Interdiciplinary Workshops in Sápmi- Call for participation

Interdisciplinary workshops in Sápmi–
is a series of three workshops engaging with the land in Sápmi beyond nation state borders. The collaborative project was initiated by architects Dr. Nancy Couling and Dr. Alberto Altes, in response to the NOS-HS Exploratory workshop call 2022, and is funded by NordForsk.

Open call for participation, workshop 1
Várjjat - where the land and ocean speak ...

The workshop invites the participants to be guests in Várjjat/Varanger, Sea Sámi land - listening, sensing, being in the spring, which is the beginning of the year in Sámi tradition, at Biergi/Kiberg/ Kiiperi (Norwegian Sápmi) with interdisciplinary artist Elin Már Øyen Vister and choreographer/performer Katarina Skår Lisa, hosted by Trond Henriksen (Cape East Arctic Adventure)

Location: Biergi/Kiber/ Kiiperi
Dates: Saturday–Monday, 18–20 May (arrival 17 May)
Maximum 8 participants
Programme: Walking and listening to the land and the ocean, including visits to the Várjjat Sámi Musea/Varanger Sámi Museum, Ceavccageaðge/Mortensnes cultural heritage site, and Ihkkot/Ekkerøy or Hornøya seabird mountains.

Invited artist and composer: Elin Már Øyen Vister https://elinmar.com/
Invited performer/dancer/choreographer: Katarina Skår Lisa https://katarinalisa.com/
Host: Trond Henriksen
Coordination: Nancy Couling & Atso Airola with Elin Már Øyen Vister

We use deep listening as an ethical method/approach for site-specific work.  We spend time with questions of how artists or cultural workers can develop ethical and respectful, reciprocal, and relational ways of working with land they visit as guests, and do not have a cultural connection, or heritage to, in particular on /in indigenous land.

The workshop will spend time listening to the land and sea scapes' innate x-stories (a new term which is more inclusive to women’s, LGBTQIA and non-hierarchical and non-patriarchal stories), to the shore, the birdlife, and human and nonhuman life that live and have lived here. We listen to local x-stories at The Várjjat Sámi Musea, Ceavccageaðge cultural heritage site, local seabird mountains, and at Cape East in Biergi/Kiberg, where Trond Henriksen is based. Henriksen is the father of dancer-choreographer-peformer Katarina Skår Lisa who takes part in the workshop as the main participant.

Food and accommodation over the three days is provided by the workshop, as well as travel expenses up to ca. €350.

The workshop will be facilitated by interdisciplinary artist, composer, land/water defender Elin Már Øyen Vister (NO) based on Røst in Lofuohhta/Lofoten, Nordlánda/Nordland who has a deep passion for deep listening as developed by the late Pauline Oliveros and for dedicating their practice to documenting the historical and contemporary decline in the sea bird populations on Røst.
Elin Már has been invited by Katarina Lisa Skår Lisa to come to Várjjat.

About
The workshops are inspired by the Sámi worldview’s deep belonging to and reciprocity to the land, as well as the non-relevance of the sharp western distinction between nature and culture. The workshops will introduce ways of negotiating site specific work in indigenous Fennoscandian Sámi lands, and enable participants to experience the interconnectedness of architecture and landscape, land- and seascape, physical and philosophical elements, circular understandings of time, with human and other living beings.

The workshops focus on sensing spaces and happenings, seeking to challenge inherited spatial conceptions through experiencing the land and meeting and listening to local people who have deep roots and knowledge, respectfully.

In this spirit the workshops work and act freely, in direct interaction with the materials, land-and seascapes, people and stories of the region and bring together experience from local knowledge keepers with people from the fields of architecture, art, sound and choreography/movement. We are looking for a combination of academic, and non-academic participants from different ages, backgrounds, ideally regional (less CO2 emissions) to take part.

How to apply:
Please send a letter of motivation explaining why you want to take part, and tell us about yourself– examples of previous work can be included– together in one pdf, no larger than 8 MB, to; nancycouling@bas.org/ before midnight, 18. April 2024

Participants will be chosen based on experience and motivation, but also on diversity to include those both within and outside academic contexts. Several places are reserved for local participants. Artists, practitioners in different fields, PhD candidates, post-docs, and sound novices or enthusiasts are encouraged to apply.

We look forward to your application and to joining us in Várjjat/Varanger in May!

More info here