amvirke

RASK Contemporary art as a resource and link between the three coastal municipalities in the Nordic countries - seminars, work process and exhibition

RASK is a three-year collaboration project between three coastal municipalities in the Nordic countries: Smøla (N) 2013, Skagaströnd (IS) 2014, Læsø (DK) in 2015.

Seven artists stays and work together for fourteen days. The work leads to a contemporary art exhibition. A seminar discuss how art can be a new experience in small communities. The goal is to show how contemporary art is a resource that has its place in the local and can be an important link between the involved communities and the people in residence.

Activities in costal communities are included in a global context where the ocean, landscape and its resources bind us together. These communities undergo big changes when it comes to livelihoods - from earlier fishing and shipping till today’s oil-, fish farming and tourism as main industries. The Northwest Passage, oil drilling and climate change will have an impact along the coasts in the whole Nordic, and challenge the idea of subsistence. Despite these challenges, the costal communities show an enormous effort and creativity to maintain a vibrant community.

The participating artists will work close with the local people and utilize the resources that are shown in the creation of the exhibition. A seminar will be conducted where entities from the participating municipalities will discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie in the resources, traditions and peculiarities found in small communities. The title "RASK" referring to what is left over after consumption or production, resources that has been seen as highly valuable, but has lost its value. The resources can be of human, knowledge, research, material or environment.

Organization and Collaboration

The project is lead by Heidi Rognskog Mella (Project manager) and Mona Eckhoff Sørmo (Curating). The co-producers are Nes AiR at Skagaströnd and the member of the Nes AiR Board Hrafnhildur Sigurðardóttir.  The Municipal Læsø with Leif Ladefoged and Læsø Kunsthall by Jon Eirik Lundberg, will be involved when arranging the Rask at Læsø in Denmark.

After the RASK exhibition at Veiholmen in 2013, the Smøla municipal has decided to arrange for an Artist in Recidence program for international Artists (AiR). The first in the region Møre og Romsdal. Skagaströnd has its Nes Artist in Residency where 10 artists are staying at all times. Læsø are planning to build the residency at the former Asgeir Jorns Atelier completed in 2015.

Veiholmen June 2014, 

by Heidi Rognskog Mella