Rugged, weathered, above the sea 1 Coast Contemporary Rugged, weathered, above the sea Second edition 21-26 October, 2018 Coast Contemporary is made possible and We would also like to thank our collaborative partners and friends who Content funded by several small and large organisations all generously contribute to the program in various ways. and institutions. We are grateful for your Bergen Art Book Fair, Ann-Kristin Stølan, Director Partners, supporters, and funders tremendous support on board and on land. Bergen Kunsthall, Axel Wieder, Director and Eva Rowson, curator KNIPSU, Hilde Jørgensen, Director and artist Introduction by Tanja Sæter (p.4) Funded and supported by: Nordenfjeldske Art Museum, Åshild Adsen, Director Arts Council Norway Norwegian Textile Artists (NTK) Karianne Sand, Director Introduction by Charles Aubin (p.6) Bergen City North Norwegian Art Center, Svein I. Pedersen, Director and Consulate General in New York Karolin Tampere, curator Participating on board and on land (pp. 8-9) Fritt Ord Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA) Katya Garcia Anton, Director Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ingrid Moe, Head of External Relations Schedule (pp. 10-13) NORLA – Norwegian Literature Abroad RAKE visningsrom, Charlotte Rostad and Trygve Ohren, artists KORO – Public Art Norway Rogaland Art Center, Geir Haraldseth, curator Programme (pp. 14-26) Stavanger City Sami Center for Contemporary Art / Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš, The Royal Norwegian embassies in Berlin, Kristoffer Dolmen, Director Film programme (pp. 27-29) Copenhagen, Hague, London, Paris and Rome Screen City Biennial, Daniela Arriado, Director The MidnightSun Barn, Kjetil Berge, artist The Cabin Series (pp. 30-36) UKS (Young Artists´Society), Rhea Dall, Curator and Edvine Larssen, board member Art Book Fair (pp. 37-41) VISP, Aslak Høyersten, Director Land Programme (pp. 42-47) International institutions on board (pp. 48-51) Norwegian institutions on board (pp. 52-59) There is a force in meetings, and hopefully it In this edition we bring the element of printed Coast makes us stronger and strenghtens the artist matter and we are grateful to be collaborating economy by generating new collaborations for all with NORLA-Norwegian Literature Abroad, the involved at a small or a larger scale. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bergen Art Book Fair in such a large scale, contributing to a focus on Contemporary It is hard to make your way as an artist or as a both art, art books and literature. curator and to be present at an arena where we all can meet and exchange ideas is important. Coast Norway’s artist-run scene is strong and at times as Contemporary aims to offer a programme and a untouched as (some of) its nature. Because of The Evolving into the unexpected requiers an open presence at a slower pace and we take it seriously. Relief Fund for Visual Artists, 5% of all sold art, from mind from all involved and we are grateful for your It is all personal for an artist, and it is a sensitive and the first and second-hand markets, is given back presence and willingness to sail down the coast a fragile thing to put your art on the line. My to the artists in form of working grants. Combined with us. sincere thanks to the artists, the team, advisors, with the important working grants from the Come what may. You are cordially and earnestly authors, curators, institutions and funders involved government (Statens Arbeidsstipend) artists are invited to attend. in our second edition, curated by Charles Aubin. able to work in piece and develop their practice. It is important for all art-workers to protect this Charles Aubin has really taken our heads for a ride, remarkable model established by Ulrik Hendriksen adressing important issues we need to relate to. (1891-1960), and even better, share the model Realizing Charles was working with the words no with the world. Norwegian child really understands (”furet, værbitt”) was a great Eureka moment. Norway has a long tradition of artist organisations that function as unions combined with a gallery Charles Aubin normally works for Performa in New space, and it is important for Coast Contemporary York, and Lafayette Anticipations in Paris. He to always bring focus to the artist organisation’s brings a presence, a curiosity and an interest and a work and to include them in our international genuine love for art and artists, sharpening our delegate programme. The organisations are the focus. My personal and cordial thanks to Charles best source of finding your way into the artist for taking us deeper down the rabbit hole and scene in Norway. We will present a list of beeing so patient, focused and interested. organisations and artist guides on our website, to make things a little easier. Please, stay in