Category: Safe Residencies

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Post author By Kate
Post date August 13, 2025

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

August 13, 2025

Written by Kate Ngan Wa Ao

“Artistic Freedom for me is to create despite the government and the powers that be. It is honouring the purest part of a person who wants to create and speak truthfully to oneself. It has now become a privilege, even though it should not be. But it is a privilege I embrace with a dose of survivor’s guilt, recurrent frustration, and eventual brief overcoming of it.”
— Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn (they/them), born in 1998 in Myanmar, have been in our residency programme Oslo Art Haven since June 2025. Eddie is a storyteller who works primarily with the languages of cinema and photography, though they identify first and foremost as a writer. Their work explores the complexities of gender and sexuality, as well as the transformation of identity through experimental storytelling.

Before 2021, Eddie gained experience working across various organizations and media platforms, including &Proud, a queer organization that celebrates LGBTQ+ lives and advocates for the decriminalization of homosexuality in Myanmar. In 2021, as the political situation in Myanmar deteriorated following the military coup, Eddie fled to Thailand with support from local organizations. They settled in Bangkok, where they began supporting newly arrived Burmese dissidents. They also worked as a researcher at Global Voices from the 2020 elections in Myanmar until 2023.

— I was doing all kinds of jobs in different organizations, researcher, translator, and more, because that was how I could justify leaving home while still feeling like I was contributing. I focused more on community work with other dissidents from Myanmar, as it felt more immediate and urgent. I put my creativity aside for as long as I could, until I no longer could. At the end of 2021, I quit most of my jobs to become a full-time artist, Eddie says.

In 2022, Eddie created a photography project titled Weight, which explored themes of displacement, survivor’s guilt, the burden of political unrest, and their own identity crisis at the time. The project was a success and has been exhibited globally.

They have since completed three short films: Return to Sender (2020), Where the River Ends (2023), and JuJu vs.The Possibilities of Life, Love, and Death? (2024). These films have been screened internationally at different film festivals

Telling Stories of Home From Afar

The stories in Eddie’s films are always set in Myanmar. However, since filming there is no longer possible, they are brought to life in Thailand. This raises a painful question: How does one create work about home while being forced to live away from it?

Eddie grew up in a community-oriented society, and being in a collective environment remains deeply important to them. Eddie would make a deliberate effort to involve Burmese people in their film crews, as many Burmese artists and filmmakers were also exiled to Thailand.

— When I am making a film, I am fully aware that it is not Myanmar, even though the story is set there. For example, in Where the River Ends, we filmed in a forest in Thailand. Because it was in a forest, it made us think: “This could be Myanmar, if we believed it.” That brought a sense of comfort. And that feeling only really came alive because we had Burmese people on the crew. I could hear the Burmese language around me all the time, and for a moment, it felt like home, Eddie recalls.

Leaving Home, Finding Self

In Myanmar, homosexuality and transgender remain criminalized under Section 377 of the Penal Code, a colonial-era law introduced by the British rule in the 19th century. Still in force today, it carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.

After leaving Myanmar, Eddie began to experience a sense of freedom from the country’s deeply homophobic policy and environment, but that freedom came at a cost, leaving behind the Burmese people, leaving home.

— It felt like two separate journeys happening simultaneously. Yes, I had to leave home; it was devastating, and living in exile carries a heavy burden of survivor’s guilt. But at the same time, I am finally able to dress how I want and be who I am as a queer person. Part of me feels liberated, safer, and freer. I am becoming a truer version of myself. And thankfully, along the way, I also found my community with other queer Burmese people in exile, Eddie says.

This dual experience of navigating identity, freedom, and belonging deeply informs Eddie’s work. For example In their film JuJu vs The Possibilities of Love, Life & Death? (2024). The story follows the protagonist JuJu, a Burmese trans femme working at an independent cinema in Bangkok. While there, she encounters another Burmese man, who may or may not have romantic feelings for her. What unfolds is a series of conversations and imagined scenarios in JuJu’s mind, exploring the power of queer representation in mainstream media, queer identity, stereotypes, and the search for love.

New Film Project – Explores Privilege

Eddie said the calm of Oslo is much needed after four years of chaos in Bangkok. They want to use this opportunity to focus on researching and developing the script for their first feature-length film, a thriller set in the 1940s during British colonial rule in Myanmar.

This project explores the complexity of colonization and its dichotomy: between the local who remains oppressed, and the fellow Burmese who returns from abroad, now seen as an outsider. Eddie explains:

— As one of the colonized, people are clearly oppressed, but within that, some start to see the colonizers as the model of ‘success.’ They start to learn their language, work with them, adopt their ways, and often get rewarded with privilege. In British-ruled Myanmar, many Burmese people worked alongside the British. They were given homes, education, and some were even sent abroad to study in England. My question is: does this make them less Burmese?

— While exploring this idea of privilege. I think about my own journey. My artistic career is, in part, ‘elevated’ because my people are being oppressed. If that weren’t the case, would anyone care what I have to say? Am I where I am because of my and my people’s trauma? I guess that is also one of the sources of my survivor’s guilt.

