Árran Lule Sami Center Norway

Getting closer to the opening now and I work around the clock to get it all together in time. Tonight I got some new images from Àrran Lule Sami Center in Drag Norway and vessel no. 17. The local school kids had a painting workshop and no. 17 was there with them. Have a look at the blog here from that day and read about in in Norwegian below.
Thanks to Árran, Lis-Mari Hjortfors and photographer  Ragnhild Lien!

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Gjenstand Nr 17 befinner seg på Árran

Gjenstand Nr 17 er en vase i kunstglass som befinner seg nå på Árran og var en del av feiringen på Samefolkets Dag. Den inngår i de fem utstillingene som er blitt vist på Árran den siste tiden.

Vasen ble fraktet over fjellet, en vandring på Rádjebálges / Grenseleden fra Ritsem i Sverige til Sørfjorden i Tysfjord, en strekning på 42 km over tre dager. I motsetning til de øvrige 99 gjenstandene, som ble sendt rundt om i verden på raskest mulig måte, fikk nr 17 en langsom reise med mennesker, kunstneren med familie og nære venner, som bar den i flere dager mens de lyttet til naturen,- til fugler og sus fra elver og bekker. Kunstneren Monica L Edmondson fikk rikelig tid til å tenke over hvorfor hun egentlig ønsket å gjøre dette omfattende kunstprosjekt.

La vasen vandre fra hånd til hånd

Nr 17 ble presentert for 5. klasse i Tysfjordskolene, som en aktivitet innen Den kulturelle skolesekken. Elevene fikk nærkontakt med den mens de deltok i en maleworkshop. Tanken var at den kanskje skulle gi inspirasjon i elevenes kunstneriske arbeid. For elevene ble kanskje malingen en ting, mens møte med vasen var noe annet,- men noen lot seg kanskje inspirere av vasens fjelltur….? En av lærerne ble tydeligvis betatt av vasens farger og gjenskapte dem med pensel. Bildene viser at 5. klassingene (og noen 6. og 7. klassinger) betraktet vasen og håndterte den med stor forsiktighet

Update about Swedish embassies, Belarus and the journey abroad

Vessel no.40 and the Swedish ambassador is staying at home…

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I got a mail from the Swedish embassy in Minsk Belarus and they wrote that they have to refrain from taking part in this interesting art project due to a number of circumstances. We all know Lukashenko expelled the Swedish ambassador in Belarus in the beginning of August and Sweden’s diplomats can no longer stay in the country. The fear of human rights by Lukashenko reaches new heights, wrote the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt on Twitter shortly after. It is countries like Belarus that really should take part of the story and work of 100 MIGRATORY so I feel sorry this glass vessel no. 40/100M, intended for Belarus, has to stay at home in Sweden. Just like the Swedish ambassador of Belarus…

However, I am happy the embassy in Russia will take care of a vessel, even if the Swedish embassy in Moscow is a closed area for the public.

So 24 Swedish embassies are going to receive a vessel of glass part of 100 MIGRATORY within the next few months – as a loan for up to half a year. Photos from the different countries and embassies will later be part of the final exhibition January – May 2014 at the museum of Västerbotten in Umeå Sweden. Several private persons will also be part of the art project, as a “caretaker” of a vessel  each.

Today I have no. 70 in the Netherlands, no.17 in Norway, no. 41 in Switzerland, no.14 in Spain, no. 56 leaving for Iceland and no. 88 for China. And I’m home in Tärnaby with vessel no.40.

Sweden Norway trek with no. 17

We just returned from a marvellous mountain trek along Rádjebálges from Ritsem in Sweden to Sörfjord/Tysfjord in Norway. It was me, my husband Simon and our oldest daughter Aana 11 years old together with our long-time friends Anna, Ingar and Mikkel-Amma (11) from Drag Norway. We brought with us vessel no. 17 on the three days and 42 km backpack trek across the mountains. This vessel no. 17 was not sent across the world by a fast moving fuel consuming airoplane. It was transported by foot on a trek over the mountain which allows plenty of time to see listen feel and think. To seethe beauty of the landscape, to listen to the birds and the water flowing in the rivers and streams. To feel free with no mobile phone network within reach for days and to think – again – about why I want to do this extensive art project.

Sweden Norway border. Photo Anna Kuoljok

I like the thought that this journey, as well as the vessel of glass, can act as a metaphore and symbolic message carrier to bring together friends and relatives in the Sami area of Sweden and Norway. I also think it is important to keep and strengthen the connection between us belonging to the Lule sami area. Many of us have relatives in the two countries, so do I, and I felt very welcome to my first ever visit to Divtasvuodna/Tysfjord.

We need to share the stories we have from the past, of the people and of the landscape. We need to look after ourselves, care for each other and LISTEN to each other, with curiosity and respect. All of us are different individuals and we belong to different family groups, however we share the same culture, language and stories of the past. It is a bit like the vessel of glass, that has it’s individual little square murrinis. Some are alike and some quite different – yet fused together in the same form. However, we need to help each other and be strong enough to act if we for example see signs of violation or abuse, without consideration of loyalty to family or kinship ties. This is not easy within a culture where family and relative ties are strong and go many generations back – but each individual´s human rights has to come first.

Anyway, thanks to family Kuoljok Nikolaisen that suggested this journey “by foot” over the mountains. A trek with a first day of rain followed by two days of sunshine, minus degrees at night, lots of laughs and tired legs. Rádjebálges / Gränsleden is a beautiful track to walk far away from the busy Kungsleden trail on the Swedish side of the mountain range. Yet, make sure you know how to use a map and compass or your GPS as it’s somtimes hard to find. The landscape tells so many stories “that’s where the Germans had their lookout during the 2nd world war and over there is the reindeer milking grounds of my grate grandfather…” and so on.

And bring two 11-year olds if you want entertainment during a trek in the mountains… they were great and so much fun!!