6 A Toufoul Abou-Hodeib Actions of Art and Solidarity 7 C Carolina Caycedo 8 C Chimurenga 9 D Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning The notion of ‘solidarity’ has re-entered the global zeitgeist with 10 D Gitte Dæhlin resounding force in the last decade. It has driven new thinking 11 G Greenham Common focussed on countering systemic failures and outright abuses 11 Wendy Carrig related to climate, economy, surveyance, health, gender and race, 12 Tina Keane amongst other issues. ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ considers the 12 Beeban Kidron and Amanda Richardson 13 G Beatriz González central role that artists play within this historical shift in the new 14 H Maria Hupfield millennium, drawing parallels to cases of the twentieth century. Actions of Art and Solidarity 15 J Gavin Jantjes The exhibition proposes that the solidary imaginaries expressed 17 K Bouchra Khalili by artworks and embodied by specific artistic actions, are always 18 L Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge / the outcome of extensive processes of artist-led care-building. The Norwegian Solidarity Committee for Latin America These take the form of networks of personal connectivity and (Astrid and Ingrid Fadnes) empathy that artists (in alliance with everyday citizens and 19 M Naeem Mohaiemen activists) create over time around a particular issue. By configuring 20 M Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) them in works of solidarity, they inspire society at large to imagine 22 Chilean Arpilleristas 23 Gracia Barrios life differently and step forward in ways that generate profound 24 Antonio Dias transformation. 25 Öyvind Fahlström The artists presented in ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ shed 26 José Gamarra light through their works upon the trajectories past and present of 27 Gontran Guanaes Netto feminist, queer, environmental, Indigenous and Black activism, as 28 Claude Lazar well as religious, gender, sexual and political freedom movements. 29 Clemencia Lucena Contents In this regard, the exhibition showcases how individual artists, art 30 Teresa Montiel collectives, cross-disciplinary associations and art institutions 31 Ernest Pignon-Ernest receive and provide solidarity and care in order to survive in, as well 32 Alfredo Portillos as transform, the conditions that challenge our very existence. 33 Kjartan Slettemark 34 Taller 4 Rojo Discussions and exhibitions of art and solidarity in recent 35 María Teresa Toral years have given special attention to the extraordinary burst of 36 Teresa Vila transnational solidarity that flourished around the world during the 40 R Hannah Ryggen Cold War era. World War II and its aftermath catalysed a wave of 41 S Sahmat – Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust anti-colonial conflicts, many of which led to the emergence of a 41 ‘Gift for India’ (TM Azis, Dora Longo Bahia, succession of independent nations in the global south (across the Eleena Banik, Rosa Irigoyen, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, African continent and the South Asia region, for example). However, Pavan Mahatta, Eric Metcalfe, Alnoor Mitha, in some cases, this first phase of independence simply went on Prashant Munkerjee, Peter Nagel, Kavita Shah, to reveal other forms of internal colonialism (this is particularly Jin Sook Shinde and P. Srinivasan) 43 ‘The Making of India’ the case with the experience of millions of Indigenous people 43 Pablo Bartholomew across these regions for whom independence continued to mean 43 Ram Rahman colonisation); and there are various instances in which that first 44 Inder Salim phase was never attained (such as in the Middle East). 44 Vivan Sundaram The post-war, anti-colonial communities seeking new political 45 ‘Making History Our Own’ alliances beyond the super-powers (US vs Soviet Union) system 45 Pushpamala N. of the Cold War led to what has been called the Non-Aligned 45 Ram Rahman Movement, and to the myriad artistic expressions that emerged as 46 Gargi Raina a part of it. In the case of the Americas, the extreme polarisation 46 Nilima Sheikh that resulted from pitting capitalism against communism held 47 Sashi Kumar 48 Public Programme captive most of the productive and creative energy of the continent 50 Maritea Dæhlin during the twentieth century. The loss of so many lives and the 51 51 Elin Már Øyen Vister infliction of tremendous psychological pain came as a result of a 54 Acknowledgements succession of brutal dictatorships and virulent civil wars across Latin America, a direct fruit of the geo-political battle ground at stake during the Cold War.

3 From our current stand-point in the global art world (art The unprecedented events of the last years (Climate Emergency, historically, environmentally and socio-politically) it would appear MeToo, Black, Trans and Indigenous Lives Matter, as well as especially pertinent to move beyond the grand narratives that have the COVID-19 pandemic) have thrown into sharp relief, and tended to shape the history of art and solidarity during the Cold accentuated further, the many disparities and vulnerabilities War era. This exhibition eschews the past emphasis on artworks afflicting the world (human, animal, plant, and non-animate). The and processes best described as being of ‘hydraulic solidarity’ urgency of bringing back, sustaining and creating new forms of that echoed the grandiose geo-politics of the time in their scale care and solidarity is therefore today more important than ever. and in their muscular or bellicose qualities. ‘Actions of Art and Artists are agents of great power in this process. Solidarity’ recognises the mostly patriarchal (white, male-led) and The case studies included in the exhibition have been sourced

standardised character of such narratives, as well as their tendency Actions of Art and Solidarity across four continents, and cover a seventy-year time span of to homogenise and universalise difference. With this in mind, the artistic creativity. The exhibition is the result of a three-year logic of the exhibition as a whole is to emphasise overlooked artistic research period and is made possible by the various friendships, micro-narratives that constituted, arguably, the veritable and alliances and collaborations with its participants, for which we are enduring power of artists and their expressions of solidarity during deeply grateful. They include the radical Delhi-based collective the Cold War and beyond. Sahmat and its thirty-year artistic mobilisation against inter- Whilst the exhibition highlights the relevance of the Cold War religious strife in India (with works by Pushpamala N., Ram Rahman, era in generating new forms of artistic solidarity globally, it points Inder Salim, Nilima Sheikh, Vivan Sundaram and others); the too towards its precedents and successors: from the legacy of the two-decade long anti-nuclear women’s peace camp in Greenham early left-wing, avant-garde’s commitment to social justice at the Common, UK, where artists and citizens innovated non-hierarchical turn of the twentieth century, to the outburst of radical imaginaries forms of female and queer protest and co-habitation (with works of solidarity being configured in our times. The exhibition also by Tina Keane, Wendy Carrig and others); artistic and allied centres ancestral Indigenous perspectives that endure today, rarely testimonies from the legendary PLO exhibition ‘Palestinian Artists’ considered when discussing and displaying the history of artistic at Kunstnernes Hus, 1981; the radical museology of the Museo de solidarity. la Solidaridad Salvador (with works by Chilean Arpilleristas, Gracia

This point is of particular relevance for the growing wave Introduction Barrios, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Öyvind Fahlström, Claude Lazar, of voices in the art world interested in challenging modernism Kjartan Slettemark and Teresa Vila, amongst others, as well as (whether western or non-western) as the only optics from which archival material); artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s collaboration to narrate creative processes globally. On the one hand, from an with whistle-blower and technologist Chelsea Manning; personal Indigenous perspective solidarity is understood as a relational and stories from the forty-year commitment of the Norwegian intrinsic value. It is to be found in the essence of Indigenous being, Solidarity Committee for Latin America; as well as artworks and doing and thinking that prioritises the sustaining of harmonious contributions by Carolina Caycedo, Chimurenga, Gitte Dæhlin, relations with others (human, animate and non-animate). It is Maritea Dæhlin, Beatríz González, Maria Hupfield, Gavin Jantjes, thus not an external factor that needs to be invoked; it pervades Bouchra Khalili, Naeem Mohaiemen, Elin Már Øyen Vister and instead all forms of creative practices. On the other hand, Hannah Ryggen. Indigenous conceptions of solidarity are ‘grounded’ in the specific site that a community co-inhabits with its other living and non- living elements. From this epistemological (knowledge-based) perspective, the much-used term ‘transnational solidarity’ loses much of its relevance. ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ is an exhibition that looks back in time and forward into the future to consider the extraordinary ability of artists, art collectives and art institutions to narrate and build empathy around fundamental global conflicts and injustices, and provide the radical imaginaries of care and solidarity that can stimulate their resolution. The exhibition is housed in Kunstnernes Hus (The Artists House, Oslo) an institution that has played a recurrent part in Norway’s own contribution to artistic solidarities – from hosting Pablo Picasso’s Guernica in 1938 during its world tour, to presenting exhibitions of solidarity with other parts of the world.

4 5 Toufoul Abou-Hodeib Carolina Caycedo

The exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus was conceived by Mona Saudi as part of a series of initiatives by the Plastic Arts Section of the PLO to activate art and the exhibition format as a means of providing a Palestinian perspective and catalysing international solidarity in their struggle for statehood and human rights. Earlier

initiatives, as recounted by Saudi in letters Actions of Art and Solidarity to Kunstnernes Hus, included exhibitions of Palestinian Resistance in Tehran (1977), the International Art Exhibition for Palestine in Beirut (1978), an exhibition in Mãe das aguas livres The Traveling Scarf Three digital film Mona Saudi 20’37”, Tokyo for Palestinian artists, which was I (Mother of the Free and Other Stories: Art interviews, with Samia Halaby 20’46”, Waters I), 2019 Networks, Politics, artist Mona Saudi, Ebba Wergeland and joined by 300 Japanese artists expressing Part of the and Friendships artist Samia Halaby Eldbjørg Holte 19’50” solidarity (1978), an exhibition of Palestinian Cosmotarrayas series between Palestine and activists and Courtesy of Toufoul posters in Beirut (1979), and exhibitions for Courtesy of the artist and Instituto de Visión, and Norway, 2020 members of the Abou-Hodeib and Palestinian artists in the Oriental Museum Palestine Committee OCA Bogotá of Norway, Ebba Commissioned and of Moscow (1979), among others. Wergeland and produced by OCA OCA commissioned Toufoul Abou- Eldbjørg Holte Hodeib (b. 1975), Lebanese-Palestinian A central aspect of Los Angeles-based For the artist, the nets embody the scholar and Associate Professor of Colombian artist Carolina Caycedo’s (b. knowledge of their makers as well as their History at the University of Oslo, to pair 1978) practice is a long-term engagement users. Thrown by hand thousands of times Dear Chairman, dear friends, thank you for her ongoing research with a deeper with rivers and river-based communities into the same rivers over many generations, your warm friendship and solidarity. We investigation into the historic display of (Indigenous and non-Indigenous). the nets point to land sovereignty, are continuing to work in spite of the hard Palestinian art within the very walls of Caycedo transforms fishing nets into independent livelihoods and sustainable situation, which is becoming our daily life. the present exhibition. Who were the

Carolina Caycedo Carolina three-dimensional forms, highlighting co-existence between humans and nature. So wrote Mona Saudi (b. 1945), personalities, in Norway, Beirut and further ways of knowing, being and doing that are In Caycedo’s practice, the nets often also Jordanian sculptor and founding director afield, who made the exhibition happen? Abou-Hodeib Toufoul interlinked with rivers and bodies of water. speak of the dispossession that persistently of the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s What were their motivations? What were The nets reflect the web of embodied confronts land- and water-protectors in Plastic Arts Section, in a letter from Beirut the networks of Palestinian solidarity that knowledges connecting essential elements the midst of exploitative water privatisation to Thorstein Rittun, director of Kunstnernes pre-existed and deepened around this of water, land, humans and animals, past initiatives and industrial activity across Hus in Oslo (1978–83) in June 1981. event? How did friendships establish crucial and present. Colombia and Brazil. The letter was one of many exchanged links in these networks? And what made The Cosmotarrayas series includes As an artist and nature-guardian, regarding the organisation of the large Kunstnernes Hus such a receptive partner large hanging sculptures assembled with Caycedo has long participated in group exhibition ‘Palestinske kunstnere’ in disseminating solidarity for Palestinian handmade, hand-dyed fishing nets and movements of territorial resistance and (‘Palestinian Artists’) at Kunstnernes Hus, artists? other objects gifted to the artist during solidarity initiatives with those communities which opened in November 1981. The Abou-Hodeib conducted new interviews field research in river communities in whose lives are under existential threat exhibition included some fifteen artists and with Mona Saudi in Beirut, participating Colombia and Brazil, many of whom have due to systematic ecocide at the hands nearly 100 works, all of which were for sale artist Samia Halaby in New York and been deeply affected by privatisation and of heavy industry. Her work contributes in support of the artists and the Palestinian activists and members of the Norwegian the destruction of waterways in their home to the construction of environmental cause. There were also plans to open a fund Palestine Committee Ebba Wegeland lands. Atarraya comes from the Arab word historical memory to end the repetition of during the exhibition for donations ‘for and Eldbjørg Holte in Oslo. The result is atarrahar, which means to throw; this part violence against human and non-human establishing a Palestinian Museum’ (Letter three short films that assemble previously of the series connects with the cosmos entities, as well as generating debate from Mona Saudi to Torstein Rittun 28 July unpublished perspectives on the Oslo to highlight the worldviews of the people about the kinship between humanity and 1981, co-signed by Vesla Lange-Nielsen). event, across different geographical Caycedo has met and worked with. The nature, environmental justice, Indigenous The exhibition continued to Kristiansand, and socio-political contexts, and bring Cosmotarrayas become centerpieces in perspectives and cultural biodiversity. where it opened at the Christianssands together complimentary material from the actions conducted in non-art world settings Kunstforening on 17 January the following Kunstnernes Hus archive held by Norway’s such as gatherings in the communities year. National Museum Documents Archive where the nets originated, and in nature- (Dokumentasjonsarkivet/NMFK/KH/Dba/ guardian conferences dedicated to the L0008). protection and preservation of rivers and their ecosystems.