Freedom, Guilt, Heal

Feeling guilty is a complicated and often experienced emotion among exiled artists. Many carry a deep sense of guilt for being away from their homeland. For Eddie, this was no different. Does being an artist help ease survivor’s guilt, or does survivor’s guilt stem from being an exiled artist in the first place?

When Eddie first arrived in Thailand in 2021, survivor’s guilt became their main motivation for making art. It felt less like a choice and more like an urgent necessity. Eddie describes it as almost a physical response, like throwing up, an intense emotional release. They had no other choice but to make art to survive the heaviness they carried. That was when the photography project Weight was born.

— The survivor’s guilt is kind of the cause and the consequence. As an artist, I process my emotions through my art; that is how I cope with what is happening in the world. Guilt kind of pushed me forward. And frankly, in this industry, I would not be where I am without my guilt, because it was once my fuel to make work, Eddie reflects.

But now, Eddie seems to have found a new way to motivate their artistic practice, one rooted in acceptance and the celebration of community.

“Do I still feel survivor’s guilt? Yes, of course. But my motivation has shifted. Now, I want to create art as a celebration of being alive, of having survived, of being in community. I like to call it radical joy, because we all need it.“
— Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn

When asked how to find one’s way through freedom, guilt, and healing, Eddie believes there is no simple answer, as it is an extremely complicated matter, and everyone’s situation is different.

— I wish there were a formula for how to navigate the dilemma of freedom and survivor’s guilt. But there isn’t. Everyone navigates the world in their own way. Some focus on building a career or financial stability, and that is valid; others may feel a strong desire to return home and contribute there, and that is valid, too. Because every experience is valid… Eddie shares.

“Everyone navigates the world in their own unique way. We are all just doing the best we can with what we have.
We all heal in our own time.“
— Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn

Safemuse is looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Eddie and supporting their creative work during their residency with us.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

News Project Safe Havens Safe Residencies

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Post author By Kate
Post date July 8, 2025

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from suppression to imagination

July 8, 2025

Written by Kate Ngan Wa Ao

Saba Pouyeshman was born in Karaj, Iran, in 1997 and grew up in a large family. She discovered her passion for acting at a young age, often dressing up and improvising for hours, creating characters. Acting has been a way for her both to connect with the world and to disconnect from it when it becomes overwhelming; it creates a unique safe space for her.

Saba studied Cinema and Screenwriting at university in Iran, but her passion for acting never faded. She eventually pursued a career in theater. After working as an actress for nearly a decade, her journey was challenged by the harsh realities of censorship and the suppression of creative freedom. While working in Iranian theater, she experienced firsthand how freedom of expression was often manipulated as a tool of propaganda. Performance content and dress codes were strictly controlled, making it increasingly difficult for Saba to continue her work.

— When I was working in the theatre in Iran, I was often asked and forced to change my clothing not based on my character’s story, but solely to comply with the Islamic Republic’s strict dress codes, covering my hair and any exposed skin. I was constantly in conflict with myself while performing; I felt like a liar. The more I acted, the more suffocated I felt. Saba says.

— I developed a deep anger toward the endless, senseless limitations placed on artistic freedom. These obstacles not only affect individuals, but they also shape narratives, enforce propaganda in art, and destroy valuable cultural expression. I stepped away from acting, overwhelmed by depression. Saba recalls.

“For a couple of years, I felt disconnected from all art forms. Being an artist under censorship and suppression often felt hopeless. But thankfully, art is more powerful than any dictatorship; it is part of what makes us human and cannot be silenced so easily. Slowly, the spark within me was reignited through a new artistic practice.“
— Saba Pouyeshamn

Where Art Could Begin Again

Saba and another multidisciplinary Iranian artist, Pouya Pour-Amin, participated in Safemuse’s Safe Haven artistic residency program in Hvitsten in the spring of 2024 together, organised in collaboration with local partner Hvitsten Salong. Later, they spent the second part of their residency in Oslo, in collaboration with Nordic Black Theatre.

In Tehran, where she lived in an apartment surrounded by some hostile neighbours who supported the regime, Saba was under constant threat and anxiety, and was close to losing the strength to be an artist. But after moving to Hvitsten, she found herself inspired by the landscape and nature, and since then, she has spent nearly every drawing and painting.

“From Tehran to Hvitsten, from a small, tense apartment to a beautiful house in the woods, right beside the fjord. From hostile, watchful neighbours to the amazing, open-hearted, and warm community of Hvitsten. This shift made me want to be bold and free in my art again. I was finally able to relax and create, says Saba. “
— Saba Pouyeshman

Saba’s drawings were exhibited at Hvitsten Salong in 2024. The residency coordinator at Safemuse and the director of Hvitsten Salong, Jon Lundell, welcomed her and Pouya to their local community. He recalls:

— Saba, who has a multidisciplinary background, worked in several different art forms at Hvitsten Art Haven. She has a prominent role as an actress in the making of the play Prison Episodes together with Pouya Pouramin, and she has also been exploring and working more comprehensively with drawings.

