The main format of this transdisciplinary cross-border project is a residency chain in the circumpolar north that took place in the year 2021. Overarching theme in all of this is the climate change, which is fundamentally challenging and changing the northern living conditions. In particular, issues of indigenous knowledge, ecology, climate justice and culture were the focus of the projects. Find here information about the residencies, the participants and some reports.
Trotz der schwierigen Umstände in der Pandemie und den damit zusammenhängenden Einschränkungen des Reisens konnten die meisten der geplanten Besuche stattfinden. Es ist eine Reihe fantastischer Werke entstanden und der Austausch mit Kunstschaffenden in einem anderen Umfeld hat ihre künstlerische Arbeit gegenseitig bereichert. In Wort und Bild stellen Ihnen in dieser Reihe von Videos die Residentinnen selbst ihre Arbeit im Rahmen des Projektes vor.
Klimakrisen truer alle samfunn, spesielt de som bor i det sirkumpolare nord. Urfolks kunnskap blir i økende grad anerkjent i internasjonale diskurser, og den blir særlig betraktet som svaret på klimaendringenes utfordringer. "The Right To Be Cold"-programmet ser sammenhengen og samspillet mellom det faktum at det haster å løse klimakrisen, og relevansen av urfolks rettigheter og selvbestemmelse. Prosjektet er et utgangspunkt for kunnskapsutveksling og forbindelse mellom diskurser i nord og sør.
Eksisterende og nye residensprogrammer i Nunavik, Finland, Jakutia (Sakha), Norge og Sameland danner et nettverk for kunstnere og forskere som er tilknyttet prosjektet.
Residensnettverkets mål:
muliggjøre og utvikle en utveksling mellom de ulike residensprogrammene i det sirkumpolare nord.
utvikle en sirkulær utveksling mellom residensprogrammene, slik at gjesteforskere/-kunstnere får mulighet til å samhandle og utveksle teoretisk og praktisk kunnskap med andre gjesteforskere/-kunstnere og lokalsamfunn.
Gjesteforskerne/-kunstnerne kommer fra ulike fagområder og kunstneriske felt (kunst, forskning, litteratur, kuratering, fortellerkunst (storytelling), kunsthåndverk, film, arkitektur, vitenskap) og har enten urfolksrøtter eller mye kunnskap om og en sterk tilknytning til urfolkssamfunn i det sirkumpolare nord. Gjestene inviteres til å presentere arbeidet sitt for lokalsamfunnene.
Følgende residensprogrammer deltar i nettverket:
Avataq Cultural Institute provides a strong foundation for the living culture of today’s Inuit. Since its inception in 1980, Avataq has built a solid reputation as the cultural leader for Nunavik Inuit and as an important resource for Inuit culture in Canada and beyond. "Our goal is to ensure that Inuit culture and language continue to thrive into the future, so that our descendants can benefit from the rich heritage passed down to us through the wisdom of our ancestors."
In the spring of 2009, Avataq Cultural Institute set up a new department called Aumaaggiivik, the Nunavik Arts Secretariat, with the goal of promoting the development of the arts in Nunavik, as well as encouraging economic development and the creation of long-term employment opportunities in the region’s arts and culture sector.
Aumaaggiivik – which takes its name from the Inuktitut work that means "the place where sparks are sourced” – provides support to artists in every artistic discipline (the visual arts, music, media arts, literature, story-telling, etc.) by boosting their careers through a programme of arts grants and specialized training.
Aumaaggiivik also provides artistic residencies, and supports the establishment of local infrastructure to provide work space for artists and to promote the arts both within and outside the region. In the context of ‘The right to be cold - Circumpolar perspectives’, the selected artist would be oriented to a community that suits its project's statement with the supervision of Aumaaggiivik’s staff.
Malakta can be seen as an ecosystem built for and with artists in mind. Over the last 13 years, Malakta has built and improved the infrastructure in order to facilitate through different art based events, like residencies, workshop, labs, etc. the cultural exchange between the guest artists and the region. Since geographically Malakta is situated in the minority population area of swedishfinns and in the periphery of ‘the centralised art world’; our focus is on bringing more artists with a particular interest in the nature and the environment. Drawing a parallel with the indigenous communities, a mutual interest can be achieved by sharing, investigating and understanding the human condition through the geopolitical circumstances, history, culture and also to improve our daily life in the symbioses with the environment.