6 7 Chimurenga Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning Actions of Art and Solidarity

Pan African Space Station Courtesy of Chimurenga and PASS / Deichman Books Broadcasting Probably Chelsea, 2017 from Cape Town, Courtesy of the artists panafricanspacestation. and Fridman Gallery, org.za New York

Chimurenga is an editorial platform Chimurenga approaches the phenomenon Probably Chelsea by US artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg’s sculpture is a solidarity founded by Ntone Edjabe in 2002. Its of FESTAC ‘77 in all its dizzying complexity, Dewey-Hagborg (b. 1982) and Chelsea E. work operating across both the complexity publishing outlets and channels of following a ‘decomposed, an-arranged and Manning (b. 1987) is a sculptural installation of this technology and Chelsea Manning’s dissemination include the Chimurenga reproduced’ methodology (as described consisting of thirty algorithmically own story as a transwoman, activist, Magazine, The Chronic, and Pan-African in the recently published book Festac generated 3-D portraits based on Chelsea whistleblower and former US Army Space Station radio, and it has embarked on ‘77). Forgoing an attempt to explain what Manning’s DNA installed at different human intelligence analyst sentenced to prison in in-depth publication projects such as The FESTAC was, Chimurenga presents instead heights so as to resemble a diverse crowd. 2013 for leaking over 750,000 classified African Cities Reader and FESTAC ‘77. a kaleidoscopic patchwork of archival DNA phenotyping allows the prediction and sensitive US Army files (documenting For ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’, reportage, testimony, reflection and an of likely physical traits based on analysis war crimes) to WikiLeaks. Exposing the Chimurenga presents a new week-long abundance of material revealing the spirit and interpretation of genotype information inaccuracy and bias involved in DNA radio programme on its Pan African of FESTAC and its reception globally. stored in DNA samples. Genotype DNA phenotyping, the multiplicity of ‘likely’ Space Station (PASS) radio channel, The dedicated radio programming stores a lot more information than what is Chelsea portraits in Probably Chelsea commissioned by OCA. This includes is complemented by a space for reading expressed in physical traits (phenotype) become in fact an image of difference. conversations and recordings that explore organised by Chimurenga within the such as skin colour, eye colour and many The work thus echoes the vast array of forms of solidarity during FESTAC ‘77 and bookshop and reading room at Kunstnernes other variables. This, together with the fact voices around the world who through online other Pan African festivals of the post- Hus, where visitors can engage with books that human identity is extremely diverse channels, pride marches and letters of independence era, the South African and visual material used by Chimurenga in and dynamic, means that DNA phenotyping, support have called for Manning’s release liberation movement, as well as a special the production of the PASS programming. especially when used by law enforcement, from prison and helped raise money to pay conversation with Arild Boman, the risks employing outdated and racist notions for her court fees. Resisting the use of Pan African – Chimurenga Space Station (PASS)

Norwegian scientist and experimental Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning of biologically inscribed identity. It can technology solely as a reinforcement of the musician who co-organised the FESTAC ‘77 reinforce images of criminal stereotypes, stereotypical notions of gender and race, Video Art Workshop. on the back of a long history of biased Dewey-Hagborg appropriates it in order FESTAC ‘77, otherwise known as the image technologies originating in the late to take advantage of its inherent biases Second World Black and African Festival of nineteenth century (including, for example, and inaccuracies to forge instead what she Arts and Culture, took place in Lagos, Nigeria Francis Galton’s composite photography calls a ‘molecular solidarity’. Manning, who in 1977. It was a legendary event in the and Cesare Lombroso’s pseudo-theories of underwent gender conforming therapy deeply networked histories of Pan-African physiognomy). while incarcerated, contributed to the piece artistic solidarity and cultural organising. by sending the artist saliva and hair samples Taking its cue from the First World Festival in the mail. She was released from prison in of Black Arts in Dakar, Senegal (1966), the March 2020. twenty-nine-day extravaganza in Lagos brought together a wide array of Black visual artists, poets, musicians, writers, performers, activists and politicians from around the globe, generating jubilation and praise as well as pointed critique.

8 9 Gitte Dæhlin Greenham Common Actions of Art and Solidarity

Hun som Bærer Minnet om denne Jorda, Hvor Bærer denne Jorda Henne? (She Who Carries Wendy Carrig the Memory of this Earth, Hats, from her Greenham Where Does this Earth Common photography Carry Her?), 1981–83 series, 1985 Courtesy of Maritea Series of 25 photographs Dæhlin Courtesy of the artist

Gitte Dæhlin (1956–2012) was a Norwegian This reality led Dæhlin to commit her life The Greenham Common Women’s Peace Wendy Carrig artist who moved to Mexico in the late to activism, as well as art. These two roles Camp operated a nineteen-year-long British photographer Wendy Carrig’s (b. 1970s. never merged publically, since she didn’t campaign of protests against the UK’s 1960) black and white photos capture with Her sculpture She Who Carries the speak much about her political engagement participation in the escalation of military tender detail the daily lives of the women Memory of this Earth, Where Does this and didn’t want her art to have a reductive infrastructure during the Cold War and, in in the Greenham Common Peace Camp. Gitte Dæhlin Earth Carry Her?, made of leather, textile interpretation. Yet if She Who Carries the particular, against the US-owned nuclear Taken for a college project on a Nikon Fe and horse hair, presents a woman carrying Memory of this Earth, Where Does this ballistic and cruise missiles station in 35mm camera, the images document how

an almost unbearably heavy load, whose Earth Carry Her? is read in the context in Common Greenham Berkshire, England. In September 1981, these women carved out a space to live naked feet connect her directly with the which it was created, it must be a call to during the early Thatcher years, thousands upon their own terms by inventing new Earth. The sculpture places the woman, the question the conflicted realities in Mexico. of women activists gathered to resist the forms of being, innovating and resisting Indigenous, the one who guards the land, Perhaps that this woman exposes the Cold War nuclear arms race and expose together. In this series Carrig reveals a form who takes care of it and enables it to grow, failure of class and race-led hegemonies its gendered nature; Their actions have of daily living whose intimacy is familiar yet at its centre. Dæhlin’s practice falls within and ruling constituencies and asks that gone down in history as an unprecedented non-conformative. United in resistance the long history of artists in Latin America Indigenous communities and particularly excercise in social empowerment through and through the practice of care – for advocating social justice for Indigenous women be included in democratic non-nuclear family structures and queer each other, for marginalised groups and for communities. governance? cohabitation. Finding strength in numbers – the planet – the women, across all ages, Before moving to Oaxaca, Dæhlin Dæhlin’s life and work preveals up to 70,000 at the height of their activities classes and backgrounds, embarked on a spent over two decades in Chiapas working solidarity networks between Mexico and – their solidarity practices interconnected long-term dedication to one cause. The closely with the local community, at a time Norway, and across generations. Dæhlin’s the pioneering thinking of women and peace camp enabled a nineteen-year-long when the Zapatistas were consolidating daughter is Maritea Dæhlin, also a part queer people with essential concerns suspension of patriarchy, heteronormativity as a movement that would call globally for of this exhibition; she represents a third of the time, notably care in society, and the hegemony of the traditional family agricultural, land and Indigenous rights, and generation of engaged female artists environmental protection and peaceful nucleus, a liberating context that led to the operate locally through intense solidarity, initiated by her grandmother the ceramicist habitation of the world. The experimental emergence of new forms of artistic and resilience and resurgence actions. This Lisbeth Dæhlin (1922–2012). Gitte Dæhlin and long-lasting duration of the camp social solidarity, and to the closure of the period in Mexico’s history became infamous was among the first students to attend enabled new forms of artistic and social nuclear base. with stolen elections, corruption and Vestlandets Kunstakademi from 1974–77, solidarity to be conceived, tested out and mismanaged natural resources, as well as studying under Bård Breivik and Morten transmitted (often through an abundance natural disasters, that plunged the country Krogh. Krogh’s solidarity work within of song) across the various generations into a social and financial crisis. the GRAS artist group, and as director of artists and peers who spent time there. of Kunstnernes Hus, were influential for Greenham Common is a historic reference Dæhlin’s early work. point for current thinking on what a zone free of heteronormativity (the presumption that there are only two genders) and patriarchy would look like, as well as on the possibilities to collectively act upon climate urgency and against nuclear development.

10 11 Beatriz González Actions of Art and Solidarity

Mural para fábrica socialista (Mural for Socialist Factory), detail, 1981 Tina Keane Courtesy of Tina Beeban Kidron and Courtesy of Concord Courtesy of Colección de In Our Hands, Keane, England & Amanda Richardson Media Arte del Museo de Arte – Greenham, 1982–84 Co. Gallery and LUX, Carry Greenham Dirección de Patrimonio 38’0” London Home, 1983 Cultural – Universidad 69’0” Nacional de Colombia

Tina Keane Beeban Kidron and Amanda Richardson Artist and educator Beatriz González was By reproducing ‘masterpieces’ such as A forerunner of multimedia art in the UK Shot between December 1982 and June born in 1938, the same year one of the Guernica, González proposes an approach Tina Keane (b. 1940) is a British artist who 1983 by UK filmmakers Beeban Kidron (b. most celebrated world icons of anti-war to art history from a non-European has worked with film, video, digital media 1961) and Amanda Richardson, the film sentiment and solidarity, Guernica by perspective, highlighting the relativity of and performance, and was a founding Carry Greenham Home is a testament to Pablo Picasso, was exhibited in Oslo at the western artistic canon, and questioning member of the non-profit women’s the solidarity shared by the women and Kunstnernes Hus. She grew up in the midst the materials and the assumed status film distribution organisation Circles – queer people of the Greenham Common Beatriz González of what is known in her native Colombia of universality often given to so-called

Women in Distribution. Incorporating a Peace Camp. The film documents the Common Greenham as ‘La Violencia’ (The Violence). This era canonical works. In Mural González set out strong decorative aesthetic with personal unbridled determination and sheer joy with was marked by a series of tragic events, to explore what Guernica would look like narratives, and building on her pioneering which they organised their solidarity work, starting with the murder of the leader of the had it been created in Colombia, with the work in experimental film, video and and their protest against the presence Liberal Party, Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in 1948 artist trading out the graphic black and performance from the 1970s and early of nuclear weapons and cruise missiles and culminating with the Frente Nacional white style of the original for a full colour, 1980s, her practice reflects a feminist at a Royal Air Force base operated by the (National Front) in 1958, a political coalition more emotional rendition in tiles. perspective often exploring gender roles, United States in Berkshire, England. The that led to deeper schisms and the creation In the 1930s and 1940s Guernica became sexuality and political concerns. film explores the dynamic of the Greenham of new guerrilla groups, some of which are a sensation as it travelled the world in Keane’s experimental video work Common Peace Camp as a deeply rooted still active today in the unresolved armed solidarity with victims of the Spanish Civil interlaces political and poetic imagery expression of women-led non-hierarchical conflict in Colombia. War, becoming in the process one of the from the Greenham Common camp and collective action, documenting how tens A child of these historical conditions, twentieth century’s most famous anti- the fence perimeter separating the peace of thousands of women put their bodies González decided to address violence war and solidarity symbols. Lending its camp from the US Air Force base. Filtered on the line in the face of constant police from an angle that differed from that iconic depiction of war to other pacifist through the outlines of her hands, and harassment and harsh conditions to make played out in the media: zooming in on the causes, various artists across the world accompanied by protest songs recorded a stand for peace against the illogic of the traces produced by conflict rather than on have embraced Guernica in their own acts at the camp, and a personal voice-over, male-dominated militarisation and nuclear the violence itself. Combining materials of solidarity and protest. González chose the work reminds us why the feminist politics that drove the Cold War and as the like newspaper cuttings, painting and to form part of this lineage; The fact that slogan ‘The personal is political’ became film makes clear, they did it all while singing. domestic materials such as tiles, curtains she did so after visiting a Socialist factory so important in queer and second-wave Carry Greenham Home makes abundantly and furniture, González creates parallel in Cuba exemplifies the commitment to the feminist western movements. In Our Hands, clear how the women of the camp rooted images that destabilise the presentations of long legacy of socialist politics and artistic Greenham highlights the transformative their organising, action, protest and violence in the Colombian media and open solidarity of the Left across Latin America and emancipatory capacity of women and solidarity within the creative practices of up a space for the micro-narratives usually by one of its most influential artists. queer people at a time of fixed gender art, music, dance and costuming, providing hidden by the spectacularisation of major definitions and male-led military escalation. the blueprints for another kind of social events by the media. organisation that challenges the militarised patriarchal absurdity that produced nuclear weapons in the first place.

12 13 Maria Hupfield Gavin Jantjes Actions of Art and Solidarity

Land Solidarity, 2020 A South African Courtesy of Arts Courtesy of the artist Colouring Book, 1989 Council Collection, Series of eleven prints Southbank Centre, and one edition cover London

Maria Hupfield’s (b. 1975) work Land solidarity between Indigenous peoples, Comprising eleven screen prints with networks; soon after two works related to Solidarity displays language and symbols of settlers, non-Indigenous peers and people collage and one edition cover, Gavin the series, Freedom Hunters and No More solidarity in relation to Indigenous land and of colour. Similar banners have been Jantjes’s South African Colouring Book (both 1977), were included in the notorious, territorial acknowledgements on a painted activated during live performances in art combines the seeming innocence of a large-scale, ‘Art Contre/Against Apartheid’ banner with textual patterns similar to spaces, including during ‘Àbadakone / child’s drawing book with imagery and exhibition, which travelled the world in Gavin Jantjes concrete poetry. Continuous Fire / Feu Continuel’ at the Hupfield Maria text dealing with the racist and violent solidarity with the South African liberation Hupfield is an Anishinaabe woman from National Gallery of Canada in 2019. realities of apartheid South Africa. Playing struggle. Jantjes was the only South African the Wasauksing First Nation, and a resident As Assistant Professor at the University on the multiple meanings and uses of the represented in this exhibition which was of Toronto, working with performance art, of Toronto Mississauga’s Department of word ‘colour’, from printing blocks and overwhelmingly composed by a who’s who concrete poetry and installation. Through Visual Studies Hupfield is undertaking colour codes to its central place within of international art stars (predominantly her actions and works, she expresses her a five-year research programme in the apartheid regime’s system of racial western, male and white), highlighting one advocacy for Anishinaabek Womanism and Indigenous Digital Arts and Performance. classification, the works collage personal of the pitfalls of international solidarity Indigenous Feminisms, and calls for critical Here, one of her principle aims is to items such as Jantjes’ own apartheid- actions, namely the asymmetrical power accountability and awakened solidarity with further the accountability of universities era passport identifying him as ‘Cape relations they often represented . Indigenous peoples. to Indigenous people. The project models Coloured’, together with the artist’s Jantjes, who based in Oslo for many Land Solidarity is one of a series of new ways of connecting with Indigenous drawings and writings, photographic years, has also been a central figure in recent banners by Hupfield that combine communities through art-based practices, negatives, citations from anti-colonial Norwegian art both as an artist and in conceptual text-based art with concrete the establishment of respectful long-term literature and other found items such as his previous institutional roles as Senior poetry and performance. In this exhibition relationships with Indigenous peoples and newspaper clippings and bureaucratic Curator of International Art at Norway’s Hupfield will intervene through OCA’s social land. The concrete outcomes will become reporting. National Museum and as Artistic Director of media campaign. blueprints for further collaborations with Born in Cape Town, South Africa, the Henie Onstad Art Center. In the last decades land Indigenous peoples grounded in non- Jantjes (b. 1948) produced the works from acknowledgements in Turtle Island / competitive community building, social art 1974–75 in Hamburg, Germany, where he Canada have become a regular practice practices, wellness, Indigenous knowledge, had previously studied art at the Staatliche among local non-Indigenous officialdom. land sovereignty, and LGBTQ2+ inclusivity. Hochschule für bildende Künste. For However, in their daily use, these Jantjes, the Colouring Book was his ‘first acknowledgements have often lost their step out of the culture of silence’ and, in an critical engagement that they set out overt gesture of solidarity, he dedicated the to catalyse. Hupfield’s work underlines project to ‘all those struggling for humanity the fact that critical accountability to and human rights’. The prints reproduce the Indigenous nations (and to their work for ghastly commonplaces of South Africa’s resurgence, decolonisation and reclamation recent history, including the omnipresent of Indigenous homelands in North America ‘Whites Only’ signs that served as blunt and beyond) requires active reciprocity encapsulations of apartheid reality. This from the settler community. Therefore series constitutes Jantjes’ first engagement the work calls for the building of radical with internationalist artistic solidarity