— Both Saba and Pouya were a delight to have in Hvitsten! It is not always easy to come into a new reality in a small community like this, but their personalities, presence, warmth, and genuine interest in other people made it a simple joy to work with and facilitate.

Reborn in Dark Mytholog

After a temporary farewell to acting, Saba became interested in the theoretical side of art, particularly art history. She studied The History of Modern Art and The History of Modern Sculpture independently, and researched motifs in Iranian fabrics and pottery, as well as modern painting in Iran. These studies of visual traditions and symbolism, especially those rooted in mythology, have become the main inspiration for her artistic work now.

During her artist residency in Norway, Saba developed a new way to connect her past and present, merging performance and visual art into a distinctive practice. She once again dressed up as characters, but this time used her body and gestures not only as expressive tools, but also for mark-making, storytelling, and reclaiming her voice through the whole process of image-making.

— For example, in Fairy Invoker, I draw from Iranian folklore about the Fairy Caller, who traps fairies for good or bad purposes, some to save the world, others to destroy it. I imagine myself as one of these trapped fairies, each carrying different emotions and stories: fleeing, struggling, angry, calm, or meditative. I set up my camera to capture my movements and gestures as those fairies. Later, I drew the characters I once created and performed, Saba says.

— This is where my artistic practice lives, connected with storytelling, memories, and folklore. I want to explore what lies between reality and the supernatural; the visible and the invisible; the spoken and the unspoken. My performances are based on imagination, ancestral ghosts, childhood fears, and playful spirits. For me, life is aligned with magic, talismans, jinns, demons, fairies… Saba says.

Myth, Wonder, and New Beginnings

Saba has many dreams to fulfill and continues to look forward. Now being in Norway, she is excited to learn more about Norse mythology, not just through books, but through the landscape, people, and living traditions. One of her artistic goals is to explore stories from the dark realms of mythology through different artistic media. She is deeply drawn to the mysterious, magical, and sometimes eerie elements of folklore and believes these stories hold powerful potential, not to frighten, but to inspire imagination, strength, and curiosity. Her goal is to create work that speaks to a raw and honest sense of wonder, inviting deeper questions and new ways of thinking.

— Mythological stories have the power to plant a seed of doubt, and I believe doubt is a beautiful and essential part of life. It’s often the first step toward thinking differently, asking deeper questions, and ultimately creating something new. Doubt opens the door to wonder, and through my art, I want to offer that door to others, says Saba.

Since July 2025, Saba has joined Safemuse as part of the Aspirant Scheme, a fellowship supported by Arts Council Norway. The programme will provide her with opportunities to gain experience in the arts and culture field, while also supporting her development as an artist. She will be working with Safemuse as well as other organisations and festivals, including Hvitsten Salong, Nordic Black Theatre, Empowering Voices, and JM Norway, with exciting possibilities for new collaborators to join along the way.

We are very much looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Saba and witnessing how she shares her magical spirit with the world.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

News Project Safe Havens Safe Residencies

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Post author By Akari
Post date June 20, 2025

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

June 20, 2025

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

Pouya Pour-Amin is a multidisciplinary artist with over twenty years of experience in music, composition, sound design and performance. Born in Tehran in 1983 into a family that worked in the arts, Pouya grew up in a creative environment. His mother was a puppeteer and actress, his father was a cinematographer, and his grandfather was an instrumentalist who played the tar – a traditional Iranian string instrument. Pouya began learning music when he was five years old and by his late teens he was making his own music.

As a university student, he began to study computer science, music and theatre, but dropped out three times because he felt that the studies and academic system did not have much to offer him. He continued to study through self-learning and private teachers. Pouya played the guitar, but his love for the low frequencies led him to take up the double bass, which he coincidentally discovered while studying at the Tehran Conservatory. Later Pouya joined the contemporary chamber orchestra, The Camerada Orchestra, where he spent a decade of tremedous musical growth under the guidance the conductor Kayvan Mirhadi, who had also been his musical teacher. His very first works as a composer were performed by Mirhadi’s orchestra.

Looking back, Pouya’s grandfather, Akbar Jeddikar, and the conductor of the Camerada Orchestra, Kayvan Mirhadi, were his biggest inspirations growing up:

— They were both very special people to me, opened my eyes to the worlds of music and literature and became my window to the world beyond the strict religious Iranian society, he says.

— My grandfather first of all influenced me as a human being. He was not religious and did not believe in God, something which was very rare for his generation and in Iranian society in general. We had a very close relationship. He was open-minded and introduced me to politics and critical thought through his vast collection of literature. Kayvan Mirhadi, the conductor, was also my classical teacher, but did not have the dogma-point-of-view that most educators had. Instead he was wise and had an open view to the arts and to different kinds of music. He introduced me to Western contemporary music, which opened my eyes and made me realise that there was so much to explore and learn, Pouya recalls.

