Oslo’s brand-new neighbourhood Økern is located east of the sunbeds and west of the moon and the stars. It was once referred to as Oslo’s dark side due to the strong presence of hard-core institutions such as the Meat Producers Cooperative Fellesslakteriet, The State Educational Loan Fund Statens Lånekasse, The Public Roads Administration Vegvesenet and the state-governed liquor retailer, Vinmonopolet. Its characteristics were four-laned student loans, interest charges with no real interest, and tunnel vision lacking vision.

But then a sea of change occurred which involved both the tunnel and the cherished light in the end of it. The roads have gone underground, while Brobekken has escaped the constraints of the pipeline and flows freely in the open-air. Also, Økern now has its very own bath – resembling a Noah’s Ark, flipped upside-down, turquoise in colour like the waters of the Mediterranean and filled with pure optimism.

These are the grounds for AD_VENT, December 2.

As the seahorses are awarded swimming certificates in the pool, another Glaucus is left alone in the dark of the street -splashing about, painting, soaking wet and ready to account for those who are left shipwrecked at sea. The artist at door 2 plays with the floating boundaries between art and myths, trends, and rituals.

AD_VENT’s door number two opens the sluices and invites Oslo to a dive into literature. The artist is known for bold and brilliant death-dives as pen is put to paper, without fear for the potential literary bellyflop. The torrents of words produce wet dreams as well as roaring laughter. The words may dive into the depths of the soul, and others ripple across the surface. Some sweet and naïve, and otherwise hopelessly gloomy. This pearl diving star offers both linguistic treats and verbal stage diving.