Our story
Drive In of Sound ArtGalleri Ruth started out in 2012 as a tiny contemporary artist run indoor gallery at Solberg farm (Sunny Hill). Sunny Hill is situated at the border of the two rural councils Råde and Rygge in the south eastern part of Norway. About 2500-3000 cars were passing the gallery during the summer months and seemed as a very potent audience. We inviting excellent artists for the prime show and served wind-powered waffles in front of the gallery. When the drivers saw the windmill and the gallery they certainly did slow down, but very few managed to actually stop and get out of the car to enjoy the art show.
In 2013 Galleri Ruth was transformed into a Drive In of Sound Art Gallery. This was an attempt to meet the possible needs and interests of the car drivers. By making the gallery more accessible it was constructed and placed as a Drive In along the road. The location was carefully chosen in a remote site relating to the landscape and local community. To listen the driver would place the car along the the Drive In "box", open the window and enjoy contemporary sound art.
After tree years in Råde/Rygge, Galleri Ruth began to explore new sights in urban Fredrikstad and rural sites in the county. In 2016 the project started the Nordic tour and in 2018 the northern tour in Norway begins all together tree different Drive Ins exhibiting.
The overall idea behind Drive In of Sound Art
The overall goal is to promote contemporary sound art by professional artists and make it accessible to anyone passing by. The gallery can be completely off grid using solar and wind power only, and this enables the gallery to explore the ditches and highways, sites and landscapes, where ever it seems of interest.
The sustainable approach is depending on the weather, and a summer with minimal sun will require an additional wind turbine to gain the electricity needed to run a little speakersystem, an iPod, a converter and regulator. The electricity therefore needs to be balanced in terms of delivering best possible sound quality with minimal electrical consumption. Sometimes the gallery does run out of power because of a longer period with minimal wind and/or lack of sun, which is of cause unfortunate but a condition we simply have to accept. By use of both solar and wind power, the Drive Ins have become quite reliable and work just as well in the far north as in the south of the Nordic countries.
The gallery collaborates with the local community, which is important to have the gallery succeed. At sites, where I for various reasons cannot carry out needed research, collaboration with institutions such as art centers etc. becomes very important. This again adds an interesting dimension to the project, since they might have ideas and wishes. In Vadsø the Drive In of Sound Art was located at an abandon but very attractive urban site by the harbour in an attempt to "energize" and turn the focus towards the potentials of this particular urban site.
Artists participating in Drive In of Sound Art from 2013-2022.
Ane Østergård, Anna Hedberg, Anne-Liis Kogan o Ellakajsa Nordstrøm, Annie Martin, Camilla Renate Nicolaisen, Charlotte Piene, Christina Reenberg Jensen, Daniel Schorno, Dinah Bird & Jean-Phillipe Renoult, Elina Waage Mikalsen, Elin Már Øyen Vister x2, Flopper, Francois Martin, Hafdís Bjarnadóttir, Håvard Øieroset, Ingvild Langgård, Joakim Blattmann, Johnny Herbert, Jonas Qvale, Joonas Siren, Karen Kipphoff, Karen Skog, Kristine Marie Aasvang x2, Kristin Tollefson, Kiwa Noid, Konrad Korabiewski, Linn Halvorsrød, Lorraine Oades and Cristobal Urbina, Maia Urstad, Marianne Stranger, Martinka Bobrikova o Oscar de Carmen, Prunk Möbel, Ragnhild May, Reni Hoffmüller, Signe Lidén, Sigurd Gurvin and Katarina Skjønsberg, Simen Engen Larsen, Snorre Sjønøst Henriksen, Siri Austeen, Søssa Jørgensen, Tine Surel Lange, Thale Fastvold Thorbjørnsen o Tanja Thorjussen, Thomas Tichai, Thomas Bergsten, Thurídur Jónsdóttir, Trine Hylander Friis, Trond Lossius, Ursula Nistrup, Ylva Trapp and Frida Krohn, Yvette Poorter.
Students
Alida Mølgaard Jensen, Anna Holmberg, Rikke Goldbech
2023 we celebrated 10 years along the highways with UrbanSoundArt where the Drive In changed into Sail In of Sound Art inviting everyone in and new came along too.
UrbanSoundArt
Logo designed by: Irwan Ahmet and Tita Salina