“While living in Iran, I worked a lot in fear. I had to find secret ways, like put my phone in the microwave to avoid being tapped, and I lived under the constant fear of getting in trouble with the authorities.”
— Pouya Pour-Amin

The struggle for artistic freedom

Artists in Iran who refuse to stay silent in the face of the country’s authorities and current sociopolitical situation pay a high price for their expression. Over the last years, the Iranian government has taken on increasingly harsh measures to suppress artistic freedom of expression and exert control over artists through threats, censorship and persecution.

Pouya laments the ongoing situation in his homecountry whereby artists, writers and journalists are frequently subjected to superveillance, interrogations, detention, imprisonment, torture, and even the death penalty to punish those who dare to question or criticise the system. Pouya has many friends and colleagues who have received death threats, been forced to flee the country and live in exile. He, too, has felt the heavy burden of being an artist without freedom of expression.

— While living in Iran, I worked a lot in fear. I had to find secret ways, like put my phone in the microwave, to avoid being tapped and I lived under the constant fear of getting in trouble with the authorities. Sometimes I chose not to put my name on my work to avoid getting in trouble. The thought that someone could call the door bell to detain me, plant evidence and present untrue allegations was constantly in the back of my mind, he says.

Pouya used to work with different people from various creative industries in Iran, but in his first act of conscious political reaction, he decided to stop working with TV and cinema because he felt like the cultural scene was corrupted and a channel for propagating the state’s lies. He began to work with theatre, but it became evident that this industry, too, was a corrupted sphere. In a culture where questioning and confronting was highly discouraged, Pouya refused to be silenced and raised the question of why the industry did not pay its artists properly. After he took to the street and joined the marches during the Green Movement in 2010, Pouya was imprisoned twice. During the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022, Pouya again took to the streets to partake in the demonstrations that were televised across the world, and felt the fear more than ever before.

— Artistic freedom for me is twenty years of struggling with propaganda, with censorship and a corrupted economy, he says. Even when you are independent, you are at risk if you want to raise questions about politics, the regime or religion, human rights. And it’s only getting worse and worse.

“To have artistic freedom now is a totally new feeling for me. I didn’t know how it would feel. When I look back at this short period I have worked in freedom, I can see that things have started changing in the ways that I think and create art.”
— Pouya Pour-Amin

From prison to Safe Haven and the rebirth of an artist

Since 2011, Pouya has expanded his work to include theatre, juggling the roles of musician, actor and director. His music has gradually transitioned into the more experimental and electronic realms. In May of 2024, he travelled to Norway to partake in Safemuse’s Safe Haven artistic residency program. The first part of his artistic residency was spent in the idyllic coastal town of Hvitsten, organised in collaborations with our local partner Hvitsten Salong. Thereafter, Pouya has spent the second part of his residency in Oslo, in collaboration with our partner Nordic Black Theatre.

Through the Safe Haven program, Pouya has continued to evolve as a multidisciplinary artist and developing his creative practice through a blend of music, performance and theatre. Since arriving in Norway as an artist-in-residence, he has composed several works and performed at Ultimafestivalen – the largest contemporary music festival in the Nordic region, as well as Hvitsten Salong and at Caféteatret.

— When I arrived Norway and could breathe out after so many years of living in a state of exception and survival mode, I also realised that I was worn-out after having denied and neglected my own needs and wellbeing. I realised the constant fear I had been living under and how worn-out I was. Living in Hvitsten surrounded by beautiful nature, I was for the first time feeling everything I had not had the chance to feel prior to arriving Norway, especially related to my experience in prison and how hard it had actually been, Pouya says.

The residency coordinator in Safemuse Jon Lundell, is one of many that have worked with Pouya since his arrival to Norway and been impressed by his dedication, versatility and courage to explore new artistic directions:

— Pouya have been exploring and digging deeper in composing new music for different scenes in Oslo and Hvitsten; commissioned work that has challenged him to seek new ways of composing and combining digital and analog instruments and sounds. He has also taken the work with his play Prison Episodes further and is developing it with different artists and partners.

In 2015, Pouya released his first album “Lullaby and Down the Quod” based on his own experience as a political prisoner. His second album, “Prison Episodes” (check out the Bandcamp link), which was released in 2019, was inspired by his study of other Iranian prisoners’ experiences. During his residency in Norway, Pouya’s main artistic ambition is to complete his project Prison Episodes which he has been developing over many years. Together with Safemuse, partners and other artists, Pouya is planning a multidisciplinary performance that combines music, dance, theatre and visual technology to tell the story of the tragedy of political prisoners and their subjection to torture, suffering, solicitations and death. On top of that, he has also begun to record a new album, which he hopes to release in 2026.

Pouya says he has learned a lot of things through the Safemuse residency, not just artistically, but about life and himself:

— I love my culture and I cannot cut that string, but now I am in a position to decide how I want to work with it and to tell my story. To have artistic freedom now is a totally new feeling for me. I didn’t know how it would feel. When I look back at this short period I have worked in freedom, I can see that things have started changing in the ways that I think and create art. When you no longer have barriers in your mind, you starts to think differently and your passions start changing. With no imposed limitations, I think my artistic language has already started to change. I feel like the blinds are gone. While I have been working on my newest album, I can see that I am going in new directions that I would never have imagined before.