14 15 ‘Art Contre/Against Apartheid’ – The shortfalls of Art Against Apartheid Bouchra Khalili divergent perspectives were eventually overcome, when, three years later, in 1986, the UN Committee Inspired by the radical solidarity practices Against Apartheid partnered with IKON, of the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador a radical cultural magazine based in New Allende (MSSA) and Museo Internacional York, to support the production of a special de la Resistencia Salvador Allende (MIRSA), double issue that also came under the the artists Ernest Pignon-Ernest and banner Art Against Apartheid. Antonio Saura opened a large exhibition in This special double issue of IKON is a solidarity with the South African liberation rich source of internationalist solidarity struggle. Under the banner ‘Art Contre/ against apartheid. Unlike the Pignon- Actions of Art and Solidarity Against Apartheid’, the show boasted Ernest/Saura exhibition, it is rooted donated works from nearly 100 artists, in intersectional Black intellectual and including well-known figures like Christian artistic voices, while extending to include Boltanski, Donald Judd, Wilfredo Lam, contributions from a diverse range of Roberto Matta, Robert Rauschenberg and people. In the introduction, Alice Walker The Tempest Society, 2017 Antoni Tàpies. The endeavour was affiliated recounts her own awakening to the reality 60’00” with and supported by the United Nations of ‘modern day slavery and massive Commissioned for Committee Against Apartheid and tied into physical, spiritual, and cultural genocide’ documenta 14 in South Africa in her lifetime, and later, Courtesy of the artist and larger networks of solidarity and protest Mor Charpentier, Paris. throughout international cultural fields. her disheartening experiences trying to Gavin Jantjes’ South African Colouring raise awareness of the urgency of the issue among otherwise ‘hip’ white communities Book (1989), was the only South African The video installation The Tempest Society deliver a script, seated upon empty stage of in the United States. Following Walker’s to be included in the Pignon-Ernest/ draws from the radical work of the political the Athens Festival Theatre on 260 Peiraios introduction are 180 pages of poems, Saura project (which took the two artists street-theatre group Al Assifa (Arabic for Street, that they developed together with essays, photography, artworks, song years of mobilisation and organisation to ‘the tempest’) and brings it into coexisten- the artist. The three youths are joined by scores, interviews and testimonies in realise). The concept of the exhibition was ce with, amongst other similar histories, actual bodies on stage (such as the last to produce a collection that would travel solidarity with South African’s living under Gavin Jantjes

Bouchra Khalili the recent European financial and refugee remaining Al Assifa founder Philippe Tan- apartheid. With some 115 contributors, the the world in solidarity with South Africa’s crisis as well as the solidarity networks that celin), as well as by sounds, words, images issue included an entire section dedicated liberation struggle and would be donated emerged from it, particularly in Greece. and historical incarnations. Different voices to ‘South Africans Speak’ with entries from to the South African government once Founded in France (1972–78) by Moha- are thus channelled through them and Benjamin Moloise, Jeanne Moutoussamy- apartheid had been defeated. In addition med Bachiri (Mokhtar), Geneviève Clancy blended with their own personal experien- Ashe, Helen Joseph, Phumzile Zulu, among to original artworks, artists donated and Philippe Tancelin, Al Assifa emerged ces of racism and xenophobia. Their words others, and presented various further editioned posters (which were sold to from the Movement for Arab Workers (MTA) jump across space and time as the video contributions from figures such as Cheryl fund the effort), and a catalogue was that claimed the legacy of the Pan-Arab documents the scattered remnants of Al Clarke, Audre Lorde, Bernice Johnson made that included an essay by Jacques revolutionaries and reacted to the exclusion Assifa’s performances and shows how their Reagon, Sonia Sanchez, Sekou Sundiata Derrida in which the famed French theorist of immigrants in France from trade union initiatives connect to a network of solidarity and art-world figures like Emma Amos, Eva deconstructed the illogic of apartheid and power. The idea for the company had been actions spanning the last the hundred years. Cockcroft, Lucy Lippard, Jimmie Durham, unveiled its incontrovertible connection germinating since 1970, when the Palestine The Tempest Society was commissi- Willie Birch, Faith Ringgold, Nancy Spero, to European modernism and European Committee offered to set up a ‘revoluti- oned for documenta 14 (2017) which, for Leon Golub and Blaise Tobia. intellectual history. onary theatre’ to catalyse greater under- the first time, split its presence between While praising the determination standing of the struggles of Arab migrants. Athens and Kassel. In so doing documenta and force of will that led Pignon-Ernest The group made little distinction between 14 highlighted the spatio-temporal and and Saura, to realise the project, Jantjes theatre and life to fight racism, to demand political differences between Europe’s observes the fact that the exhibition was humane working and living conditions for poles, revealing the narratives of migration, overwhelmingly made up of white male immigrant workers, and advocate equality debt, and inequality that connect them. In artists, a reality that ironically reflected and solidarity. the film, however, the spatio-temporalities the racist, misogynistic, and exclusionary Bouchra Khalili’s video installation wea- of 1970s Paris and contemporary Athens tendencies of Anglo-European art in the ves a genealogy of co-existing historic and are interlinked with those of 1920s Aleppo 1970s and 1980s, even as they raised their present struggles that have generated new and Crete in the first decade of the new voice in protest against apartheid. coalitions of solidarity. Constantly swit- millennium, amongst others, bringing the ching between historical citation and per- solidarity work of Al Assifa into proximity sonal narrative, the characters in the video with parallel movements. In so doing Khali- embody the recurrent motif of the ‘civic li’s The Tempest Society reveals Greece as poet’ in Khalili’s practice, speaking through a crucible of transnational and overlapping the individual to activate the societal voice. global interests, as well as a generative site It is in this spirit that the video is led by for the myriad grass-roots initiatives of Athenians Isavella, Elias and Giannis who solidarity that unfolded in their wake.

16 The Norwegian Solidarity Committee for Latin America / Naeem Mohaiemen Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge – Astrid and Ingrid Fadnes

Every embroidered element bears witness to a story and is paired to a corresponding text in the accompanying booklet. Some patches also have a soundtrack of music, interviews or voice recordings, accessible by scanning the QR code. Individually, they speak of events, meetings, confrontations, reflections and more. Actions of Art and Solidarity When these micro-narratives are stitched together, their testimonies of solidarity traverse geographies, times, spaces and generations. The patchwork comes to life through the collectivity of people who have Solidarity Patchwork. Courtesy of the Two Meetings and a Patching Stories artists, contributors been, and are, a part of LAG. Funeral, 2017 of Solidarity / and LAG Norge LAG’s mission, as described by the Three-channel digital Solidaritetsteppet, video installation 2021 Fadnes sisters, is ‘to fight capitalism, in all its forms and representations, and 85’00” Courtesy of the artist Memory is an irreplaceable fundament for to make way for perspectives that can our struggle. It is precious and therefore challenge the hegemonic world order.’ always under constant threat of being taken The organisation was established in the During the Cold War, on the back of the hoped to reconfigure planetary leadership’, from us. This patchwork wants to protect late 1970s, building upon the political and nuclear arms race and space exploration, and the dynamics behind the movement’s our collective memory, let it live and extend solidarity work of a network of groups and the ideologies of the Soviet Union and the failure to achieve its ends. its creation. Its threads are as strong as individuals who worked side by side with United States jockeyed for dominance Two Meetings and a Funeral narrates the tendons of reindeers, as the rivers exiled Chilean activists against the brutal of the globe’s political imaginary. Old NAM’s attempts to generate a political running like veins through our landscapes, Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. LAG has colonial systems broke down and a wave of network of state-based solidarity – as robust as the mountains that give us always been an activist-driven organisation independence movements swept the global facilitated through principles such as ‘if protection, and as vigorous as the ceiba, the with small satellite working branches. Naeem Mohaiemen Naeem south. Billions of people and many newly one country is attacked all are attacked’ sacred tree, that will guard and nourish our Since 1982, the group has collaborated with formed nation-states sought new alliances, – that could exist outside of the polarised memory. – Astrid and Ingrid Fadnes social movements, left-political parties believing that neither the liberalism of ideological dominance of both western and collectives in Latin America through the United States nor the Soviet Union’s liberal capitalism and Soviet communism. A new work commissioned especially the project Solidarity Brigades. More than communism adequately represented their As the Mozambican poet, revolutionary and for this exhibition, Solidarity Patchwork a thousand people have participated in the social and political world views. politician Marcelinos dos Santos espouses comprises a textile work, a collection of solidarity brigades over the years, a project The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was in archival footage from the NAM Summit texts and a sound library conveying stories that continues today. born of an impulse to create alternative in Algeria in 1973 reproduced in the film, of solidarity connected to Norway’s forty- Solidarity Patchwork is inspired and built orbits of political representation and NAM’s goals were first and foremost for year solidarity association, the Latin- through the creation of ‘living memories’ global influence independent from their non-aligned nations to govern their own Amerikagruppene i Norge (The Norwegian with work groups connecting Sápmi and the colonisers of old, and thus moving beyond natural resources. He lays this down as a Solidarity Committee for Latin America Zapatista Indigenous territories of Chiapas major East/West power blocs. Yugoslavia’s prerequisite to national independence and – LAG Norge). The patchwork has been in Mexico, with Guatemala and the landless President Josip Tito, India’s first post- sovereignty in the new post-independence generated through the solidarity work of movement in Brazil. Astrid and Ingrid independence Prime Minister Jawaharlal landscape. two of its leading members, Astrid (b. 1990) Fadnes note that ‘Memories are not frozen Nehru, Egypt’s second president Gamal Ultimately, as the film explores, NAM and Ingrid Fadnes (b. 1983). A collective in the past, they live through us, as we Abdel Nasser Hussain, Ghana’s founding faced enormous pressure from Soviet and evolving piece, it comprises over 100 continue to walk, to act, to dream, to resist, president Kwame Nkrumah and Indonesia’s and western bloc meddling, from internal contributions from individuals or groups to exist. This patchwork is our collective first President Sukarno were central figures currents of Islamisation, as well as from with a past or present connection to LAG memory, still under construction, as we in the establishment of the Non-Aligned a steady loss over time of transnational Norge. An ancestral way of telling stories continueQR-kode generator - Lag gratisto QR-koder breathe.’ https://www.qr-kode.no/ Movement, which first formally convened in solidarity. According to some of the film’s through textiles, the piece is accompanied Belgrade in 1961. protagonists, whilst the group pioneered by texts and sounds: the patchwork and Bangladeshi artist Naeem Mohaiemen’s new forms of political imaginaries and its narrative will continue to grow during (b. 1969) video Two Meetings and a Funeral, solidarities, all radical aspirations that and after the exhibition as new patches are a three-channel video weaving together underpinned its beginnings were rapidly made. new interviews, architectural explorations whittled down to just a few traces.

and archival footage, explores both NAM’s potential as, in the words of one of the film’s producers Natasha Ginwala, The Norwegian Solidarity Committee for Latin America / Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge a ‘utopian forum where the global south

18 19

1 av 1 24.11.20, 09.04 Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende / Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende (MSSA)

The now legendary Operación Verdad Between 1975 and 1990, the Museum was Whilst containing major works by well- (Operation Truth) was launched in Chile transformed into the Museo Internacional known artists like Alexander Calder, in 1971 by the newly elected socialist de la Resistencia (MIRSA) – International Lygia Clark, Roberto Matta, Joan Miró democracy government of Salvador Museum of Resistance Salvador Allende. and Frank Stella, the MSSA’s collection Allende, to resist an international and This decision was made to bring greater is mostly composed of works by artists defamatory campaign by US-backed visibility to the resistance movement by outside of the western art canon. The right-wing opposition forces. Reflecting Chilean exiles and their allies globally. utopian idea of creating a museum based Allende’s commitment to the centrality of In its new form MIRSA constituted itself on donations organised on the rationale of solidarity distinguishes the Museum art in society (and the rights of the working as a museum in exile, exhibiting parts of Actions of Art and Solidarity classes to access culture), Operación its collection internationally. Its radical from the neoliberal and market logics that Verdad was an unprecedented move practice was an inspiration to other projects increasingly structure museums today. conceived to counter disinformation and such as ‘Art Contre/Against Apartheid’ Instead, the MSSA offers an enduring and resist the attack. Through it, Chile opened (1983) and the Plastic Art Section of the resilient model of alternative museological its doors to international journalists, PLO’s exhibition in Beirut (1978). Different standards in which a major art institution intellectuals, artists and others interested organisations launched support committees can organise and structure itself around a in witnessing and bringing testimony to help continue the collection of artworks radical dedication to democracy, equality globally to the democratic reality of the in exile as a symbolic support for Chilean and social justice. country. One such visitor was the Spanish democracy. The Coordinados desde Casa art critic José María Moreno Galván who, de las Américas (Cuba) (Coordinators from while on his trip, came up with the idea of the House of the Americas) were among creating a museum based on the donations the first to do so, with similar initiatives of artists wishing to express solidarity with following in Panama, Colombia, Sweden,

Chile’s new democracy. Joining forces with Poland, Finland, Algeria and other countries. MSSA the Brazilian art critic and curator Mario The Pinochet regime did its best to Pedrosa, then in exile in Chile, they took the erase the material and symbolic power of idea to President Allende. The Museo de la the Museum globally, given its power as Solidaridad was born soon afterwards. a symbol of solidarity and democracy in Chaired by Pedrosa, the Comité Chile (both hallmarks of Allende’s ideology). Internacional de Solidaridad Artística con However, a sustained international outcry Chile (CISAC) (International Committee of in response to the dramatic turn of events Artistic Solidarity with Chile) was mandated led to a number of important displays of to initiate the Museum’s collection. It did solidarity with the people of Chile. Amongst so by launching an open global call that them was the Venice Biennale whose 1974 rapidly generated hundreds of donations by edition was called ‘Libertà per il Cile’ a wide range of European, Latin American (Freedom for Chile), and the newly formed and US artists, aided by local art critics and Artists for Democracy group founded by intellectuals in liaison with Chile’s Ministry Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña, Argentine of Foreign Affairs and their outposts in artist David Medalla, British artist John Mexico, Spain, France, Argentina and the Dugger, and British critic Guy Brett who UK, among other countries. in 1974 organised the ‘Arts Festival for The US-backed military coup d’état Democracy in Chile’ at The Royal College of of 1973, and Allende’s death as a result, Art in London. brought a violent end to Latin America’s With the end of Pinochet’s dictatorship, first socialist democracy and ushered in MIRSA was able to return to Chile in 1991 the right-wing dictatorship of General to fulfil its original mission, transforming Augusto Pinochet, who held power until into the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador 1990. All those working with the MSSA, as Allende (MSSA), and has operated in this well as large parts of the collection, were form until today. In 2005, MSSA created forced into immediate exile in Cuba, Mexico the Fundación Arte y Solidaridad (FAS) and France, amongst other locations. (The Art and Solidarity Foundation), In the process many pieces were lost, which took charge of the administration, confiscated by the Pinochet government or dissemination, investigation and destroyed, while others that had been held safeguarding of the collection. at embassies or in customs were returned to the donors for their safety.