Malakta AiR focus on to bringing artists to Malakta art community which have nature as the inspiration subject in their art practice. Nature as a subject but also nature as a raw material. Nature as, by definition, something opposed to human creations, and Art, as a physical process of human creation. With the results of the residency is experience and rising awareness between natural and prefabricated habitat in which the contemporary society is moving towards.
The aim of the Malakta AiR programme is to create encounters between art and nature, to increase an awareness of nature and art and to enable visiting artists to develop, create and share their work in a supportive and creative environment that includes a thriving artist community and purpose-built working spaces with nature around the corner. Malakta AiR continues to build a multi-art residency programme that has a clear and direct impact on local and regional communities, and that contributes to a more versatile and virile art scene and creates new forms of participatory and community art in the region.
Spaces, equipment, resources:
A private studio and 24 hour access to other work spaces and tools. Wood and metal workshop. A studio with a wooden dance floor. An editing suite (built as a mini-cinema). A photographic dark room. Accommodation - a choice of 3 double rooms with access to shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, a total capacity for 6 people at same time. Access to traditional Finnish wood-burning saunas (one larger and one small). A laundry room with a washing machine and dryer. The use of a car and bicycles. Large outdoor spaces suitable for activities and events with a fireplace/barbecue.
Staff and support:
Guest artists will be assigned one contact person, from the board of Malakta, who will guide and support the guest. Additional support from 1-2 artists from Malakta's communityl. Visits to other artists and organisations, partaking in other arts and culture events.
The National Fine Arts Museum of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) – is a key center for art and culture in the world’s coldest inhabited city, Yakutsk. Founded in 1928, the museum crystallizes experience of many generations of artists who cultivated the image of the Northern region in the difficult historical conditions. The National Fine Arts Museum of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is represented in eight platforms across the republic and in 2019 expanded with the House of Artists – one of the most significant places for the art scene from the 1960’s.
We invite artists from multiple disciplines, whose practices are focused on themes raised by “The Right To Be Cold” project and address the local context. A dialogue with local residents is essential: artist-talks, artist-led workshops, and a public presentation of final work will be supported by the museum staff.
We provide studio space in the House of Artists, a coordinator from the staff of the National Fine Arts Museum of the RS (Y), support in communication with local institutions and the art scene.
Røst AiR, in Lofoten, Nordland
About:
Røst AiR is a non-profit, multi- disciplinary, artist-in-residence and artist-run association. We are based on Røst and during the summer season we also move out to Skomvær Lighthouse on Skomvær island in the Røst archipelago, Northern Norway/Sápmi, (67°North), a stones throw from Nykan nature reserve, home to one of Northern Europe's largest pelagic seabird colonies.
Our focus and interests include but are not limited to: The ecological transition, geo-politics, diversity, self-sufficiency, race, gender and intersections between ecology, de-colonial thought and action, post-colonial feminism and queer theory. Site-specific projects, process- work and interdisciplinary meetings are encouraged. Having said this we would like to underline that we are open to an infinite number of singular or communal expressions of artistic practices.
Røst AiR is working on alternative ways of navigating, creating and being in this world, exploring for instance the post- fossil fuel potential. We are inspired by the coastal Sámi and Northern Norwegian fisherman- farmer tradition and are slowly restoring the old lighthouse vegetable and herb gardens.
Residency:
We host a varied number of artist in residencies during a year. We also organise and host workshops, seminars and happenings. Røst AiR works by invitation, but there will be a few spots available for open call and some for guest artists. All artistic and theoretical practices are welcome.
The residency includes a combined living and working space, as well as support towards "green" travel expenses. The food is mainly organic and/or local, and is included in the stay, with one to two communal meals a day. A grant for green travel and stay is given to each artist. Sometimes we also offer material stipends.
We have a eco-friendly profile and ask people to travel "green" and stay as long as they can. Artists in residency (and people travelling from abroad) should stay a minimum of one month(including the green journey).
Dáiddadállu
Dáiddadállu is a unique Sami artist collective founded in Guovdageaidnu/ Kautokeino, Sápmi in 2014.
Today: The artists on Dáiddadállu possessing expertise in their respective fields and together we represent subjects like visual contemporary art, photography, film, television production, graphic design, writing, music, choreography, interior design, acting, yoik and music. All Dáiddadállu members have connections to Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino, but traveling and working on projects around the world. Dáiddadállus overall objective is to create a strong and enabling environment for Sami artists. Our goal is professionalization of disciplines and profitability in the artists' businesses.
Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš/ the Sami Centre for Contemporary Art (SDG)
SDG was founded in 1986 by the Sami Artists’ Union, which along with the Sami Parliament of Norway created the Sámi Dáiddaguovddás foundation in 2013. The foundation continues the work started in 1986 in its new premises in Karasjok, which opened to the public in 2014.
At the new centre, SDG carries out an extensive programme of exhibitions and events with a primary focus on Sami contemporary art, featuring artists from Norway, Sweden, and Finland but also other international artists. SDG aims to be a resource centre for Sami art and culture and also engages in external activities both nationally and internationally. SDG’s mission is to promote and present Sami visual art and similar endeavours, act as the leading resource centre for Sami contemporary art, and serve as a forceful, recognized, respected, and broadly visible actor on the contemporary art scene. SDG works on developing and expanding the encounters between Sami contemporary art and the general public. SDG also aims to present, arouse interest in, and help viewers appreciate contemporary art, provide a venue for new, experimental artistic practices, and work to ensure artistic freedom.
¹ Prosjektets tittel kommer fra inuittenes lange kamp for å få sine rettigheter knyttet til klimaendringene. Boken med samme navn av Sheila Watt-Cloutier (2015, Allen Lane Publication) vitner om hennes banebrytende arbeid med å knytte klimaendringer til menneskerettigheter med inuitt-oppropet som hun og 62 andre inuitter fra Canada og Alaska leverte til Den interamerikanske menneskerettighetskommisjonen i Washington DC i 2005. Inuitt-representanter og klimaaktivister bruker dette uttrykket i sin kamp i håp om at den politiske ledelsen skal innse i hvor stor grad deres samfunn påvirkes av klimaendringene. Selv om kommisjonen ikke gikk videre med inuitt-oppropet, var det en historisk høring om de juridiske konsekvensene og sammenhengene mellom klimaendringer og menneskerettigheter. Okalik Eegeesiak, tidligere leder av Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), brukte uttrykket i sin tale på FNs klimakonferanse COP 21 i Paris den 3. desember 2015: "Klimaendringene er ikke bare et miljøproblem, de er et menneskerettighetsproblem, og smeltingen av Arktis påvirker alle aspekter ved inuittenes liv. Derfor må den endelige teksten virkeliggjøre urfolks rettigheter og beholdes i artikkel 2.2. Vi har rett til å være kalde", argumenterte Eegeesiak.
Programmet "The Right To Be Cold" ble utviklet med råd fra Tero Mustonen (Snowchange) og Elin Már Øyen Vister (Røst AiR). Goethe-instituttet vil også uttrykke sin takknemlighet til alle som er involvert i prosjektet: Aka Niviâna, Assinajaq, Avataq Cultural Institute, Dáiddadállu, Giovanna Esposito Yussif, Malakta, Patricia Rodas, Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš, Stina Aikio, Sunna Nousuniemi, Det nasjonale kunstmuseet i Republikken Sakha.
Residenskjeden er tematisk en del av artikkelsamlingen The Right To Be Cold, som består av et økende antall tekster av mennesker fra det sirkumpolare nord under mottoet "Klimarettferdighet for Arktis". Dette er igjen en del av nettmagasinet Ecologues – hvordan vi overlever menneskets tidsalder med bidrag fra fagfolk fra hele verden.
Marie-Andrée Gill
| © Sophie Gagnon Bergeron
Marie-Andrée Gill ist Pekuakamishkueu und sieht sich in erster Linie als Dichterin. Als Mutter, Freundin, Geliebte und Studentin beschäftigt sich ihre Forschung und kreative Arbeit mit transpersonaler und dekolonialer Liebe. Zwischen Kitsch und Existenzialismus handelt ihr Schreiben von Territorien und Innenleben und verbindet ihre Quebecer und Ilnu-Identitäten. Sie ist die Autorin von drei Büchern: Béante, Frayer und Chauffer le dehors. 2018 wurde sie mit dem Indigenous Voices Award ausgezeichnet. Sie lebt in L'Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Marie-Andreé Gill wird Residentin in Sápmi und in Røst sein.
