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Broken Glass Ring #1
Broken Glass Ring #1

About the artwork

A unique ring crafted from glass fragments of a car window shattered during the video performance "Human Rights" by Morten Viskum—a work where reality itself became part of the art.

The story behind the work is as unexpected as it is powerful. While transporting his annual silicone self-portrait sculpture to Enter Art Fair in Copenhagen—this year depicting Benjamin Netanyahu under the title "Human Rights"—Viskum parked outside his home. As he gathered the last items before departure, he heard his car alarm. From the balcony, he witnessed police had smashed his car window in a case of mistaken identity, captured on video.

The performance has since been viewed by over 6.9 million people.

From the broken glass of this accidentally created work, Viskum has made this commemorative ring. The piece of shattered glass carries the moment where art, power, identity, and misunderstanding converge—where a busy Oslo morning transforms into an art historical moment.

Morten Viskum

About the artist

Morten Viskum is an artist based in Vestfossen, Norway. Born in 1965, he is known for his boundary-pushing and thought-provoking artworks. Viskum has an unusual background – he first studied at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (1987-93) before pursuing art education at the National Academy of Fine Arts (1992-1997). This combination of science and art has shaped his entire artistic practice.

Viskum made his debut at the National Art Exhibition (Høstutstillingen) and was early recognized for his bold and conceptual works. He works across media – painting, installation, sculpture, photography and performance. In his artworks, Viskum often combines elements that challenge the viewer's perception and invite contemplation on themes such as life, death and identity.

He is internationally known for the series "The Hand that Never Stopped Painting," where abstract paintings appear beautiful at first glance, but carry a deeper reflection on the eternal nature of art. In recent years, he has developed the "Constellations" series – paintings that explore the relationship between chance and composition.

Viskum's works are held in the National Museum and Haugar Vestfold Art Museum, and he has exhibited internationally from the Havana Biennial to South Korea, Italy and France. In 2002, he established Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium – an important venue in the Norwegian art landscape. Viskum is also one of the founders of Open Art Market.

Beyond his artistic practice, Viskum is himself a passionate art collector with a collection of over 500 works. For him, art is about fascination and a never-ending search for the ultimate artwork.