20 21 Chilean Arpilleristas Gracia Barrios Actions of Art and Solidarity

Untitled, c. 1973–85 Multitud III All works Courtesy of (Multitude III), 1972 Collection Museo de Courtesy Collection la Solidaridad Salvador Museo de la Solidaridad Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Arpilleras (meaning sackcloth or burlap in Gracia Barrios’s (1927–2020) work The UNCTAD III building was constructed Spanish) were made by women as a way of Multitud III is a monumental patchwork in record time (275 days) as an emblem communicating scenes from everyday life, MSSA commissioned by Allende in 1972 for the for Allende’s focus on the centrality of hardship, political critique or protest during atrium of a flagship building, revolutionary the arts in society and in politics. Given the military Pinochet-dictatorship in the in concept and in construction, that would its powerful symbolic value, it was co- 1970s and 80s. These colourful patchworks house the United Nations Conference on opted by Pinochet’s regime as the central sewn onto cloth are now historical records Trade and Development in the Third World headquarters of his governing body after of great importance, documenting not (UNCTAD III) in Santiago, Chile. A work of the official residency of the president only the women’s strength in enduring ‘informal realism’ as Barrios described it, in Chile, ‘La Moneda’, was destroyed by the oppressive regime that caused the Multitud III stood apart from the so-called bombs during the military coup of 1973. disappearance of many loved-ones, but ‘high art’ of the time, and echoed the The artworks displayed inside the UNCTAD also their resilience and innovative ways of socially engaged legacy of revolutionary III were either removed, destroyed, or communicating when all other channels practices found in Mexican muralism as precariously stored in different venues, for critique were closed. The arpillera has well as in the work of peers such as Beatriz and Multitud III itself disappeared. Over its roots in Chile’s decorative industry in González. It was not a tapestry woven in the twenty years later, the work miraculously the 1960s, but became political and even habitual sense (and connoting the female resurfaced, discovered in the store of forbidden after the 1973 coup d’etat. hand), but rather it employed an appliqué a merchant trading in second-hand Organised in underground networks, the style that whilst still connected to female ‘scenography material’. The remarkable arpilleras were collected once a month labour was closer to design practice. history of the work, the stories behind its from the women’s workshops where they Multitud III was conceived to hang at the creation, placement, loss, recovery and, were made, and taken to the Vicaria de la entrance of the UNCTAD III congress, as a finally, its incorporation into the MSSA Solidaridad in Santiago de Chile, a human reminder to politicians and policy makers collection, encapsulate the labyrinthine and rights branch of the Catholic Church. From world-wide of their responsibility towards violent narratives experienced by Chilean here, they were distributed internationally the people. In it Barrios portrays a crowd artists, and society in general, due to the through clandestine routes and solidarity of Chilean people making history, whose nation’s troubled political history. networks, finding ways to raise awareness names have been forgotten by the vagaries Fearing for her life after Pinochet’s and money for the people of Chile. Each of history; the citizens who swelled the coup d’état of 1973, Barrios fled to France, individual arpillera tells a different story and ranks of the unprecedented collective and where she lived in political exile with her can often be traced back to the specific democratic action that led to Allende’s partner the artist Jose Balmes, who later workshop where it was made, but they are election. became a central figure in the secretariat seldom signed in order to protect their of the French committee of the Museo makers from being identified. The influential Internacional de la Resistencia (MIRSA). style has inspired textile works and artists working with fine art all over Latin-America.

22 23 Antonio Dias Öyvind Fahlström Actions of Art and Solidarity

Bandera (Flag), 1972 Column no. 3 (2012) (Chile F), 1974 Courtesy Collection Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Brazilian artist and designer Antonio Dias visitors to the museum’. With the dramatic Brazil-born Swede Öyvind Fahlström (1928– (1944–2018) was one of Mario Pedrosa’s turn of events that unfolded the next year, 76) worked as a poet, playwright, translator, closest allies in conceptualising the disrupting the museum and its nascent MSSA journalist, critic, essayist, filmmaker and Museo de la Solidaridad’s collection, collection, the flag remained unrealised artist. In 1961, he moved to New York, which and contributing to obtaining works by until recently. became his primary residence for the rest Brazilian and Italian artists linked to the In 2012, Claudia Zaldivar, current of his life. Living in the same building as Arte Povera movement. Letters exchanged director of MSSA, revived the project and Jasper Johns, Fahlström was influenced between Pedrosa and Dias shed light on oversaw the completion of the flag. ‘The by his proximity to the postwar US avant- the innovative aspirations behind the MSSA history of that flag’, Zaldivar notes ‘is one garde. He participated in happenings, collection, to bring together diverse works of the most emblematic for the recovery exhibited his work at the 1964 and 1966 by both established and upcoming artists process that we are carrying out today in Venice Biennales, and continued to write as well as non-artists, and experimental the Museum. Having found myself with plays. His work Column no. 3 (Chile F), art. In line with this, Dias pushed beyond the letter that Antonio (Dias) sent to Mario a print with the potential for expanded the limitations of painting as the dominant Pedrosa, with the instructions to assemble circulation, was conceived after the modernist medium of his time. the work, it was a clear sign of the urgency overthrow of the democratically-elected ‘Within this framework’, he wrote to to recover this heritage and its history for Allende government. The title refers to the Pedrosa in 1972, ‘I thought of a work for all Chileans.’ ‘F’ which was written on the foreheads the Museum over there: a flag. It is not a of those taken prisoner in the Santiago work to be hung inside the Museum, like Postcards are available for free at football stadium during Pinochet’s regime. a typical “Artwork”. I thought of a huge Kunstnernes Hus’ reception while ‘F’ stood for ‘fusilado’, indicating that they red flag, only red, without any drawing or stocks last. were to be assassinated by firing squad. inscription, with the ‘classic’ measurements The work consists of newspaper headlines of a giant flag (maybe 5 x 8 meters) to and illustrations that chart a critique of war, be hoisted outside the museum (in the capitalism, authoritarianism, colonialism, garden?)’. Días commented that red was a organised religion and the art market. recurrent colour in his practice, unrelated The work was donated to the museum’s to communist aesthetics. ‘Red in this case collection in 1978. means renewal’, he observed, ‘a force that can awaken, change life.’ In addition, through this work Dias was reflecting upon how to expand the spaces and formats of contact between artwork and audiences. ‘It would be very nice as well,’ he wrote, ‘to take a photo of the flag already mounted on the outside of the museum and print it on a postcard that would be given to all

24 25 José Gamarra Gontran Guanaes Netto Actions of Art and Solidarity

Puzzle, 1975 Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA)

José Gamarra (b. 1934) is a Uruguayan Gamarra is best known for his landscape Gontran Guanaes Netto (1933–2017) was Autre néo-colonialisme painter. Based in France since the early paintings, and it is through this that he a Brazilian artist and activist. Born to a (Other Neo-colonialism) c. 1971–77 MSSA 1960s, he has been a central figure in the evokes a wide range of historical narratives family of rural workers in the small town Triptych vibrant and politically engaged community and cultural critique. His sceneries are of Vera Cruz, São Paolo state, in one of Courtesy Collection of Latin American artists living in Paris from imbued with a sense of magic, populated Brazil’s coffee-producing regions, he Museo de la Solidaridad the early part of the twentieth century to by miniature figures and characters acting moved to the capital and enrolled in the São Salvador Allende (MSSA) date. Together with artists such as Julio Le out a variety of socio-political, historical Paolo Academy of Fine Arts. The radical Parc, Roberto Matta and Alberto Guzman, and cultural themes dealing with Latin milieus of the academy introduced Netto he was a founding member of the influential America and processes of colonisation. to revolutionary politics, and he became L’Espace latino-américain (1980–93), where These miniature figures, superimposed affiliated with the Communist party and he served as director during the first half in a disorienting fashion over a classical other Left circles. In the late 1960s, in the of the 1980s. L’Espace not only fostered modernist grid, populate his work Puzzle, wake of a US-backed coup that overthrew the artistic dialogue between continents, which was donated in 1975 during the early democratically elected President João but also acted as a solidarity platform with MIRSA days. According to the Caribbean Goulart and installed a military dictatorship artists subject to, or in exile from, political anti-colonial philosopher Edouard Glissant, in Brazil, Netto fled to France, where he repression in Latin America at the time. ‘all the components of the long, tragic joined the growing community of Latin story of the South American continent American artists in exile. are present’ in Gamarra’s paintings, ‘amid Netto became, along with José chasing dogs and bombs, deadly as the Gamarra, Julio Le Parc and others, one of mineral mines’. the founding members of the influential L’Espace latino-américain in Paris, and participated in the International Brigade of Antifascist Painters in Paris in 1975, among other actions. At the time Autre néo- colonialisme was donated to MIRSA, Netto also contributed works to the ‘International Exhibition for Palestine’ organised by artist Mona Saudi and the ‘Art for the People of Nicaragua’ campaign in 1981; both were initiatives inspired by the Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende.

26 27 Claude Lazar Clemencia Lucena Actions of Art and Solidarity

Educación revolucionaria (Revolutionary Education), Tel al-Zaatar, 1976 1976 Courtesy Collection Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1947, Claude His work Tel al-Zaatar is named after the In 1971, the Colombian artist Clemencia After joining MOIR Lucena, already a Lazar is a French painter with a long history Palestinian refugee camp housing mostly Lucena (1945–83) joined the Movimiento socially engaged artist working with of political engagement and cultural women and children in Beirut which, in MSSA Obrero Independiente Revolucionario a particular focus on gender issues, solidarity. Influenced by the events of 1976, was brutally destroyed by Christian (MOIR) (Independent Revolutionary quickly took on the role of creating art May 1968, Lazar emerged as a critical Lebanese militias (arguing the need to expel Worker’s Movement), founded in the city that amplified the core messages of the voice agitating for a cultural revolution. In the Palestinians from Lebanon, particularly of Medellín the previous year. The MOIR group. Through this political platform she addition to being an artist, he also worked those militant factions working in support grouped together leftist student militants proposed an artistic language directed with cinema, was affiliated with Left cultural of the PLO’s struggle). Lazar donated this and workers, predominantly Maoists to at diverse contexts and produced from a collectives and led a number of protests work to MIRSA in an attempt to connect reject forms of government organisation, position of class consciousness that, as and actions from the early 1970s onwards, the struggles of Palestinians with those of the armed struggle and all forms of Colombian researcher María Mercedes including shows of solidarity with the the Chilean people. He remains a pivotal imperialism, joining forces to create a Herrera has pointed out, also involved a Chilean people and against the Pinochet figure in the 1970s and 1980s histories of workers’ party to lead a socialist revolution. special focus on public space. Although regime. art and solidarity, as someone through primarily targeting the working and which a number of important transnational rural classes and being aligned with the solidarity initiatives took place, showing revolutionary struggle, Lucena’s work synergies with the Museum of Solidarity intervened in different spaces to spread Salvador Allende, such as the ‘International its message, circulating in the official Art Exhibition for Palestine’ (1978), the bourgeoise circuits of salons, galleries and Art for the People of Nicaragua initiative biennials, as well as among the press and (1981) as well as the ‘Art Contre/Against in the streets.The objective of Lucena’s Apartheid’ exhibition organised by Ernest revolutionary work was to catalyse solidarity Pignon-Ernest and Antonio Saura in 1983. through direct and politically coherent narratives in editorial and art spaces.