Safemuse looks forward to continue the collaboration with Pouya and share more about his upcoming events and projects!

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

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About Us What we do Our five pillars Our history Who we are Our members Media resources Contact Us News Safe residencies Residency programme Oslo Art Haven Hvitsten Art Haven How to apply Projects Safe Havens Conference Women’s network MoFA+ collaboration Salong på Salongen Artistic mobility Artistic Freedom Week LIDIO .SAFE Artists

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

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Meet our newest staff member

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12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

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– Safe Havens for Artists About Us What we do Our five pillars Our history Who we are Our members Media resources Contact Us News Safe residencies Residency programme Oslo Art Haven Hvitsten Art Haven How to apply Projects Safe Havens Conference Women’s network MoFA+ collaboration Salong på Salongen Artistic mobility Artistic

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

News Safe Havens Safe Residencies

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

Post author By Akari
Post date October 28, 2024

Altyn Kapalova - a woman of many trades and talents. (Photo courtesy of the artist)

Altyn Kapalova — A fearless advocate for feminist and queer art

October 28, 2024

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

Altyn Kapalova is a woman of many trades and talents: a visual artist, researcher, writer and feminist activist based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She creates experimental artworks that combine research, art and politics, and the results of her anthropological findings are transferred into artworks and curated art projects that aim to elevate vulnerable voices and influence political decision-making processes. As an anthropologist, at the University of Central Asia, she has researched cultural policy and creative industries in Central Asia. Her vast curatorial experiences include, among others, visual multimedia art, theatre and creative writing. Kapalova is one of the initiators behind a Feminnale and the Central Asian Museum of Feminist and Queer Art (MoFA+).

In the fall of 2023, Safemuse had the honour of hosting Kapalova at our residency program Hvitsten Art Haven, in an idyllic coastal town situated south of the capital and along the Oslo fjord. Kapalova was among the first artists to attend the then newly-established residency, organised together with our local partner Hvitsten Salong.

— In the open call process for the residency Altyn stood out with her multifaceted background and fearlessness in the eyes of the Kyrgyz authorities. We were eager and excited to meet and work with whom we more and more understood was an important figure in a progressive feminist movement in Kyrgyzstan. Her artistic vision in presenting female traditional Kyrgyz arts and crafts in her own way and in this context was also very interesting, says Jon Lundell, residence coordinator in Safemuse.

Activism, threats and a need for peace and time

In her home country Kyrgyzstan, Kapalova and her colleagues are facing constant risk of persecution for their work promoting feminist and queer art. The authorities have on various occasions opposed and even cracked down on artistic projects that give platform to minority voices and shine a spotlight on societal challenges. Kapalova has over the years been targeted with insults and threats, and many of her friends and colleagues have been arrested.

— My activism didn’t allow me to engage in art in a safe manner. I felt exhausted and craved the experience of the art-making process without threats, in a secure environment, with ample materials for the making process, and the assurance that my work wouldn’t face censorship. When I applied for the Hvitsten art residency, I wanted some peace and time for myself. I wanted to reclaim myself as an artist, Kapalova says.

When I applied for the Hvitsten art residency, I wanted some peace and time for myself. I wanted to reclaim myself as an artist.
– Altyn Kapalova

Promoting feminist and queer art

In Kyrgyzstan, artists, human rights defenders and activists are experiencing an increasingly authoritarian and repressive regime. Art and cultural organisations lose financial support, they experience censorship, threats of violence and imprisonment. Kyrgyzstan has passed homophobic anti-propaganda laws, where speaking out about homosexuality or promoting LGBTQ+ rights can be punished with fines or imprisonment.

Kapalova was one of the initiators of a Feminnale – a grassroot initiative and the first major feminist exhibition in the history of Kyrgyzstan. The Feminnale in 2019, a contemporary art exhibition that took place at the National Museum Fine Arts in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, illustrates the difficult situation that artists and cultural workers in Kyrgyzstan face.

The exhibition, which was programmed to last for 17 days, was dedicated to the memory of 17 women and children, amongst them labour migrants, mothers and victims of domestic violence. The exhibition raised some important questions and critiqued the scale of violence against women and children, state corruption, police violence and patriarchal structures upholding so-called ‘traditions’. However, following the Feminnale’s official opening, the team behind the project, participants and museum staff were subjected to insults, provocative acts and threats of physical violence and murder. Among the most active opponents were members of the reactionary ultra-right group Kyrk Choro. The director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Mira Jangarecheva, was forced to leave her post and the exhibition was censored and closed down.

