ritual—creating works that function as prayers for himself, his lineage, and the histories he carries.

In this episode of the CHART Talks Podcast, we share a panel discussion exploring the role that private patronage can play in times of uncertainty. Moderated by Astrid Wang, curator at the non-profit exhibition space MILAAP, the conversation also includes Khurram Jamil, founder of MILAAP, and the artist Nazgol Ansarinia, whose solo exhibition 'Dissolving Substances' was showing at MILAAP at the time of recording.
The discussion considers private patronage as a flexible and independent model for supporting artistic practice, in comparison with institutional frameworks that often shape contemporary exhibition-making. The conversation covers how collectors can create platforms that amplify underrepresented voices and foster dialogue between the global south and the Nordics. Through Ansarinia’s research into water infrastructures in Tehran (set against the drying of Lake Urmia) the participants consider questions of access, ownership and the tension between public and private resources. Together, they explore how private initiatives can function as sites of exchange and visibility, and how independent support structures differ from institutional models in process, responsibility and reach.