touch. Warmest regards, Tanja Sæter Founding Director 4 5 But the TV show Hurtigruten minutt for minutt also Rugged, weathered, above the sea is an experi- Rugged, appealed to another national trait: the country’s ment. It seeks to think with artists, architects, writ- passion for its own landscape, also a quite effec- ers, and environmental experts about nature as a tive tool to build a shared sense of nationhood. site of conflict, lying at the heart of a complex net- Romantics of the 19th century throughout Europe work of players with contradictory agendas. This weathered, turned to celebrations of nature at its most dra- six-day programme on land (in Lofoten, Trond- matic to invigorate patriotism. Here in Norway, heim, and Bergen) and on board unfolds with a literary and pictorial depictions such as Johan daily schedule of performances, presentations, Christian Dahl’s spectacular paintings of mountain screenings, readings, and conversations, as well above the sea scenery, have served to build a national belief of as one-day-long exhibitions in the ship’s cabins. an untouched and limitless territory — often large- ly oblivious of the Sámi people — at the hand of I would like to thank all the participants for their the adventurous mind. Today the natural tourism embrace of this unusual format and their gener- agency still relies on such formulations: “Norway, osity in the creation of this programme. Preparing Powered by Nature”, goes the slogan, even Rugged, weathered, above the sea has been a though what really powers Norway these days is joyous education, and I wish that all guests on In June 2011, over the course of four days, more than the petroleum industry that has dramatically board, both Norwegian and international, enjoy 2.5 million people—approximately half the Norwegian changed the course of the country’s economy and learn as much as I have. Above all, let me ex- population—followed Hurtigruten minutt for minutt, since the 1960s. press my deepest gratitude to Tanja Sæter, the placid yet somehow epic live broadcast of a ship’s founding director of Coast Contemporary, for the voyage from the southwestern city of Bergen to the When Tanja Sæter invited me to imagine this exceptional invitation to curate this year’s edition. small town of Kirkenes, in the country’s far northeast, year’s programme, I was eager to examine these Tanja has been an open-minded, generous, and close to the Russian border. From a foreigner’s per- contradictory images of nationhood, landscape, patient host since our first coffee last fall in New spective, the wild popularity of a broadcast where ecology, and tourism. Drawing its title from the York, and I look forward to presenting the fruits of nothing happened, and which proceeded at such a first strophe of Norway’s national anthem Ja, vi our collaboration over these six days together. leisurely pace, appeared baffling to say the least. elsker dette landet (Yes, We Love This Country) written in 1859 by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (“Yes, we Bon voyage! This unique televised marathon drew upon a love this country / as it rises forth / rugged, Charles Aubin deep-rooted endearment for a national cultural land- weathered, above the sea”), this programme Coast Contemporary 2018 Curator mark – the Hurtigruten, Norway’s historic mail boat. seeks to address the complex relationship Nor- From hurtig, fast, and ruten, route, the Hurtigruten wegians entertain with the wilderness. How has it fleet holds a special place in the Norwegian psyche been “naturalized” as a national mythology? What and has played a key role in the long process of forg- particular worldviews and agendas does it imply? ing the idea of a nation separate from Sweden and And what roles and presences does it assign or Denmark. Beginning in 1893, the company connected allow? Rugged, weathered, above the sea ex- citizens across the country, through their personal cor- plores this construction of a national affinity for respondence and via the dissemination of a national nature in relationship with a changing climate— press. This new network of communication helped to both in the Nordic region and in areas from which produce a shared geography of Norway in the years tens of thousands of new arrivals have migrated— before and after independence in 1905. that transforms cultural imaginations. 6 7 PARTICIPATING ON BOARD Økland, Maya Coast Contemporary Olerud Ellen, Trautmann NORLA Name Artist/Author/Curator/Institution Paasche, Marit Curator and author Adam, Sunniva NORLA Piejko, Jennifer Writer (US) Alms, Rüdiger Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin Pignatti, Lorenza Writer (IT) Arriado, Daniela Screen City Biennnial Puisys, Laimonas Coast Contemporary Aubin, Charles Coast Contemporary Reiersen, Elisabeth Bech, Flemming Ove Lodret Vandret (DK) Aukrust Rones,