A painstakingly lengthy visa process

Although Kapalova was only planning a short-term stay for her art residence, the application process to obtain a visa to Norway was lengthy. Those who live in Kyrgyzstan have to travel to the Norwegian embassy in Kazakhstan in order to submit their application. Moreover, the task is outsourced to commercial players and it is a process characterised by a lot of bureaucracy and excessive documentation requirements. It took a whole eight months and two trips to Kazakhstan before Kapalova received her temporary visa. The residency, which originally was planned to last six months ended up being only three.

This visa process, like that of many other former Safemuse residence artists, points to the organisation’s main challenge in running art residencies, namely the painstakingly lengthy process of issuing temporary residence permits to censored, threatened or persecuted artists by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) – a process that all too often ends in long delays or rejection.

— Safemuse’s main funding comes from the Norwegian government, because our goals align with that of the Norwegian state, to promote artistic freedom and human rights through strengthening individual activists. When we are hindered from doing our job, due to unnecessarily lengthy and expensive processes, activists like Kapalova are the ones to suffer, says general manager in Safemuse, Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor.

Producing art during Hvitsten Art Haven

Kapalova describes the three months she spent in residency in Hvitsten as “a time and place where [she] could breathe and freely work with [her] art.”

— For the first time in my life, I thanked myself for everything I had done to protect human rights in my country, including advocating for the freedom of creative expression. Gradually, I started to feel the desire to work again. During this time, I had the pleasure of meeting wonderful people, including the artist Maria Waagbo. Together, we collaborated on a textile work addressing femicide, titled “Slap”. Through our collaboration, we exchanged skills, engaged in meaningful discussions, and worked together and separately, Kapalova said.

The artwork ‘A Slap’, which Kapalova worked on during her residence, was exhibited at the Artistic Freedom Conference in March, after she had returned home. The piece was created from fabric, thread and beads and shown on five mannequins in collaboration with the Hvitsten-based artist Maria Waagbø in the fall of 2023. The work is an artistic critique of domestic violence that permeates society and the harsh expectations placed upon women. As described by the artists:

It begins with a single slap, followed by another, and then the tightening grip around your throat. The violence escalates to include blows to the stomach, and then you find yourself enduring kicks, strikes to your kidneys and thighs, leaving you with more and more bruises until you’re covered in them. Ultimately, it ends with your life being taken. Domestic violence is shrouded in societal expectations of being a dutiful wife, daughter, and mother. The reluctance to bring dishonour to the family prevents escape through divorce. Domestic violence remains hidden behind traditions that demand adherence even at the expense of one’s life.

Looking back at her art residency and the process of creating the piece, Kapalova says:

— The artwork we created during this residency is something I doubt I could replicate in my home country at the moment (hopefully things will get better). “A Slap” is composed of thousands of small fabric pieces intricately sewn together to form dozens of amulet-like circles. Such meticulous work demands significant diligence, time, and tranquillity. I am so grateful to Safemuse for providing me with the opportunity to create such a meaningful piece.

Future ambitions

Following the end of her artistic residency in Norway, Kapalova returned to her home in Bishkek.

— Now that I’m home again, life is crazy-busy as usual. I often miss the calm and quiet work environment I had in Norway. But I’m thankful for the habit I cultivated during my months at the art residency, the habit to create my own artistic pieces. Since coming back, I’ve made two new pieces. I try to remember that I’m an artist and keep the feeling of creating alive in my mind. It helps me find time for myself and my art.

The Central Asian Museum of Feminist and Queer Art, of which Kapalova is one of the founders and curators, has already made a commendable effort to raise voices, support and connect artists, and increase knowledge about artistic freedom of expression in the region.

In the aftermath of the Feminnale in 2019, which was closed down by the authorities, the museum has been collecting works that promote women’s and LGBTQIA+ community’s freedom, and gender equality. Kapalova says that it was also established in order to use art as a channel to stand up for civic rights, especially those of women and queer people. Kapalova and her colleagues strive to create a safe space for creative queer people that can support minorities and increase the visibility of female and queer artists in public spaces that have been occupied by men for centuries.

Safemuse is currently, together with Kapalova and MOFA+ preparing a project to highlight the ongoing challenging situation for artists in the Central Asian region and to promote artistic voices that are normally silenced or not given the platform they deserve. If all goes according to plan, then Kapalova will be back in Norway to share her valuable insights and showcase the diversity of artistic works produced in Kyrgyzstan and its neighbouring countries.

Sources:

Interviews with Altyn Kapalova

MoFA+ homepage: https://femmuseum.org/about/en

“Altyn’s response.” ADAMDAR/CA, 4. December 2019, https://adamdar.ca/en/post/altyn-s-response/168?lang=en-US. Accessed 10 May. 2024.

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Safe Residencies News

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Post author By sina@upnorthfilm.no
Post date June 13, 2024

OPEN CALL - Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

June 14, 2024

Artistic freedom of expression, solidarity and collaboration

In 2022 Safemuse invited for the first round of safe residency placements in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, in cooperation with Nordic Black Theatre. Two six month residencies open for artists from all over the world and from all artistic disciplines; censored, threatened or persecuted due to their artistic activity. This program continues this year, and two new residence artists are about to arrive in Oslo.

