During a studio visit with Zoi Johansson, she spoke about a recurring nightmare that haunted her for over a year. In the dream, she finds herself in a house where the walls slowly dissolve—and she along with them. My thoughts quickly turned to the late David Lynch, as they often do when something evokes an eerie and uncanny feeling. In a conversation with another artist, Gethin Wyn Jones, it turned out that their film Mirer which lends the exhibition its title, was recorded during an artist residency at Tyneside Cinema—a place quite similar to Aspen, both in terms of programming and legacy. This historic art house cinema in Newcastle was also founded by none other than Ridley Scott’s great-uncle.
Jones’s film title is derived from the French word “mirer” (“to observe”), which in turn originates from the Latin “mirari,” meaning “to marvel.” And perhaps that is the essential quality of cinema: its ability to captivate audiences with stories that reflect both realities and unreality. The exhibition at Bio Aspen was never intended to be about film, even though its moving-images play an important role. It is however presented with an appreciation of the venue, and has organically grown in close dialogue with the seven artists and Kasia Syty. While the body of work is eclectic—encompassing relief, sculpture, painting, video, and photography—it is hoped that the works, some made specifically for the exhibition and site in mind, are united by a sense of kinship that reflects Aspen as a site of drama.
Anton Elfving (b. 1986), based in Stockholm. Artist working primarily with painting, MFA (2013) from the Royal Institute of Art.
Michaela Vega Hansson (b. 1994), based in Stockholm. Third-year student at the Royal Institute of Art, working with painting and sculpture.
Ingrid Segring (b. 1994), based in Stockholm. Educated at Konstfack (2021) and Pernby School of Painting (2022–2024), working with painting and drawing.
Ingrid Jacobsen (b. 1996), based in Malmö. Recent graduate from Malmö Art Academy (MFA 2025), working with photography.
Zoi Johansson (b. 1989), based in Stockholm. Recent graduate from Konstfack (MFA 2025) with a multidisciplinary practice including poetry, relief, performance and sculpture.
Gethin Wyn Jones (b. 1984), based in Stockholm. Artist with an MFA from Newcastle, working with video, sculpture, and installation.
Nicolás Wormull (b. 1977), lens-based artist based between Valparaíso and Stockholm.