Marije Jenssen
| © Marije Jenssen
Marije Jenssen ist eine norwegisch-samische Malerin und Installationskünstlerin aus Balsfjord, Norwegen. Ihre Arbeit ist inspiriert von der nordnorwegischen Landschaft, der Lebensweise und den traditionellen Materialien und Techniken der Weberei. Ihr Fokus liegt auf den Prozessen der Kultivierung traditioneller Ressourcen in einem nachhaltigen zeitgenössischen Kontext. Marije machte ihren Abschluss an der UWC Adriatic (2014) und der Kunstskolen i Bergen (2018). Sie verbrachte die ersten zwei Jahre ihres Visual Art Bachelor an der KMD in Bergen (2018-'20) und schloss ihr Studium an der Kunstakademie Tromsø im Mai 2021 ab. Marie Jenssen wird Residentin in Nunavik sein.
Tanja Maria Koistinen
| © Touko Hujanen
Tanja Maria Koistinen tutkii pohjoisen monimuotoisia identiteettejä. Tanja käyttää taiteessaan monialaisia työtapoja, kuten taiteilijajohtoisia yhteisötaidepajoja, ympäristötaidetta sekä tieteen ja taiteen yhteistyötä. Hänen kuvataiteensa, installaationsa, dokumentaariset valokuvansa ja tarinankerrontansa rakentuvat itsetutkiskelusta, yksinkertaistuksesta, kuvailusta ja väristä. Tanja on lappilainen ja yhteydessä inarinsaamelaiseen kulttuuriin syntyperänsä, perheensä kotiseudun (Njellim, Sápmi) ja elinkeinonsa puolesta. Hän elää tällä hetkellä Äkäslompolossa. Tanja on vierailijana Sahassa.
Tatiana Filippova
| © Tatiana Filippova
Tatiana Filippova ist eine Schriftstellerin, insbesondere von fragmentarischer Prosa. So besinnt sie sich als queere Person, als Lesbe und als Sacha-Frau auf ihr "Selbst", indem sie ihre Erfahrungen dekolonisiert. Ihre Großeltern wurden während des Zweiten Weltkriegs gezwungen, ihr Land zu verlassen, nun verwandelt der globale Klimawandel ihre ehemalige Heimat allmählich in einen anderen Ort. Können die modernen Indigenen Jakutiens anderswo eine neue Heimat finden oder sollten sie weiterhin auf dem Land ihrer Vorfahren leben – das ist die Frage, die sie in ihrem Ausdruck zu beantworten versucht. Tatiana ist Gewinnerin des Preises der Literaturzeitschrift Znamya 2020. Sie lebt in Jakutsk. Tatiana Filippova wird Residentin in Malakta und in Røst sein.
Svetlana Romanova
| © Svetlana Romanova
vetlana Romanova syntyi Venäjän Jakutskissa ja opiskeli kuvataidetta Los Angelesissa. Hän valmistui kuvataiteen kandidaatiksi Otis College of Art and Designista ja maisteriksi California Institute of the Artsista. Vuosina 2009–2014 hän eli Kaliforniassa ja opetti siellä taidealaa. Palattuaan Siperiaan 2015 hän alkoi työstämään useampaa elokuvaprojektia kotikaupungistaan ja sen ympäristöstä. Hänen videoprojektinsa tarkastelee Svetlanan edustamia kahta alkuperäiskansaa, evenkejä ja sahoja. Svetlanan töitä on esitetty lukuisissa taidetilaisuuksissa Kaliforniassa ja Venäjällä. Svetlana on vierailijana Nunavikissa ja Sápmissa.
Nancy (Niap) Saunders
| © Nancy Saunders
Niap (Nancy Saunders) ist eine preisgekrönte, multidisziplinäre Künstlerin mit Sitz in Montreal, QC, die ihre Zeit zwischen der Stadt und ihrer Heimatgemeinde Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, aufteilt – einem Ort, der ihre Arbeit weiterhin stark beeinflusst. Niap arbeitet medienübergreifend und setzt sich in ihrer Praxis mit ihrem kulturellen Erbe und ihrer Identität als Inuk-Frau auseinander. Niap arbeitet in den Bereichen Malerei, Performance, Skulptur und Fotografie und hat ein breit gefächertes Werk geschaffen, das von Wandmalereien über immersive Installationen bis hin zu Porträts reicht. Niap wird in Sakha und in Malakta leben. 