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WOMEN IN WAR: Finding Your Voice in the Time of War

How is the war in Ukraine affecting societies and individuals? In eight documentaries we talk to women from Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and the Baltic countries, residing in the Nordics and Baltics. We attempt to shed light on the impact of the war in Ukraine on society in general and therefore democracy in our region through the people and, most importantly, we look at how we can restore peace in Europe.

The war continues to influence the political landscape in Europe and threatens its stability. If we are to build more democratic and peaceful societies, it is vital that we understand the differences and contexts that the individuals, both from the nations subjected to conflict and the region, represent and bring to society. We aim at giving voices to individuals to enable them to understand each other better and to identify a way towards a peaceful future.

A series of documentaries ‘Women in War’ provide a platform for women to tell their stories – where they came from, why they came to the Nordics or Baltics, what brings them together, and, most importantly, what is the impact of war in Ukraine (both long-term and short-term) and how we can live peacefully in the Nordics and Baltics.

Episode 5. is out now, featuring Natasha S Russian-Icelandic poet. 
Watch the previous episodes on norden.org by clicking here. 

Episode 5. Finding Your Voice in the Time of War

Natasha S is a Russian-born Icelandic poet. In 2022 she was awarded a prestigious literary prize in Iceland, Tómas Guðmundsson Award, for her collection of poems “Máltaka á stríðstímum” (“Finding Your Voice in the Time of War”) written in Icelandic language.

She became the first foreign writer to be awarded a prize for the literary achievements in Iceland.

We talk about the war in Ukraine, the role of culture in the time of war, support of Icelandic society to Ukrainian refugees and her poetry where she addresses herself by learning to speak again – trying to live again – now in the time of war.

OPEN INTERNSHIP POSITIONS

För hösten 2023 söker vi tre praktikanter inom tre separata program. 

Som praktikant i Nordens hus är du en del av ett dynamiskt team, som arbetar med kulturutbyte mellan Island, Norden och de baltiska länderna i form av samarbetsprojekt med kulturinstitutioner, konstnärer och forskare i hela regionen. Nordens hus har en bred verksamhet och arrangerar kontinuerligt utställningar, evenemang, konferenser och festivaler med inriktning på konst, kultur och litteratur samt samhälls- och miljöfrågor. Arbete med tillgänglighet och mångfald är centralt för oss.

Som praktikant i Nordens hus får du en bred erfarenhet av projektplanering, -utveckling och genomförande. Du har ett brett ansvar och möjlighet att med din input och dina initiativ vara med om att utveckla organisationen. Därtill har du goda möjligheter att utvecklas inom ditt eget område och införskaffa värdefull professionell erfarenhet och goda kontaktnät inför framtiden.

Läs mer om de lediga praktikant stallningar och hur du ansöker här.

Mynd: Eyþór Árnason af verki Sergei Petlyuk “And who allowed you to live beautifully”
frá sýningunni HOW DID I GET TO THE BOMBSHELTER

TILNEFNINGAR TIL BÓKMENNTAVERÐLAUNA NORÐURLANDARÁÐS 2023

14 norrænar skáldsögur, frásagnir, esseyjur og ljóðabækur eru tilnefndar til bókmenntaverðlauna Norðurlandaráðs 2023. Þessi mögnuðu verk koma frá öllum norrænu löndunum og málsvæðunum. Tilkynnt verður um verðlaunahafann þann 31. október í Osló.

Öll verkin sem tilnefnd eru í ár má lesa sem nokkurs konar óð til lífsins – þessa harmræna, kynngimagnaða og undursamlega lífs sem vindur fram á milli einstaklinga, samfélags og náttúru. Mörg þeirra fást við hinar mörgu birtingarmyndir ofbeldis, ýmist með sögulegum, bókmenntalegum eða raunveruleikatengdum vísunum í áföll og niðurbrot.

Í hinum tilnefndu verkum má einnig greina einstakt næmi fyrir tungumálinu, margþættar frásagnir sem fara þvert á bókmenntagreinar og áhuga á helgisiðum.

Hér eru verkin sem tilnefnd eru til bókmenntaverðlaunanna árið 2023,
smellið á titlana til að lesa meira:

Danmörk Fanden tage dig: Beretning om et kvindedrab eftir Niels Frank. Frásögn, Gyldend… Georg-komplekset eftir Kirsten Hammann. Skáldsaga, Gyldendal, 2022.

Finnland Musta peili eftir Emma Puikkonen. Skáldsaga, WSOY, 2021. Den stora blondinens sista sommar eftir Peter Sandström. Skáldsaga, Schildts & …

Færeyjar Karmageitin og Gentukamarið eftir Marjun Syderbø Kjelnæs. Ljóð og leikverk, Ung…

Grænland Qivittuissuit akornanniinnikuuvunga eftir Katrine Rasmussen Kielsen. Skáldsaga,…

Ísland Ljósgildran eftir Guðna Elísson. Skáldsaga, Lesstofan, 2021. Laus blöð eftir Ragnar Helga Ólafsson. Ljóðabók, Bjartur, 2021.

