Øyvind Sørfjordmo's exhibition Værende (Being) consists of a series of abstract paintings which in their expression draw on the formal language of Cubism, Expressionism, and Modernism. 

Being – the title of the exhibition - has several meanings. In specific terms, it refers to something that is present or something that is taking place – the actual existence of a thing or a state in a given situation. At the same time, the title points to a possible presence, where something changes character, expression, or form over time.  

However, the word also contains a movement, a change over time, and possesses an almost fluid quality. Something that both is and at the same time becomes, and which also changes form and character along the way. The paintings are thus an expression of this changeability: They change as we view them. Through layers upon layers of color and material, a movement is created in the picture plane, which allows the motif to never quite settle, and for patterns and shapes to emerge and create new possibilities of interpretation. To look at these paintings is not a finished action, but instead an ongoing journey of discovery in Sørfjordmo’s universe.   

Sørfjordmo works consciously with art and painting's special relationship with the viewer. The artworks in Being cannot be exhausted of meaning: For Sørfjordmo, the formation of meaning is a relational exchange between viewer and painting, because this is where being is important, and where meaning materializes. The paintings are presented in the gallery context as finished objects, but the artist insists that they are never complete, because they require presence and repeated viewing. 

Being is also expressed in the artist's own practice. It is slow and intuitive, and each layer of paint is built up in a time-consuming manner that requires the same presence and attention from the artist himself as he demands from the viewer. The exhibition is part of an ongoing work based on a sprawling archive of sketches and drawings. The drawings serve as models and inspiration, forming the foundation for the composition and form of the paintings, but they are not directly transferred. Instead, Sørfjordmos often tries out the motifs several times, changing canvases and starting over until the painting finally falls into place in its many layers.