28 29 Teresa Montiel Ernest Pignon-Ernest Actions of Art and Solidarity

Fragmentos … Chili résistance (Fragments …) 1983 (Resistance in Chile), 1977 Courtesy Collection Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Teresa Montiel (b. 1942) is a Chilean In France, Montiel carried forth a dedication Ernest Pignon-Ernest (b. 1942) is a French artist and educator who taught fine arts to collectivity and solidarity that she had artist and cultural organiser perhaps best in Santiago de Chile before fleeing the developed during the Allende years in Chile. MSSA known for his practice of displaying activist Pinochet regime in 1974. Since then, she Working across many different French poster works in city streets. His work as an has lived and worked in France. Donated cities, she developed a unique style of organiser of solidarity exhibitions includes to MIRSA in 1983, her work Fragmentos … public art. In Villeneuve-les-Salines she initiating, together with the artist Antonio is a collage mixing drawings of a woman in responded to ruins by ‘making ruins’, using Saura, ‘Art Contre/Against Apartheid’. frontal and profile poses, with additional masonry, mosaic and stone cutting to form Involving some hundred international fragments of her body bound and exposed, areas that responded to the confused urban artists, the project, both an art collection together with stamps and letters from Chile logic of their specific context during the and exhibition, debuted in Paris in 1983 and and France indicating exchange between 1980s. In concentrating on art-making in travelled the world in solidarity with the her home and adopted countries. the public sphere, as well as in her work South African liberation movement. Whilst as an educator and community organiser, immensely visible, the project included she has focused on placing art in the only one black South African artist, Gavin service of collective needs and desires, Jantjes, and has thus been critiqued for its arguing for how mural work, for example, asymmetry of representation. should not be pursued as an individual Affiliated early on with the postwar act. She has described her idea of art as avant-garde milieus of Fluxus and existing at ‘a privileged crossroads of social Situationist art, Pignon-Ernest actively communication’, and insists on mural participated in the International Brigade painting as being in support of collective of Antifascit Painters in 1975, where he expression within urban space, qualities came in close contact with Latin American that are traced back to the sense of art and colleagues living in exile in France such solidarity nurtured in Chile in the early years as Gracia Barrios, José Gamarra, Gontran of the 1970s. Gunanaes Netto and Julio Le Park. He made the work Chili résistance, displayed here, in 1977 and donated it to MIRSA that same year. Of all the images in the collection, it is perhaps one of the most illustrative and explicit images of resistance, reflecting strength and international solidarity against the backdrop of dictatorship and authoritarianism.

30 31 Alfredo Portillos Kjartan Slettemark Actions of Art and Solidarity

Stoppa Chilematchen! Untitled, 1974 1975 Courtesy Collection Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Alfredo Portillos (1928–2017), was an Kjartan Slettemark (1932–2008) was a Participating in the protest, Slettemark Argentinian artist whose work included Norwegian-Swedish artist with a long, created a performance in which, naked, themes of Latin American thought, rituality MSSA colourful history of solidarity, activism, he held a large stop sign, with the ‘O’ and syncretism between different cultures appropriation, satire and performance. replaced by a tennis racket and with after colonisation, in a practice that was Gaining early notoriety with a work the words ‘Boycott the Junta’ and ‘Stop often highly conceptual and experimental. denouncing the indiscriminate use of Chilematchen’ written over it. Slettemark’s During the 1970s he moved frequently napalm in Vietnam, he persistently critiqued prop became the basis of a silkscreen, between Brazil, Argentina and Europe. western power structures and the norms which he reproduced with assistance from He was part of the Grupo CAyC in 1968, and standards across life and society that the Swedish Chilekommittén. The print together with Jacques Bedel, Luis Benedit upheld them. itself had a varied life, appearing on the and Víctor Grippo, and his work in the 1970s Slettemark made Stoppa streets in Stockholm and Båstad during the achieved international recognition at the Chilematchen!, on display here, in support protests and, later in 1978, on the cover of United Nations meeting in Yugoslavia 1975 of a Chile boycott related to the semi-final Stockholm’s VI magazine, which paid tribute and the 1977 Bienal de São Paolo. qualifying match of the 1975 Davis Cup, the to Allende. Made in 1974, the Untitled work shown World Cup of Tennis, in Båstad, Sweden. here was donated by Portillos to an auction Using the match to call international organised by Artists for Democracy in attention to Pinochet’s brutal regime, the London in 1974. It was later received by the Swedish Chilekommittén (Chile Committee) Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende in mobilised extensive protests against the 1993 as part of a large donation of works match. The protests brought some 7,000 from the estate of Alejandra Altamirano and people to the streets, where demonstrators Guy Brett. The work is a diagram in which called out the realities of torture, political Portillos imagines rupturing the capsules imprisonment, assasinations and other that enshrine individuals, paving the way gross violations of human rights that were for communal forms of social organisation occuring on a daily basis in Chile under the necessary for achieving a utopian state. Pinochet dictatorship.

32 33 Taller 4 Rojo María Teresa Toral Actions of Art and Solidarity

Juegos (8) Homenaje La lucha es larga A Trinka (Teatro De comencemos ya (The Marionetas), (Games (8) Struggle is Long, Let’s Homage to Trinka (Puppet Start Now), 1971 Theater)) 1970 Courtesy Collection Courtesy Collection Museo de la Solidaridad Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Salvador Allende (MSSA)

Taller 4 Rojo was a politically active and La lucha es larga, comencemos ya (The María Teresa Toral (1911–94) was a Spanish socially engaged artist initiative formed Struggle is Long, Let’s Start Now) cites biochemist, translator and artist. In 1939, in Bogotá, Colombia from 1971–74 by the closing words of the speech ‘Mensaje MSSA accused by the new Franco dictatorship of artists Nirma Zárate, Diego Arango, a los cristianos’ (Message to Christians) in materially assisting the Republican army Umberto Giagrandi, Carlos Granada, Jorge 1965 by Camilo Torres Restrepo, a socialist during the Spanish Civil War, Toral was Mora and Fabio Rodríguez. Working with Roman-Catholic priest proponent of the sentenced to twelve years in prison. Not activist print-making and paedagogic liberation theology who became a fighter serving the full term, she was released and formats their practice placed great in the Colombian National Liberation Army remained active in anti-Franco resistence, emphasis on the public realm. The group (ELN) guerrilla group. The print shows leading to a second prison sentence in disseminated images and techniques for children running towards a pile of discarded 1945. In 1956 she went into exile in Mexico, image production among community US military symbols flanked by a stone wall where she remained active in scientific, members and university students outside with Torres’s likeness reproduced over the artistic and activist fields, holding a of Colombia’s museum and gallery work’s title phrase. Known for his attempts professorship in biochemistry at the contexts, dealing with topics such as the to reconcile Marxist political ideology Autonomous University of Mexico and the war in Vietnam and the plight of Colombia’s with Roman Catholic beliefs, Torres was National Polytechnic Institute. working class. a popular figure and close friend to other Her artwork, developed in parallel with Colombian luminaries such as the writer her scientific career and work as a translator Gabriel García Márquez. Taller 4 Rojo made (she translated, for example, Hungarian- this print some five years after Torres was Marxist philosopher Georg Lukács’s work killed fighting in a battle in 1966 between The Meaning of Contemporary Realism into the ELN and Colombian military forces. Spanish) primarily involved printmaking and engraving. While she exhibited widely in the 1960s and 1970s, including in the Bienal de Chile (1963) and successive editions of the Salon Plastica Mexicana (1969, 1970, 1971), her work is very little written about, particularly in English contexts. The work on display here, an homage to the Czech illustrator, animator and puppeteer Jiří Trinka, was donated to the MSSA by the artist during the collection’s early solidarity phase, prior to the transition to MIRSA after 1975.

34 35 Teresa Vila Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Interviews These interviews filmed in 2012 for the fortieth anniversary of the MSSA foundation offer first-hand perspectives from four key personalities about the history of the Museum of Solidarity Salvador Allende.

José Balmes (1927–2016), director of Dore Ashton (1928–2017), writer and critic Actions of Art and Solidarity the University of Chile during the early of postwar US art, speaks of her role as a conceptualisation of MSSA, discusses member of the International Committee the urgency behind Allende’s Operation of Artistic Solidarity with Chile, sharing the Truth, which, in the face of destabilising processes behind the recruitment of artists propaganda from the right-wing opposition, to donate to the collection. It was not invited international journalists, cultural always a simple and straightforward task, Untitled, 1970 figures, foreign dignitaries and everyday but, as Ashton recounts, the committee Courtesy Collection people to witness and give testimony to nevertheless succeeded in soliciting Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) the reality of democratic Chile. Balmes important works by US and European recounts how Spanish art critic José María artists, raising the international profile of Moreno Galván came to the country within the collection in the process. Teresa Vila (1931–2009) was a Uruguayan this context, and how this resulted in him artist and leading figure in the development sharing with Allende his idea of gathering Miguel Rojas Mix (b. 1934), successor of experimental and avant-garde practices MSSA artworks from all over the world in solidarity to Balmes at the Instituto de Arte in Uruguay during the 1960s. Having with the Chilean people in the shape of a Latinoamericano [Institute of Latin attended the National Academy of Fine Arts museum. American art] who served as director in Montevideo in the early 1950s, she moved during the 1973 coup d’etat, describes the from abstraction and semi-figuration to Carmen Waugh (1932–2013) was public- aesthetic and political context in Latin more conceptual works and performative relations manager at the Instituto de America at the time, as well as the Museo happenings, which she developed until Arte Latinoamericano [Institute of Latin de la Solidaridad’s transition into MIRSA – 1973, when she withdrew from art-making American Art], in Santiago de Chile. She the Museo Internacional de la Resistencia as the onset of the military dictatorship of recounts the Institute’s role in providing an (International Museum of the Resistance). Uruguay dramatically disrupted life in the initial institutional structure for soliciting How did the museum survive in exile? How country. donations and facilitating collection did the initiative negotiate the Pinochet Untitled references Guillermo Nutter, processes from artists around the world. regime’s attempts to erase all traces of an early nineteenth-century sea captain Waugh also discusses their request to Pablo Allende’s platform of socialism through who, in alliance with Jose Gervasio Artigas, Picasso to send his Guernica to Chile to democracy and cultural solidarity, in which the revolutionary figure and national hero be temporarily housed in the MSSA before MSSA played an important role? Rojas Mix’s of Uruguay’s post-independence history, its return to Spain. Mário Pedrosa himself interview emphasises and gives context worked against the colonial oppression addressed a letter to Picasso arguing that to the idea of solidarity as the organising of Uruguay by disrupting the commercial Guernica should not reside in the most principle of the museum, and how under routes of the Portugese and Spanish capitalist country of the world, but instead that principle MSSA developed the idea of colonial fleet. Like María Teresa Toral, should remain in a socialist, left-wing uniting the Chilean people with people of Vila donated the work to the MSSA in the country. the world through a diverse collection of collection’s early solidarity phase, prior to solidaric cultural and artistic expression. 1975.

36 37 Julio Cortázar Archival Documentation Through letters, transcripts, images and Julio Cortázar other primary documents, the intricate à propos de la story of MSSA unfolds in the archive. création du ‘Musée On display here are inaugural speeches international de la from Salvador Allende and Mário Pedrosa, résistance Salvador primary documents and letters between the Allende’ (Julio Museum, artists and key figures of the art Cortázar on the field. The material reveals the mechanics of creation of the collection practices and how the Museum project was forced to adapt to the dramatic ‘Salvador Allende Actions of Art and Solidarity International changes within the political landscape, in Museum of which Chile went from a socialism derived Resistance’) from inclusive democracy to a fascist In Aujourd’hui dictatorship in the span of three short madame, Nancy years. théâtre du Monde, Photographs document different Antenne 2, committees created during the MIRSA 26.7.1977 phase, committees whose responsibility 4’6” entailed keeping the Museum alive while in exile. They show figures like Julio Cortázar, as well as members of the anti-fascist While exiled from Chile under the Pinochet This video recording presents Cortázar’s Painters International Brigade, such as dictatorship, the Museo Internacional inaugural speech at the opening of this Ernest Pignon-Ernest, José Balmes, José de la Resistencia (MIRSA) existed as an exhibition. He outlines the important MSSA Gamarra and Gontran Guanaes Netto. experimental structure held by different role of MIRSA as a museum in exile, Other photographs show the Painters committees located around the world. giving testimony of Chile’s experience to Brigades organised by Finnish and The committees assumed responsibility international audiences. As Cortázar makes Chilean artists for the exhibition ‘Museo for the gathering, storing, exhibiting and clear, this reality was not exclusive to Chile, Internacional de la Resistencia Salvador publicising of artworks outside of Chile. In but was mirrored in countries across Latin Allende’ (International Museum of other words, MIRSA continued the struggle America, where intellectuals, journalists and Resistance Salvador Allende) at Taidehalli for resistance and solidarity with the the nations at large were being continuously / Kunsthalle Helsinki, Finland, in January Chilean people. Multiple exhibitions of the subjected to waves of terror, violence 1979. The brigades also collaborated with MIRSA collection in large art institutions and forced disappearances designed to Moderna Museet in Stockholm, where the such as Moderna Museet in Stockholm suppress and eradicate any dissent. In this façade of the museum was adorned with (1978 ), whose curator at the time Björn context, MIRSA’s ability to stage widely paintings by José Balmes together with Springfeldt was the organiser of Swedish publicised exhibitions serving as platforms local Swedish artists. donations to the museum, reflect the from which to narrate these daily realities, This archival material makes evident the importance of these committees and their summon solidarity and bring hope to those long and complex ways in which solidarity work. involved in the struggle against fascist as an underlying principle was continually Argentinian author Julio Cortázar, a regimes worldwide was crucial. enacted along the path of building what member of the French committee while stands now as the Museo de la Solidaridad in exile in France, was an important figure Salvador Allende in Santiago de Chile. The in nurturing networks of friends and material paints a picture of the museum colleagues to lend international support to itself as a collective work of art, a nurturer MIRSA. A key result of his efforts was the of empathy, solidarity, camaradery and opening of a large exhibition at the Grand dedication catalysed by its vast network Nancy Congress Centre in Nancy, France, of initiators and collaborators, both in and from 28 April to 8 May 1977. outside of Chile.