The Oslo Art Haven program is funded by the City of Oslo, and when initiating this program run by Safemuse, the Vice Mayor for Culture in Oslo, Omar Samy Gamas, said:
– We are doing this to support independent voices, and because diversity in the arts is what keeps it vibrant and alive. And we are doing it because freedom of expression is under pressure in many parts of the world.

This year we are now opening a new addition to our work for artistic freedom of expression, giving more endangered artists the opportunity to work in freedom, develop their art and build networks with motivated colleagues: Hvitsten Art Haven. This program, opening up for one additional six month residency pr. year, and is funded by the EU’s EEA program plus local and regional authorities. Hvitsten Art Haven is carried out in collaboration with “Hvitsten Salong”, an art festival institution some 50 km south of Oslo.

– We have been working hard to set up a well-functioning residency program that caters to the individual needs and aspirations of the artists who are selected to partake in the program. The response from organisations, institutions and individuals has been overwhelmingly positive and many have expressed an interest to collaborate with- or contribute to the initiative in various ways, says Jon Lundell, Safemuse’s residence coordinator.

OPEN CALL 2025
Now we open up for new applications. Deadline 14th of July 2024.

Please check out the details HERE

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Safe Residencies News

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

Post author By Heidi Marie
Post date March 20, 2024

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

March 20, 2024

Varun Narain interviewed in BLIKK magazine

Varun Narain is a queer puppeteer and live performance director from India. He combines modern and traditional puppetry and works on articulating gender fluidity and sexuality. Narain has taught Puppetry and contemporary communication at Jamia Millia University for over 10 years, as well as at the Guru Gobind Indraprastha University in New Delhi. Moreover, he has a degree in botany and through his artistry he explores intelligence and survival strategies in the natural world. This month the Norwegian magazine BLIKK, that publish current queer news online, made an interview with Varun Narain. Read it in Norwegian here: I hope to rediscover freedom of speach

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Fri Kunst News Safe Havens Safe Residencies

Varun Narain – A universe of puppetry, botany & queer survival

Post author By Akari
Post date March 7, 2024

Varun Narain på Fri Kunst-konferansen 2024. Foto: Jannik Abel

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ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE VARUN NARAIN: A universe of puppetry, botany & queer survival

March 7, 2024

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

If you find yourself in Oslo between the 10^th and 13^th of March, you have the rare opportunity to experience ‘Dark&Delicious’ by artists Varun and Shaad at Nordic Black Theatre — a unique artistic performance combining botany, poetry and queer survival.

Imagining freedom and inclusion

— I am very much inspired and healed by the world of plants, lichens and fungi and their physical presence in the cites. I believe in blurring physical, mental and biological boundaries, Narain says.

For many years Narain has been working on gender-fluid characters inspired by what he calls the “wood-wide web”. In recent years, Narain has increasingly faced challenges and a restricted space for expression. He experienced censorship due to the themes reflected in his artistic work and is currently one of Safemuse’s artists-in-residence in Oslo.

— As an artist in residence with Safemuse here in Norway, I hope to rediscover free expression and interact with students and artists to create ways to imagine new possibilities of freedom and inclusion, he says.

“I hope to rediscover free expression and interact with students and artists to create ways to imagine new possibilities of freedom and inclusion.”
– Varun Narain, Safemuse artist-in-residence

A universe of puppetry, botany & queer survival

During his residency, Narain has worked on ‘Dark&Delicious’ – a collaborative performance with his artistic partner, actor and poet Shaad. The performance, which combines botany, poetry and queer survival, will be set up between the 10^th and 13^th of March at Nordic Black Theatre in Oslo.

— Having Varun with us, and working with him has been interesting on so many different levels, says Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor, Safemuse’s general manager. Visually interesting, challenging us intellectually, all while being extremely funny. It has been fascinating to get an insight into his creative processes and the stories behind each of his colourful puppets. We are very much looking forward to his performance at Nordic Black Theatre and invite everyone to come see the show!

For the past months, Varun has been enjoying a creative collaboration with Nordic Black Theatre (NBT) and preparing for the performance in Oslo. The artistic director at NBT, Cliff Moustache, is looking forward to presenting ‘Dark&Delicious’ on his stage.

— Very rarely do we get the opportunity to experience such beautiful puppets that convey deep and reflected drama in a simple and sincere way. The narrative grabs and engages thanks to the strong qualities of the artists as the puppet becomes a third artist on stage. At Nordic Black Theatre we want to give them the opportunity to delve deeply into their artistic universe without fear or restricted by authorities.

Tickets for the show can be bought here.

Check out the facebook-event here.

