Norberg Västmanland Bergslagen Sweden Scandinavia
A residency culminating in works sited in and around Norberg
Artists in residence: 13-28 July
Exhibition open 27 July-30 August
Opening reception:
Thursday 27 July 1 6 pm
behind the library
Participants: Henrik Andersson, Magnus Bärtås, Dave Carbone, Brian Griffiths, Eline McGeorge, Jesper Nordahl, Sally OReilly, Pia Sandström, Milly Thompson, Lisa Torell, Emily Wardill and åbäke
Organisers and hosts: Lisa Panting and Malin Ståhl
Taking place during the summer months this project can be seen as part experiment and part residency and will culminate in a series of works, informed in some way by the context of Norberg and or Sweden. The projects will be sited in and around the town centre in a range of venues that include the library, the local Red Cross charity shop and an exterior wall of a supermarket.
The project was originally initiated as a counterpoint to the international art scene and the context of the two capital cities of London and Stockholm where the artists normally live and work. The aim is to provide a place where artists can experience making work somewhere else where the conditions of production may enable a shift in scale, dissemination and experience of the work. Some artists may relate specifically to a public place, or a local activity, whilst others might bring an interest from beyond the context and use Norberg as a frame.
Norberg is a small town with a robust sense of cultural identity. There is a library, an active interest in heritage and a large number of visitors who holiday in the area in the summer and winter months. At first glace Norberg may seem an incongruous backdrop for a series of contemporary art projects but it was felt to be an ideal place to experiment with the idea around making work for the public place, creating a temporary place of work for artists, creating links and working with local infrastructures, thinking around context-derived practice and site-specificity. What is a site or a place, how is it defined/marked, and how is it connected to the surrounding world?
One can also ask who can portray/depict a place, what kind of distance is needed and what sort of experience useful?
One aspect of the project is the production of a newspaper that will be printed by VLT, the county newspaper. The paper will show documentation of the process, texts and images by and of the artists work, an extract from Sally OReillys project written in Norberg and a text by Lisa Panting and Malin Ståhl.
Most sites will be accessible at any time, however some works will be housed by local venues that may have specific opening hours. Please check www.hollybushgardens.co.uk for further details as well as travel information and maps. This site will be updated during the residency.
The project has been made possible by the help of two individuals from the local council and tourist office, Anders Kilstöm and Eva-Lena Silva.
The project has been supported by Framtidens Kultur, British Council, Double agents, Norbergs Kommun, and VLT (Vestmanlands Läns Tidning)