38 39 Hannah Ryggen Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust – Sahmat

Sahmat, which means ‘in agreement’ dedication and resilience, makes it stand in Hindi, is a Delhi-based arts collective out within the history of collective and founded in 1989. The group was formed solidarity-driven practices in South Asia. in direct response to the death of Safdar Amongst the myriad cultural activities Hashmi, a beloved political activist, actor, catalysed by Sahmat, this exhibition playwright and poet who was mortally features a selection of artists from the attacked by Hindutva (Hindu right wing) following three exhibitions: extremists in 1989. The collective’s

Actions of Art and Solidarity relentless work over the last thirty ‘Gift for India’ (1997) years, and its ongoing activities today, Conceived and coordinated by the aim to counter the divisive politics of artists Vivan Sundaram, Ram Rahman communalism, the term used for politically and Shamshad on behalf of Sahmat, motivated, often violent conflicts between ‘Gift for India’ was a project marking the religious groups in South Asia. 50th anniversary of Indian independence Sahmat’s work unfolds against the and the life of the young nation-state. H.K.H Atomsen backdrop of a right-wing upsurge of Hindu Prompted by models of mail-art, whose (Mr. Atom), 1951 majoritarian communalism that exploded inherent democratic and creative Courtesy of Telenor Art Collection, Oslo in the 1990s, and that has evolved into our possibilities echoed Sahmat’s working times. This history is marked by key events, values, the project call received responses including the destruction of Ayodhya’s Babri from nearly 200 artists from around Hannah Ryggen (1894–1970) was a Ryggen wove H.K.H. Atomsen (Mr. Atom) Mosque in 1992 by Hindu extremists, the the world and opened at the Lalit Kala Swedish-born artist who moved to Norway within the context of the aftermath of the Gujarat riots in 2002, the governmental Akademi Galleries in Rabindra Bhawan in in the 1920s. Working with textiles on her United States’ first atomic bombings of legislation in Jumma and Kashmir in 2019, September 1997. Artists were invited to home-made loom, creating her own dyes Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the and most recently the much contested use approximately 12 cm cardboard cubes and weave patterns, Ryggen garnered nuclear arms race that ensued, with the Citizenship Amendment Act that, according as a starting point for their sculptures. recognition for her work during her lifetime, Soviet Union testing its first atomic weapon to critics and legal scholars, is designed to The returned submissions varied broadly but it has recently undergone a significant in 1949 and fears of nuclear confrontation Ryggen Hannah favour India’s Hindu majority in violation of as the artists experimented with different revival. She is now internationally considered rising palpably in the context of the Korean the secular principles enshrined in the 1947 materials such as paint, mud, salt, tea to be one of the most prolific figures of War. Ryggen, like millions around the world, Constitution. leaves, eggshells and hair. In addition to twentieth-century Scandinavian art. had been deeply disturbed by the news of Sahmat’s powerful combination of the selection of artists presented in this Living and working on a small farm in Hiroshima, and this prompted her to join experimental and outreach projects span exhibition (TM Azis, Eleena Banik, Rosa coastal Ørlandet in mid-Norway, Ryggen the mobilisations and solidarity movements all creative disciplines. The group has Irigoyen, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Pavan produced tapestries depicting themes of emerging against nuclear testing and organised hundreds of innovative and Mahatta, Eric Metcalfe, Alnoor Mitha, explicit solidarity with the world around her. armaments. In Mr. Atom she depicts a experimental events in the name of artistic Prashant Munkherjee, Peter Nagel, Kavita She wove radical manifestos against the male figure, surveying the world around and socio-political solidarity across far- Shah, Jin Sook Shinde and P. Srinivasan), socio-political injustices of her time, from him from a position of dominance, with ranging communities in India, its creative other contributors to the original project Safdar Hashmi Memorial – Sahmat Trust Fascism and Nazism in the 1930s and 1940s, a regime of death and destruction at his core fuelled rather than curtailed by an included Iftikhar and Elizabeth Dadi, Lynda to the protest against nuclear weapons in feet. The character of Mr. Atom continued economy of means. Plurality is at the heart Benglis, Alfredo Jaar, Mary Kelly, Kaisu the 1950s. She also supported the wave of to be present in her journals well after she of Sahmat’s ethos, and the cooperative Koivisto and Ilona Lovas. ‘The care with African independence movements in the completed the tapestry, as the news of has worked across wide-ranging styles which some of our foreign participants have 1960s. nuclear testing in different parts of the from contemporary to classical with conceived and crafted this small sculptural Combining motifs of folk and world reached her during the 1950s. artists, poets, singers, actors, film-makers, object is gratifying,’ writes Sundaram in decorative arts with an innovative puppeteers, photojournalists, and others the introduction to the catalogue. ‘The contemporary style of her own, Ryggen connecting to all members of India’s messages that have come with the boxes’, created a dynamic tension between fractured society, whatever their caste, he continues, ‘endorsing the idea, Sahmat’s figuration and abstraction that rendered religious or social status. From public existence, artists’ solidarity on a common her chosen topics all the more compelling. processions to street performances, imaginative ground, makes the project truly Isolated and dedicated to her family while from poetry and music festivals to a gift among friends.’ keeping up with current affairs through a puppet shows, from conferences and daily newspaper, she addressed a range publications to ambitious exhibitions ‘The Making of India’ (2004) themes from world politics and collectivity opening simultaneously in up to thirty cities Also organised by Ram Rahman, Shamshad to family life and motherhood. Her story- across India, their efforts have focused on and Vivan Sundaram, this exhibition telling was stark at times, often with a dark strengthening collective action, to counter commemorated fifteen years of Sahmat sense of humour. Many of the issues she division and elevate a culture of solidarity. activities. Searching for a non-linear approached during her life are once again The collective’s capacity for reacting historical presentation that examined of great significance today. quickly to unfolding events, as well as its ‘ideas, sites, cultural traditions, artifacts,

40 41 architecture and social transformation friends who have regularly swelled the ranks ‘The Making of India’ (2004) Ram Rahman through history’, the project aimed to of Sahmat’s rallies and gatherings. For new A central figure in Sahmat, Ram Rahman provide a counter-narrative of national participants, it is a hospitable gathering and Pablo Bartholomew (b. 1955) is one of its trustees and has construction in the face of majoritarian safe space in which to discuss solidarity Pablo Bartholomew (b. 1955) is an Indian curated several projects for the collective efforts to undermine the plurality of India’s and anti-communalism, and forge new photographer who has documented the throughout its history. He is also a noted cultural and religious identities. The show plans. These banners operate as Sahmat’s socio-political landscape of the Indian artist, curator, writer and graphic designer. opened in three locations – Rabindra unique visual identity. They gather thoughts Subcontinent for nearly four decades. At Aftermath portrays a man carrying a Gandhi Bhawan, Vadhera Art Gallery and Jawaharlal by German revolutionary thinker Bertolt a young age he won his first World Press cut-out walking outside Sahmat’s office. Nehru University’s School of Arts and Brecht, Urdu poetry by the Pakistani Photo award (1976) for a series on the life of Rahman superimposed the image over Aesthetics – all in Delhi, over the period of Marxist Faiz Ahmad Faiz, quotes by the morphine addicts in Delhi. He is best known a photograph of the streets of Old Delhi January to February 2004. famed modernist Hindustani author Munshi for his Bhopal Gas Tragedy photographic portraying a patchwork of quilts that are Actions of Art and Solidarity Premchand, as well as images of Mahatma series, which earned him a second World airing on the streets; these quilts are rented ‘Making History Our Own’ (2007) Gandhi by artist Nandalal Bose (a key figure Press Photo award (1985). His practice out to the homeless for the night. This part Sahmat launched this exhibition, conceived of contextual Indian modernism) attuned to includes the compilation of a vast archive, of Delhi, though rich in history and culture, by Ram Rahman, to highlight the artists’s the finely balanced performances on stage. capturing the intimacy of domestic life is marred today by poverty and inequality. commitment to the making of a nation and The banners are in Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and and the bohemian scene in India during The juxtaposition comments on the hollow its narratives, and to show how artists can English. They reflect various socio-political the 1970s and 80s. He spent over ten realisation of Gandhi’s idealism in a state witness and respond to the reality of India’s and cultural movements characteristic of years portraying various Adhivasi groups struggling with abject living conditions and history through grass-roots perspectives. India’s inherent plurality, among them the (Indigenous communities) in India, and is rising sectarian politics. Organised in 2007 and coinciding with Sufi-Bhakti traditions that have survived specially known for his work with the Naga both the 60th anniversary of Indian and evolved through centuries, and from people of northeast India. Independence and 150 years since the 1857 which Sahmat derives considerable source The photograph presented here is Red Fort uprising in Delhi, an important material. part of a series witnessing the attacks moment in the shaping of Indian history, the against the Dang Adhivasi community (a project raised questions on caste, on the Sahmat Publications Christian minority in the state of Gujarat). enforcement of one language over others, Since its inception, Sahmat has published This was part of a series of attacks against and the artificial dominance of centralised prolifically, producing numerous books, Christian communities across India during structures over smaller social groups. For catalogues, leaflets and other printed the 1990s by right-wing Hindutva groups, Ram Rahman their works, artists used elements of their material for public circulation in support which culminated with the 1999 Christmas Aftermath, 1995 own history as sources in relation to larger of its programmatic activities and mission Day attack on churches in South Gujarat, Courtesy of the artist constructions of the idea of India. This as a collective. In an introduction to one of and the burning alive of an Australian multi-layering of identities, celebrating their earliest books, Artists Alert, celebrated missionary, Graham Staines, and his two individuality within collective national Indian critic Geeta Kapur recounts the young sons in Orissa. Forced re-conversion imaginaries, challenged the homogenising atmosphere after Safdar Hashmi’s death to Hinduism was organised in Adhivasi belts and dominant forces advocated by the and unwittingly sets the stage for the of several states, and sporadic attacks on coalition of right-wing Hindu nationalist next thirty years of Sahmat’s activities: Christian minority communities continue to groups (under the banner of Sangh Parivar) ‘Interrupting the routine of survival and occur from time to time to this day. and advocated for a collective solidarity success there are causes that bring artists with all facets of India’s plural society. together. Fortunately, there is still a sense Safdar Hashmi Memorial – Sahmat Trust The exhibition opened at the All India Fine of community and on occasion a sense Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) in Delhi, of solidarity among Indian artists. This is January 2007. such an occasion.’ It is just one of many seminal moments in Sahmat’s publication Sahmat Banners history, which here is represented through Every year on 1 January, nominated by its books Artist Alert (1989), Art Against Sahmat as the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Communalism (1991), Images and Words Day, an event is organised in Delhi to (1992), Gift for India (1997), The Making of commemorate the occasion. A stage is India (2007) and The Constitution of India at erected and covered with hand-painted 70: Artists Respond (2021). banners adorned with poetry from all cultural and religious groups in India, as Pablo Bartholomew village of Mulchond A picture of Christ in the Dang area of well as words and images echoing Safdar recovered from the Gujarat, 1998 Hashmi’s and Sahmat’s core ethos. The wrecked church in the Courtesy of the artist textiles are dyed in a myriad of colours and provide a celebratory space of distinct warmth. For the hundreds of attendees who return every year, it is a much-awaited event to reconnect with artists, intellectuals and

42 43 Inder Salim Vivan Sundaram ‘Making History Our Own’ (2007) Ram Rahman Inder Salim (b. 1956) is a performance artist Vivan Sundaram (b. 1943) is a founding Rahman’s work was included in the and poet who has significantly expanded trustee of Sahmat and a major figure of Pushpamala N. exhibition ‘Making History Our Own’ the genre of body-centric work in his thirty Indian art history. His work refers to social Pushpamala N.’s (b. 1956) photography to celebrate the anniversary of India’s year-long practice. He was part of the left- and political history, the environment and performances engage with and critiques Independence, and highlight the diversity wing movement in Kashmir where he was to historiography itself, and the relation of the traditions (colonial and hegemonic) of figures committed to constructing born in the 1980s and thereafter his move to these fields to contemporary reality. Initially of photo studios, cinema and folk a narrative that defined India’s nation- Delhi inevitably introduced him to the work working with painting, in the 1990s he performances in India. Originally trained building as a plural process of solidarity of Sahmat. Through bodily interventions pioneered the way to a more conceptually as a sculptor in Baroda, she moved from with all communities. Family Photo is he foregrounds the role of art as activism oriented practice with an expanded figurative work to a more conceptual directly inspired by Gandhi’s anti-colonial and critiques the absence of a discourse materiality that included installations, practice, particularly impacted by the philosophy of making the political deeply Actions of Art and Solidarity and solidarity with issues of sexuality, performative videos, found objects and Babri Mosque demolition in 1992. In personal and rooted in everyday living. In queer politics and the meaning of the body photographic collages. the masquerades series in which she this sense, the work takes as its starting in the wider Indian eco-system. With a Exchanging Looks is a photographic simultaneously inhabits and questions point a photograph of 1957, shot by the strong dose of theatricality, he pushes the collage in which Sundaram juxtaposes familiar frames from art history, artist’s father Habib Rahman (a noted audience to dissent and express outrage elements of works by different photography, film, theatre and popular Indian architect), of key figures in the against a cultural field that has deliberately photographers into one composition, culture, she cites a wide range of cultural history of Indian modernism, across avoided conversations on sexuality. and in so doing highlights the making references, inserting herself into the centre religions (Muslim and Hindu) and genders. The image presented here is a still of a photograph in relation to other of the work to unleash socio-political From left to right the photograph from a performance in Bengaluru, which photographs. There are several enquiry. portrays: Inder Kumar Gujral, a refugee was transformed into posters and visiting denunciatory narratives embedded here, In the exhibition ‘Making History Our from the majority Muslim state of Punjab cards distributed by Salim to the audience ranging from the impact of the western Own’, Pushpamala presented a work that (this state was divided during the so-called as he took the performance to different gaze upon young Indian women, to the takes as a starting point a photograph of Partition process in India’s independence; parts of the city. Interestingly, posters with infamous Mathura Rape Case of 1972 in her mother dressed as the Rani of Jhansi – East Punjab is now in Pakistan) who became this image reached the women’s police which two policemen who raped an Adhivasi a legendary leader of the Indian Mutiny of the Prime Minister of India in 1997; the department in Bengaluru. A banner of about (Indigenous) girl on the compound of the 1857–58 against the British Raj, who died artist’s mother Indrani Rahman with two- four and a half metres with the image was Maharashtra police station were acquitted fighting as she led her troops in what is year-old Ram in her arms (a Bharatanatyam also printed and displayed by Sahmat in by the Supreme Court of India. known as India’s First War of Independence. dancer, she brought many classical dance several of its programmes, distributing The revolt was sparked by the British Army’s forms to cosmopolitan prominence in the further its central message that we are all a ongoing transgressions of the Muslim and 1950s and 1960s); Satish Gujral, younger part of women’s issues. Hindu dietary and religious practices of brother of Inder Kumar Gujral, a prominent many of the Indian soldiers in its ranks. artist and architect; MF Husain, a key The heroic pose by her mother in the artist of Indian modernism and later in original image, taken for a pageant marking his career famously persecuted into exile Independence Day in schools, has a striking by Hinduist extremists; Charles Fabri, a parallel to Pushpamala’s own practice of Hungarian national who settled in India and self-portraiture and combines anti-colonial became an important art critic, cultural

Vivan Sundaram Left: Teacher’s Wife, and feminist critiques in one image. theorist and scholar. The borders framing Safdar Hashmi Memorial – Sahmat Trust Exchanging Looks, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, the work are photographic moments of the 2004 1978, by Max Pam. artist’s trajectory from school and college Courtesy of Inset: Amrita Sher Gil, – documenting and showcasing Rahman’s the artist 1937 by Barada Ukil. personal stories. Center: One Day (diptych), by Daniel Blaufuks. Inset: Guddo, 1980, by Vivan Sundaram.