Noregur Kniven i ilden eftir Ingeborg Arvola. Skáldsaga, Cappelen Damm, 2022. Forbryter og straff eftir Kathrine Nedrejord. Skáldsaga, Forlaget Oktober, 2022.

Samíska málsvæðið Jaememe mijjen luvnie jeala eftir Anne-Grethe Leine Bientie & Bierna Leine Bien…

Svíþjóð Ihågkom oss till liv eftir Joanna Rubin Dranger. Myndasaga, Albert Bonniers för… En bok för ingen eftir Isabella Nilsson. Esseyjur, Ellerströms, 2022.

Álandseyjar Konsten att inte hitta sig själv på Bali eftir Zandra Lundberg. Prósafrásögn, S…

Dómnefndir skipaðar fulltrúum frá löndunum hafa tilnefnt verk til bókmenntaverðlauna Norðurlandaráðs 2023.

Hér má sjá dómnefnd bókmenntaverðlauna Norðurlandráðs.

Verðlaunahafinn kynntur 31. október

Handhafi bókmenntaverðlauna Norðurlandaráðs 2023 verður kynntur á verðlaunaafhendingu þann 31. október í Osló í tengslum við þing Norðurlandaráðs. Verðlaunahafinn hlýtur verðlaunagripinn Norðurljós og 300 þúsund danskar krónur.

Um bókmenntaverðlaun Norðurlandaráðs

Bókmenntaverðlaun Norðurlandaráðs hafa verið veitt síðan 1962 fyrir fagurbókmenntaverk sem samið er á einu af norrænu tungumálunum. Það getur verið skáldsaga, leikverk, ljóðabók, smásagna- eða ritgerðasafn sem uppfyllir strangar kröfur um bókmenntalegt og listrænt gildi.

Markmið hinna fimm verðlauna Norðurlandaráðs er að auka áhuga á norrænu menningarsamfélagi og samstarfi um umhverfismál, svo og að vekja athygli á verkefnum sem skarað hafa fram úr á sviði lista eða umhverfismála.

Nánari upplýsingar um bókmenntaverðlaun Norðurlandaráðs má sjá hér.

Why focus on art during a burning war?

A week ago, thanks to an additional grant from the Nordic Council of Ministers, we were able to open an exhibition with new works by seven Ukrainian contemporary artists. In the exhibition How did I get to the bomb shelter, we get to see artists Kinder Albums, Mykhaylo Barabash´s, Jaroslav Kostenkos, Sergiy Petlyuks, Elena Subachs, Art Group Sviters and Maxim Finogeev´s  perspective on Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

And why would it be important to focus on art in the midst of a raging war? I’ll tell you why.

It has become clear that culture is a specific target for Russia in the war against Ukraine. As of 8.2.2023, UNESCO has confirmed the destruction of 238 objects since 24 February 2022: 105 religious sites, 18 museums, 85 buildings of historical/artistic value, 19 monuments and 11 libraries. Already on the fourth day of the war, a museum dedicated to the world-famous Ukrainian artist Maria Prymachenko was attacked.

Deliberate attacks on culture are nothing new. The bombing of Guernica by the German Air Force during the Spanish Civil War, the systematic destruction of Polish libraries and archives by the Nazis during World War II, and the attacks on cultural objects by ISIS are some of the more famous attempts to wipe out culture during war. To destroy art is to erase the history of a country, to deprive it of the quality of being a nation.

Fighting for culture is not only about preserving antiquity, but also about fighting for the present and the future. This is a time when culture must not be interrupted and the artists continue their work, continue to adress the terrible situation through their art. And the world is responding – never before has Ukrainian art and culture been so globally present. We are incredibly grateful for the artists’ participation in the exhibition and hope that as many people as possible will get to share their stories.

A warm thank you to the exhibition’s curator Yulia Sapiga, who came to The Nordic House last summer through the organization Artists at Risk. This would never have been possible without her.

OPEN CALL for the 2023 Nordic Council Environment Prize

The Nordic Council Environment Prize invites the public to nominate candidates for the prize. This year’s theme is sustainable textile production and consumption.

NOMINATE

The production and consumption of textiles is associated with a significant adverse effect on both the environment and the climate. With this year’s theme, the adjudication committee wants to focus on the fact that the Nordic Region can be a pioneer in the necessary transformation of the entire textile value chain.

“The unsustainable approach to textiles is a global problem, but we in the Nordics have a special obligation to adapt and to change behaviours. Our consumption is gargantuan and has an impact far beyond our national borders. In short, we buy too much, use what we buy too little, and then we don’t recycle enough,” says Cilia Indahl, head of the adjudcation committee for the Nordic Council Environment Prize.

This year’s theme covers the entire life cycle of textiles, from the production of the raw material to the design, sale, repair, reuse, recycling, and disposal.