Right: Big Shanti, 1985, by Vivan Sundaram. Inset: Detail from One Day, Inder Salim by Daniel Blaufuks. We All are Women’s Issues, 2003 Courtesy of the artist Pushpamala N. Mother as Jhansi ki Rani, 2007 Courtesy of Sahmat Ram Rahman Family Photo, 1995 Courtesy of Sahmat 44 45 Gargi Raina Nilima Sheikh I Write on the Void takes its title from Agha Sashi Kumar Gargi Raina (b. 1961) has enjoyed a One of the doyennes of the Indian art Shahid Ali’s eponymous poem. Ali is an Safdar was directed and produced by long association with Sahmat, and has world, Nilima Sheikh has a long association important Kashmiri poet whose powerful Sashi Kumar in the early months of 1989. through the years responded to many with Sahmat that dates back to its first and melancholy verses speak of the It documents the inspiring but tragic of the collective’s projects and calls for exhibition Artists Alert (1989) and has religious, geo-political, extractivist and origins of Sahmat, which was born from participation. She traces her ancestry to continued all the way to Constitution at 70 nationalistic violence that has torn Kashmir a groundswell of solidarity and resistance Kashmir and often explores those roots (2020). Sheikh (b. 1945) trained at Baroda apart. As a poet who lived most of his life in the wake of the brutal public murder symbolically in her practice. Her works are University, connecting with an artistic circle in the US, the notion of exile is a recurring of beloved poet, playwright and activist made using a variety of materials – pastel, exploring narrative painting. The narratives theme in his texts. In particular, the poet Safdar Hashmi. Hashmi’s death occurred gouache, clay, wood – and she not only she depicts eschew the use of perspective laments the mutual ‘othering’ of individuals on 2 January 1989 when, while performing paints but also takes a sculptural approach in favour of a style that seems to exist which polarised Kashmiri society during the play Halla Bol (meaning ‘Speak Up’) on Actions of Art and Solidarity to her art pieces. outside time, whilst retaining a connection the early years of the armed conflict in the streets of Jhandapur on the outskirts The Scattering [Zafran] poetically and to concrete issues. In this regard the artist Kashmir in the 1990s. In this work, Sheikh of Delhi, India, he was fatally attacked by a brutally evokes the exodus of Kashmiri has always maintained an interest in the engages with Shahid’s verses visually, as group of right-wing Hindu nationalists. Pandit from the valley in the 1990s. Gargi, troubled history of Kashmir, and a feminist entry points to reflect upon and refocus the The film introduces Hashmi’s magnetic herself a Kashmiri Pandit, uses the Zafran stance elevating women as spiritual and meaning of Kashmir as a physical entity, personality through archival footage of (saffron) symbolically to tell the story of working citizens. Sheikh draws upon and in the abstract sense of belonging his singing, teaching, activism and street division, destruction and displacement. figurative styles, hand-made traditions to a history whose legacy has become performances. With detailed accounts It resonates with the plight of a minority and spiritual references including Moghul particularly virulent in the current state-run and testimony of the attack that led to his community when dominant forces miniatures, Pichwai cloth scrolls, folktales, discriminatory policies against Muslims in death, the film documents how that event appropriate narratives and implement colonial-era illustrated manuals, the India. triggered the spontaneous mobilisation divisive politics. In the last frame of the writings of Kashmiri poets and historians, of thousands of people who came to the six prints, the stain of the saffron gently and the voices of Sufi mystics. Her rich streets to both mourn his passing and merges with a streak of blood. With visual, material and textual vocabulary is protest its circumstances. We see a wide insurgency on the rise, the growth of sourced from multiple geographies, diverse range of reactions, street marches and separatist movements and the destruction histories and religions, conflating ancient funeral processions, as well as declarations caused by successive poor governance, mythology, modern history and current of support in high-cultural circles, such Kashmir has become a hotbed of conflicts, events. as when celebrity actor Shabana Azmi resulting in the death and torture of In this particular work, Sheikh explores defiantly read out a statement of solidarity thousands of Muslim civilians. a theme that recurs in her oeuvre: the at the Indian Film Festival inauguration return to a site of violence in Kashmir ceremony in Delhi. We hear from Hashmi’s to express a sense of solidarity with its wife Moloyshree Hashmi, also a playwright majority Muslim community, its conflicted and theatre director, about Safdar and their past and its increasing disenfranchisement relationship, and see the incredible moment today by the state from mainstream (Hindu in which, just days after his murder, she majority) India. Her work reflects the painful returns to the very scene in Jhandapur realisation of abandoned history and absent where Safdar was killed to finish the play hope of an artist who stands as a witness that had been violently interrupted. to both past and present, and reflects with Safdar Hashmi Memorial – Sahmat Trust trepidation upon the future.

Sashi Kumar Courtesy of Sahmat Safdar, 1989 and Sashi Kumar Gargi Raina 35’35” The Scattering (Zafran), 2007 Courtesy of Sahmat Nilima Sheikh Courtesy of Martand I Write on the Void, Khosla 2007 46 47 Public Programme 11 March Patchwork Dialogues 1 Patchwork Dialogues 2 ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ includes a Through-the-night performance: Digging into la Madre Tierra – From the Dream to the Ceiba – public programme of performances, film Maritea Dæhlin, I guess you have a The extractivism industry from How a Zapatista theatre group screenings, talks, tours and workshops lot of questions. A bedtime story Latin America to Sápmi came to Norway in 1999 co-curated by OCA and Kunstnernes Hus. 13 March Date: 11 February, 19.00 Date: Sunday 28 February, 15.00 Aiming to broaden the scope and reach Kunstnere viser Kunstnere: Public Development and green growth are In 1999 The Nordic Black Theatre and LAG of the exhibition, the programme will tour by Khalid Salimi, Ari Gautier and common arguments to justify projects of Norway collaborated with a Zapatista expand on and give context to the artists, Tonje Finvold Lacher from Mela, Oslo mining, forestry, agribusiness and energy theatre group from the autonomous regions collectives and themes of the show. Below 21 March production. Multinational companies and in Chiapas. The Zapatistas made it to the is an overview of the schedule, followed Film programme and closing of the national states dig for uranium and oil, front pages of newspapers worldwide by more in-depth descriptions of select exhibition cultivate extensive monocrops like soya through an armed uprising on 1 January Actions of Art and Solidarity events. and trees, and build large-scale wind 1994 demanding justice, democracy and (On-going) turbines and solar panel sites. They are self-determination for all Indigenous This booklet went to print amidst changing Every Sunday part of a system constructed to effectively people and freedom for everyone. They COVID-19 regulations. Dates and times Open public guided tours, 14.00 generate as much profit as possible, at made public their very first declaration are subject to change. Please check the cost of nature and people. The soil from the heart of the Lacandon jungle. In www.oca.no and www.kunstnerneshus.no Every Saturday becomes depleted, rivers contaminated 1999, a theatre group from the autonomous for up-to-date information. Speed tours (15 min) by and people are exploited and suppressed as region Morelia, Chiapas, came to Oslo Blikkåpner Oslo – TBC knowledge, tradition, history and cultures and together with Nordic Black Theatre 15 January are eradicated along with biodiversity produced the play From the Dream to the Opening of the Exhibition and unrecoverable nature. Our common Ceiba. Running through it are threads 16 January territories, nature and the diversity of of collective memory, and references to Family tour & workshop COVID-19 peoples are under pressure. This is a the ability to organise, build solidarity, 17 January The programme will closely follow all up-to- widespread reality in Latin America, in resist and fight. All of these are of great Public guided tour with curator date national and local regulations, ensuring Norway, Sápmi and the whole world. inspiration to LAG’s Solidarity Patchwork in Katya García-Antón a safe environment for all, with additional In Latin America, to be a defensor(a) del this exhibition. What is collective memory? 3 February remote offerings wherever possible. territorio, a defender of the territory, is to Why is it important? How can we connect Baby tours – special tours for parents fight for collective rights to an area with through taking care collectively? with small children Most events will have limited capacity common goods like forest, arable land and This Patchwork Dialogue will start as an

11 February and will require pre-registration or Programme Public clean water, as well to struggle to cherish outdoor ritual performance in The Palace Patchwork Dialogues 1: Digging advanced tickets, which will be available on and protect a diversity of cultures and the Park by former students and teachers from into la Madre Tierra – the extractivism Kunstnernes Hus’s website. Any updates coexistence of people and nature. The the Nordic Black Theatre School in memory industry from Latin America to Sápmi or new information will be communicated defence of the territory is a struggle of of the play From the Dream to the Ceiba, 12 February by OCA and Kunstnernes Hus on websites belonging; it is a struggle for ourselves, for and continues with an indoor screening of Leo Filmklubb and through social-media channels. Please each other and for those who come after the film of the original play and a dialogue 13 February check for the latest details. We look us. with people from Nordic Black Theatre and PLOT workshop with Latin- forward to seeing you! In this Patchwork Dialogue we will listen LAG. Amerikagruppene i Norge (LAG): to many fragments relating to different Conceived by Astrid Fadnes and Ingrid Kunst og kollokvie struggles of territory defense. Connecting Fadnes, Latin-Amerikagruppene and Nordic 13 February patches and lands, we will track similarities Black Theatre Family tour & workshop and differences and explore ways of 16–19 February achieving solidarity in the common struggle Pan African Space Station, to defend our territories. Broadcasting Radio from Cape Town, Conceived by Astrid and Ingrid Fadnes, panafricanspacestation.org.za Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge (LAG) 17 February Film screening, The Stuart Hall Project (2013), directed by John Akomfrah 28 February Patchwork Dialogues 2: From the Dream to the Ceiba. How a Zapatista theatre group came to Norway in 1999, in collaboration with Nordic Black Theatre 6 March Blikkåpner Oslo – workshop for young adults

48 49 I guess you have a lot of questions. Texts in sound work: Songs of Solidarity – A bedtime story Yasnaya Elena A. Gil and Sigrun Slapgard Lift Every Voice All-night performance event by All-night performance Songs of Solidarity – Lift Every Voice is Maritea Dæhlin Commissioned by OCA, co-produced a collective project, a playlist and sonic Date: Thursday 11 March, 22:00 – with Black Box Theatre response to ‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ Friday 12 March, 09:30 Free admission. Limited capacity and (Office for Contemporary Art Norway’s I guess you have a lot of questions. I do. pre-registration required. Visit upcoming exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus in I have so many questions they become Kunstnerneshus.no for tickets. Oslo, Norway). one and get tangled into different voices, Please bring: a sleeping mat, sleeping bag, different answers that are not answering toiletries The playlist consists of songs, proposed my questions, my questions that don’t by many of the artists taking part in the Actions of Art and Solidarity want them to answer, while still wanting to Date: Saturday 12 March, 14:00 exhibition as well as by other collaborators listen to them. It is a conversation where of the project, to celebrate music as a you don’t have to say anything, you just Kunstnere viser kunstnere is originally powerful force of solidarity and solidaric have to be there. You can listen or you can developed by Kunstnernes Hus for artists to story-telling. The songs elevate the sleep. You can let the words become part give public tours of exhibitions from their diversity of voices in solidarity processes of your unconscious, your dreams, or you own perspectives and viewpoints. and actions, they express desires such as can try to stay awake, like me. I will try, but ‘stand by me’ and ‘not in my name’, and I might stray in the middle. The fragments In this edition of Kunstnere viser Kunstnere, narrate stories of uprising, resistance and of languages, Spanish, Ajuuk, English and human-rights activist and cultural critic resilience. We have also included songs that Norwegian, will be unpredictable, but Khalid Salimi, author Ari Gautier and express support for land, oceans and other not empty. This is our reality, and you are Tonje Finvold Lacher, communications beings, as well as commemorate other acts welcome to get an insight into it, but not to manager for Melahuset and Melafestivalen of solidarity. understand it. in Oslo, conduct a public walk through The playlist was initiated by artist Elin You are invited to spend a night inside the exhibition reflecting on the works and Már Øyen Vister aka DJ Sunshine the exhibition, surrounded by solidarity, collectives on display based on their own A complete list of credits and songs by art. To take part in a sound-landscape work in solidarity and activism over many chosen can be found on OCA’s website, made up of fragments of texts, triggered decades. Melahuset, formed in 2016, is www.oca.no. by conversations I had with two women a cultural organisation and music and

I admire and wanted to listen to. We will arts venue in central Oslo with historical Programme Public be with the linguist and activist Yasnaya connections to many central organisations Aguilar and the journalist and writer Sigrun and initiatives within Norwegian and Slapgard, with ourselves and the sculpture international solidarity work, including the Hun som bærer minnet om jorda, hvor Immigrant Collective and the multi-lingual bærer denne jorda henne, made by my Immigrant Radio, as well as the Norwegian mother Gitte Dæhlin, as a trigger. She begs Anti-Racist Centre, founded in 1983. us not to describe her, not to make her www.mela.no answer any questions, but we will ask. We ask and we ask, but we never expect her to answer. We respect her silence. Still, we want her to be there for us, to save us, to be filled by a silence that lacks oppression, a silence that can give hope to the night. But we don’t manage to stay silent. – Maritea Dæhlin

50 51 Image credits Beeban Kidron and Amanda Gracia Barrios, Multitud III (Multitude María Teresa Toral, Juegos (8) © 2021 the authors, the artists and Gavin Jantjes, A South African Richardson, Carry Greenham III), 1972 Homenaje A Trinka (Teatro Office for Contemporary Art Norway. Colouring Book, 1989 Home, 1983 Courtesy Collection Museo de De Marionetas), (Games (8) Image courtesy of Arts Council Still, image courtesy of la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Homage to Trinka (Puppet All rights reserved. No part of this Collection, Southbank Centre, Concord Media (MSSA) and Concepción Theater)), 1970 publication may be reproduced, London © the artist The Norwegian Solidarity Balmes Courtesy Collection Museo de stored in a retrieval system or Carolina Caycedo, Mãe das aguas Committee for Latin America Taller 4 Rojo, La lucha es larga la Solidaridad Salvador Allende transmitted in any form or by any livres I, 2019 / Latin-Amerikagruppene comencemos ya (The Struggle (MSSA) means, electronic, mechanical, Image courtesy Serendipity, i Norge – Astrid and Ingrid is Long, Let’s Start Now), Chilean Arpilleristas, Untitled, photocopying, recording or group exhibition at Fadnes, Solidarity Patchwork. 1971 ca. 1973–85 otherwise, without the prior Galeria Francisco Fino © Patching Stories of Solidarity / Courtesy Collection Museo de 10 works permission of the publisher. Unless photodocumenta Solidaritetsteppet, 2020 la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Courtesy of Collection Museo otherwise specified, materials and Maria Hupfield, Land Solidarity, 2020 Detail, courtesy of the artists, (MSSA) and the artists de la Solidaridad Salvador texts were supplied by the owners of Image courtesy of the artist contributors and LAG Norge. Kjartan Slettemark, Stoppa Allende (MSSA) the works, who hold the copyright Actions of Art and Solidarity Bouchra Khalili, The Tempest Photo: Ingrid Fadnes, 2020 Chilematchen! 1975 Julio Cortázar thereto and are reproduced with Society. Digital film. 2017. 60’. Naeem Mohaiemen, Two Meetings Courtesy Collection Museo À propos de la création du permission. We have made every Commissioned for documenta and a Funeral, 2017, three- de la Solidaridad Salvador ‘Musée international de la effort to obtain permission for 14. View of the installation at channel digital video Allende (MSSA) and © Kjartan résistance Salvador Allende’ all copyright-protected material documenta 14, ASFA, Athens. installation, Slettemark / BONO, 2021 (On the creation of the in this publication. If you have Photo by Stathis Mamalakis. Image courtesy of the artist and Alfredo Portillos, Untitled, 1974 ‘Salvador Allende International copyright-protected material in this Courtesy of the artist and Hessisches Landesmuseum, Courtesy Collection Museo de Museum of Resistance’) publication and you have not given Galerie Mor Charpentier, Paris Kassel, documenta 14, photo: la Solidaridad Salvador Allende In Aujourd’hui madame, Nancy us permission, please contact the Beatriz González, Mural Para Fábrica Michael Nast (MSSA) théâtre du Monde, Antenne 2, Office for Contemporary Art Norway. Socialista (detail), 1981. Vivan Sundaram, Exchanging Looks, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Chili 26 July, 1977 Courtesy of Colección de Arte 2004 résistance, (Resistance in 4’6” del Museo de Arte – Dirección Image courtesy of the artist, Chile), 1977 Courtesy of Institut national de de Patrimonio Cultural – with courtesy to Courtesy Collection Museo de l’audiovisuel (INA), France Universidad Nacional de Left: Teacher’s Wife, Jaisalmer, la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Sashi Kumar, Safdar, 1989 Colombia. Foto: Wilmar Lozano Rajasthan, 1978, by Max Pam. (MSSA) and the artist 35’35” Hannah Ryggen, H.K.H Atomsen (Mr. Inset: Amrita Sher Gil, 1937 by Gontran Guanaes Netto, Autre Courtesy of Sahmat and the Atom), 1952 Barada Ukil. néo-colonialisme, (Other Neo- director Image courtesy Nordenfjeldske Center: One Day (Diptych), by colonialism), ca. 1971–77 Kunstindustrimuseum / Daniel Blaufuks. Inset: Guddo, Courtesy Collection Museo de Museene I Sør-Trøndelag. 1980, by Vivan Sundaram. la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Photo: Ben Westoby. © Modern Right: Big Shanti, 1985, by Vivan (MSSA) and Pedro Guanaes Image credits Art Oxford Sundaram. Inset: Detail from Netto Toufoul Abou-Hodeib, The Traveling One Day, by Daniel Blaufuks. Teresa Vila, Untitled, 1970 Scarf and Other Stories: Pablo Bartholomew, A picture of Courtesy Collection Museo de Art Networks, Politics, and Christ recovered from the la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Friendships between Palestine wrecked church in the village of (MSSA) and Norway, 2020 Mulchond in the Dang area of Öyvind Fahlström, Column no. 3 Still, image courtesy of Toufoul Gujarat, 1998 (Chile F), 1974 Abou-Hodeib and OCA Image courtesy of the artist 99.5 cm x 69.5 cm Chimurenga – Pan African Space Ram Rahman, Aftermath, 1995 Silkscreen in colors, edition of Station Image courtesy of the artist 100 Image courtesy of The Pan Gargi Raina, The Scattering (Zafran), Published by Multhipla, Milan African Space Station © 2007 and printed by Multirevol, Milan Chimurenga, 2019 Image courtesy of Sahmat (Renato Volpini, master printer) Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Inder Salim Courtesy Collection Museo de Chelsea E. Manning, Probably We all are Women’s Issues, la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Chelsea, 2017 2003 (MSSA) and © 2020 Sharon Image courtesy of the artists Image courtesy of the artist Avery-Fahlström, VG bild- and Fridman Gallery, New Pushpamala N. kunst, Bonn York. Photo: N. Miguletz / Mother as Jhansi ki Rani, 2007 José Gamarra, Puzzle, 1975 Frankfurter Kunstverein, 2018 Image courtesy of Sahmat and Courtesy Collection Museo de Gitte Dæhlin, Hun som Bærer Minnet the artist la Solidaridad Salvador Allende om denne Jorda, Hvor Bærer Ram Rahman, Family Photo, 1995 (MSSA) and the artist denne Jorda Henne? (She who Image courtesy of Sahmat and Claude Lazar, Tel al-Zaatar, 1976 Carries the Memory of this the artist Courtesy Collection Museo de Earth, Where does this Earth Nilima Sheikh la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Carry Her?), 1981–1983 I Write on the Void, 2007 (MSSA) and the artist Image courtesy of Maritea Image courtesy of Martand Clemencia Lucena, Educación Dæhlin, photo: Eirin Torgersen Khosla and the artist revolucionaria, (Revolutionary / OCA, 2020 Antonio Dias, Bandera (Flag), 1972 Education), 1976 Wendy Carrig, Hats, from (2012) Courtesy Collection Museo de the Greenham Common Image courtesy of Collection la Solidaridad Salvador Allende photography series, 1985 Museo de la Solidaridad (MSSA) Image courtesy of the artist Salvador Allende (MSSA) and Teresa Montiel, Fragmentos … Tina Keane, In Our Hands, Paola Chieregato (Fragments …), 1983 Greenham, 1982–84 Courtesy Collection Museo de Still, image courtesy of Tina la Solidaridad Salvador Allende Keane, England & Co. Gallery (MSSA) and the artist and LUX, London

52 53 Acknowledgements

‘Actions of Art and Solidarity’ is curated sustained over the last three years and we (2021), including text writers Yasnaya OCA team by Katya García-Antón (Director/Chief are deeply honoured to have counted on Elena A. Gil and Sigrun Slapgard; Black Katya García-Antón, Director and Curator) at Office for Contemporary Art such committed dialogue partners in its Box Theatre for co-producing it with us; Chief Curator Norway (OCA), with the research and making. We thank Sahmat (and especially Norsk Kulturråd for support; NOTAM for Elsa Itzel Archundia Esquivel, coordination support of Liv Brissach (OCA Ram Rahman, Ashok Kumari, Rajen Prasad, recording, mixing and equipment support; Project Coordinator Project Officer), Itzel Esquivel (OCA Project Naresh Kumar and Lalit Narayan for their conservator Annika Cilke; Thora Dolven Liv Brissach, Project Officer Coordinator) and Drew Snyder (OCA hospitality whilst researching in Delhi Balke for artistic advice on sound work; and Anne Charlotte Hauen, Grants Programme Manager) in Oslo, and Aban and for their generosity), as well as the the material advice of Soh Tokunaga. Administration Manager MSSA’s Director Claudia Zaldivar and Raza (in Delhi). The exhibition is organised Actions of Art and Solidarity The Solidarity Patchwork. Patching Toril Fjelde Høye, Head of Finance and in collaboration with Kunstnernes Hus and her colleagues Caroll Yaski, María José Stories of Solidarity / Solidaritetsteppet, Administration the public programme is co-curated by Lemaitre, Isabel Cáceres and Camilla 2020 by The Norwegian Solidarity Luba Kuzovnikova, Project Leader OCA and Kunstnernes Hus. Texts in this Rodríguez for their close collaboration and Committee for Latin America / Latin- Nordic Pavilion 2022 booklet were prepared collectively by Liv hospitality while researching in Santiago Amerikagruppene i Norge (LAG) – Astrid Raisa Porsanger, Project Officer Brissach, Itzel Esquivel, Katya García- de Chile. Some of the works from the and Ingrid Fadnes mobilised an extensive Drew Snyder, Programme Manager Antón, Aban Raza and Drew Snyder. MSSA collection have been displayed both number of peers in its making, and we Eirin Torgersen, Communication Officer First and foremost OCA extends its in the recent 2020 Berlin Biennial and in are therefore most grateful to the LAG Karoline Trollvik, Head of External warmest thanks to all the participating this exhibition, and we thank the curators network in Norway, Sápmi and Latin Relations and Communication artists who have made this exhibition María Berríos and Augustín Pérez Rubio as America and its Solidarity Brigades Nikhil Vettukattil, Project Officer possible: well as their colleagues Bryn Veditz and past and present as well as to the 150 (until September 2019) Toufoul Abou-Hodeib, Wendy Carrig, Edwige Baron for a good dialogue and contributors to the patchwork. Carolina Caycedo, Chimurenga, Heather collaboration. A special thanks to Geeta Finally we extend our sincere thanks Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning, Kapur, Wanda Nanibush, Marit Paasche, to the many wonderful collaborators Gitte Dæhlin, Maritea Dæhlin, Beatriz Devika Singh and Vivan Sundaram for who worked on this exhibition: all staff González, Maria Hupfield, Gavin Jantjes, sharing their excellent expertise and members at Office for Contemporary Tina Keane, Bouchra Khalili, Beeban generous guidance at different points in Art Norway and Kunstnernes Hus; all Kidron and Amanda Richardson, Latin- the making of the exhibition, as well as to technicians and exhibition hosts; OCA’s Amerikagruppene i Norge (Ingrid and Stefanie Hessler, Katrine Elise Pedersen, coordinator in Delhi, India, Aban Raza; Astrid Fadnes), Naeem Mohaiemen; Elin Már Øyen Vister and Nikhil Vettukattil Laila Labba for installation support; Acknowledgements MSSA (Chilean Arpilleristas, Gracia for further helpful dialogue. Torsteinsen Design for exhibition design; Barrios, Antonio Dias, Öyvind Fahlström, We are most grateful for the Hans Gremmen for booklet design; José Gamarra, Gontran Guanaes Netto, collaboration of Samia Halaby, Eldbjørg ANTI for communication design; Melissa Claude Lazar, Clemencia Lucena, Teresa Holte, Mona Saudi and Ebba Wergeland Larner for copy-editing, Wendy van Os- Montiel, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Alfredo interviewed in Toufoul Abou-Hodeib’s Thompson for translation and Valay Singh Portillos, Kjartan Slettemark, Taller 4 Rojo, film series The Traveling Scarf and Other Rai and Dalia Huerta Cano for subtitling. María Teresa Toral, Teresa Vila); Hannah Stories: Art Networks, Politics, and In addition we are also grateful to Annika Ryggen; Sahmat (TM Azis, Dora Longo Friendships Between Palestine and Norway Cilke for conservation, Paris Helene Furst Bahia, Pablo Bartholomew, Rosa Irigoyen, (2020); as well as to filmmakers Ayman for technical supervision, Yvonne Brandl Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Pavan Metcalfe, Alazraq and Eirin Torgersen in Oslo, Hana and Eidotech Berlin for rental of equipment Alnoor Mitha, Prashant Mukherjee, Peter Silvia Elias in New York, Anas Ghaibeh in and advice, and Jessica MacMillan for Nagel, Pushpamala N., Inder Salim, Kavita Beirut; Eirik Aarnes Vik at Nordisk Film inventory support as well as to Fotogalleriet Shah, Nilima Sheikh, Jin Sook Shinde, P. Shortcut AS for editing; Maja Olsen for and Oslo Kunstforening for assistance Srinivasan, Vivan Sundaram, Ram Rahman, subtitles; OsloBiennalen for material with equipment. Thanks to Milan Milovic at Gargi Raina) and Elin Már Øyen Vister. support; and to the copyright holders linkgrafisk for printing this booklet. We are also deeply grateful to all the of the original material, including the institutional lenders for their generosity interviewees, as well as Kunstnernes Hus and collaboration in this exhibition, and the Norwegian National Museum’s especially given the complexities that archive (Dokumentasjonsarkivet/NMFK/ COVID-19 brought our way: Arts Council KH/Dba/L0008). Thanks also for inspiring Collection, Southbank Centre, London; dialogues with Gilda Axelroud, Diala Telenor Art Collection; Collection of Sunil Khasawneh, Kristine Khouri, Rasha Salti Kant Munjal; Martand Khosla; Fridman and Vera Tamati all of which contributed to Gallery New York; Maritea Dæhlin; Museo the making of this work. de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA); Our sincere thanks to all those who Sahmat; and all the artist lenders. supported the production of Maritea This exhibition has been the fruit of Dæhlin’s performance event, I Guess you dialogues, collaborations and friendships have a lot of questions. A bed time story

54 55 Toufoul Abou-Hodeib Carolina Caycedo Chimurenga Heather Dewey-Hagborg and Chelsea E. Manning Gitte Dæhlin Maritea Dæhlin Greenham Common Wendy Carrig Tina Keane Beeban Kidron and Amanda Richardson Beatriz González Maria Hupfield Gavin Jantjes Bouchra Khalili Latin-Amerikagruppene i Norge / The Norwegian Solidarity Committee for Latin America (Astrid and Ingrid Fadnes) Naeem Mohaiemen Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende (MSSA) Chilean Arpilleristas Gracia Barrios Antonio Dias Öyvind Fahlström José Gamarra Gontran Guanaes Netto Claude Lazar Clemencia Lucena Teresa Montiel Ernest Pignon-Ernest Alfredo Portillos Kjartan Slettemark Taller 4 Rojo María Teresa Toral Teresa Vila Hannah Ryggen Sahmat – Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust TM Azis Dora Longo Bahia Eleena Banik Pablo Bartholomew Rosa Irigoyen Kamin Lertchaiprasert Pavan Mahatta Eric Metcalfe Alnoor Mitha Prashant Mukherjee Peter Nagel Pushpamala N. Inder Salim Kavita Shah Nilima Sheikh Jin Sook Shinde P. Srinivasan Vivan Sundaram Ram Rahman Gargi Raina Elin Már Øyen Vister