“We’re in a situation where we have to reduce our consumption, extend the life of textiles, and introduce circular business models. We hope that the Nordic Council Environment Prize can help show that a sustainable textile industry is possible and that there are already many good examples to draw inspiration from,” says Cilia.

Read about this years theme here.

Anyone can nominate a candidate

The Nordic Council Environment Prize is the only one of the Nordic Council’s five prizes for which the public can put forward a candidate.

The deadline for nominating a candidate is Tuesday 9 May.

Who can be nominated? The prize is awarded to a Nordic individual, enterprise or organisation that has managed to integrate consideration for nature and the environment into its business or work in an exemplary way, or that has made an extraordinary positive contribution to nature and the environment in some other way. The winning entity must have a Nordic perspective and operate in the Nordic Region and/or in relation to parties outside of the Nordic Region.

Photograph: Nanna Navntoft / Ritzau Scanpix


The Nordic Council Environment Prize was first awarded in 1995 with the aim of raising awareness of work on the environment in the Nordic Region. The Nordic Council also awards literature prizes for both adult literature and children and young people’s literature, a music prize, and a film prize.

R.E.C Arts Reykjavík during Children´s

R.E.C Arts Reykjavík during Children´s Culture Festival 2023 at the Nordic house Reykjavík.

Artist-Activist Collective R.E.C Arts Reykjavík, in collaboration with The Nordic House, proposes a project which seeks to provide an artistic platform for teens of minority backgrounds and communities (as well as other teens interested), ages 13-17.

This cumulative program invites a group of students from multiple schools to join us for a twice-monthly workshop series. This series will include artistic exercises guided by us and guest instructors from our collective. Using communal discussions and different formats of storytelling (theatre, music, dance, writing, etc), young people will be encouraged and empowered to have a voice and place in society. The workshops will encourage elaborating on skills that the students already have or would like to pursue.

Each of these workshops will be 3 hours long, two times a month (feb-april) with the end goal to produce a “showcase” performance presentation during the Children’s Culture Festival in the spring of 2023. The main themes we will be working with are: Identity, Community and Empowerment. This showcase will also aim to educate those from more privileged backgrounds on the important cultural changes that are currently happening in Icelandic society.

The founders of R.E.C Arts Reykjavík would like to introduce the project in January 2023, to schools that are interested in bringing it forth.  For those who would like to learn more or receive an introduction of the project in person please write to hrafnhildur@nordichouse.is or recartsrvk@gmail.com. 

 

Who are we and why are we doing this? kajasigvalda

R.E.C Arts Reykjavík was established in late 2021 by Rebecca Hidalgo, Eva Björk and Chaiwe Sól Drífudóttir. It was begun with the aim to bring diversity, visibility and representation to the mainstream arts scene in Iceland through equity, access and education. They are a recognized Non-Governmental Organization, and have worked both independently and in collaboration with organizations such as: The Reykjavík Arts Festival, Amnesty International, Reykjavík Feminist Film Festival, Antirasistarnir, Reykjavík Pride, and others.

R.E.C Arts Reykjavík has worked with both adults and youth, hosting workshops which bring individuals from different minorities together (and those whose identities may intersect multiple marginalized communities). They are known for creating a space of learning, growth, empathy and understanding; building confidence in each individual they work with; and providing a safe community for self expression and education.

The Icelandic arts and arts education institutions are undoubtedly very exclusive spaces; only the privileged and well-connected seem to be able to thrive in the arts in this country. Representation of People of Color, Queer people, Disabled folks, Immigrants and Refugees are few and far between.

We at R.E.C Arts Reykjavík have begun tackling this issue by looking at the root of it: the “higher ups” in these institutions are almost never individuals from marginalized communities. Therefore, no matter how much they claim that “all are invited”, the institution is not inherently inviting. The actual “invitation” is seeing people like yourself running those institutions and giving space to people like you.

We, the founders of R.E.C Arts Reykjavík, all intersect multiple identities of both marginalization and privilege living in Icelandic society. Our motto is “Representation Matters”—and representation is extremely important for young people to feel a sense of purpose, belonging and agency in the world and their societies. Whether or not these youth have a desire to pursue the arts professionally, they should be offered an opportunity to explore the arts and cultivate their creativity in an environment amongst those like them.

The plan is to create a place where everybody belongs in their own authentic way; and more-so, they know that they are an important part of a community.

www.instagram.com/recartsrvk

www.facebook.com/recartsrvk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LuTQZqWNOgUoV8qHnrxRW-MLZwWXMLTK/view

Nordic Council Literature Prize’s 60-year History

The Nordic Council Literature Prize has been awarded since 1962 and this year celebrates its 60th year of inspiring reading. Over six decades, the Nordic Council Literature Prize has time and again set itself apart as a prize that rewards literature that breaks boundaries and sets new literary horizons.

Read more.

Sofie Hermansen Eriksdatter, prize secretariat manager for the Nordic Council Literature Prize (Nordic House in Reykjavík), has selected 10 winning works which represent a selection of highlights in the literature prize’s 60-year history.

Click here to see her list.

 

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