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Administration Concert Conference/Meeting Event Fri Kunst Music Freedom Day News Safe Residencies

Fri Kunst dagskonferanse 2024 / Artistic Freedom Conference 2024

Post author By Akari
Post date February 16, 2024

FRI KUNST DAGSKONFERANSE 2024 / ARTISTIC FREEDOM CONFERENCE 2024

February 16, 2024

Fri Kunst konferanse, 1. mars på Riksscenen, Oslo

For tredje året på rad arrangerer Safemuse en dagskonferanse på Riksscenen under Fri Kunst-uken i begynnelsen av mars. Dagen byr på samtaler som setter søkelys på den frie kunsten og kunstneres endringskraft og rolle i samfunnet, i tillegg til kunstneriske innlegg fra en rekke norske og internasjonale kunstnere.

Dagskonferansen fredag 1. mars er åpen og gratis, men krever påmelding innen 26. february 2024. Påmeldingslenke her.

PROGRAM:

11:30 Dørene åpner
12:00 – 12:10 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Mahsa Vahdat og Marjan Vahdat
12:10 – 12:20 Velkomst
12:25 – 12:35 Åpningstale: sametingspresident Silje Karine Muotka
12:35 – 12:45 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Don Martin
12:45 – 12:55 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Varun Narain
13:00 – 13:50 Panelsamtale I: Kunstens kraft og rolle som samfunnsendrer i Norge og verden (samtalen vil foregå på norsk)
– Øystein Strand, avdelingsdirektør for Kunstnerisk produksjon og formidling, Kulturdirektoratet
– Silje Karine Muotka, president, Sámediggi / Sametinget
– Cliff Moustache, kunstnerisk leder, Nordic Black Theatre
– Moderator: Yohan Shanmugaratnam, journalist og forfatter
13:50 – 14:10 Pause
14:10 – 14:20 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Viktor Bomstad
14:20 – 15:10 Panelsamtale II: Kunstnersamtale om kunst og endringskraft (samtalen vil foregå på engelsk)
– Masha Vahdat, sanger og komponist
– Varun Narain, dukkemaker/dukkefører og Safemuse residenskunstner
– Viktor Bomstad, landsdelsjoiker for Troms og Finnmark
– Jannik Abel, fotograf og billedkunstner
– Moderator: Nosizwe Baqwa, artist, aktivist og styremedlem i Safemuse
15:15 – 15:30 Presentasjon: Safemuse Art Havens
15:30 – 15:40 Kort oppsummering
15:40 – 16:00 Pause / omrigg
16:00 – 16:30 Tverrkunstnerisk mini-forestilling: Hooman Sharifi og Arash Moradi
16:30 – 17:30 Sosialt samvær med bevertning

VELKOMMEN

————————

Artistic Freedom Week Conference, 1st of March at Riksscenen in Oslo

For the third year in a row, Safemuse organises a full-day conference at Riksscenen during Artistic Freedom Week in the beginning of March. The program includes talks that focus on art and artists’ roles and power to change society, in addition to artistic interventions from a number of Norwegian and international artists.

The conference is an open event and free of charge, but requires registration by 26 February 2024. Registration link here.

PROGRAM:

11:30 The doors open
12:00 – 12:10 Artistic intervention: Mahsa Vahdat and Marjan Vahdat
12:10 – 12:20 Welcome
12:25 – 12:35 Opening speech: President of the Sámi Parliament Silje Karine Muotka
12:35 – 12:45 Artistic intervention: Don Martin
12:45 – 12:55 Artistic intervention: Varun Narain
13:00 – 13:50 Panel discussion I: The power of art and its capacity for change, in Norway and the world (the conversation will take place in Norwegian)
– Øystein Strand, department director for artistic production and communication
– Silje Karine Muotka, president, Sámediggi / Sámi Parliament
– Cliff Mustache, artistic director, Nordic Black Theatre
– Moderator: Yohan Shanmugaratnam, journalist and author
13:50 – 14:10 Break
14:10 – 14:20 Artistic intervention: Viktor Bomstad
14:20 – 15:10 Panel conversation II: Artist conversation about art and its power to bring about change (the conversation will take place in English)
– Masha Vahdat, singer and composer
– Varun Narain, puppeteer and Safemuse artist-in-residence
– Viktor Bomstad, regional joiker for Troms and Finnmark
– Jannik Abel, photographer and visual artist
– Moderator: Nosizwe Baqwa, artist, activist and board member of Safemuse
15:15 – 15:30 Presentation: Safemuse Art Havens
15:30 – 15:40 Closing remarks
15:40 – 16:00 Break / rearrangement
16:00 – 16:30 Mini-performance: Hooman Sharifi and Arash Moradi
16:30 – 17:30 Social gathering with refreshments

WELCOME

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

Safe Residencies News

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2024!

Post author By sina@upnorthfilm.no
Post date June 1, 2023

OPEN CALL - Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2024!

June 1, 2023

Artwork by Zhanna Gladko

Artistic freedom of expression, solidarity and collaboration

OPEN CALL 2024
Now we open up for new applications. Deadline July 1st.

Please check out the details HERE

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

News Safe Residencies

Whose voices are being heard? Exchange program for foreign artists from Poland and Norway.

Post author By Akari
Post date January 6, 2023

OPEN CALL: Whose voices are being heard? - Exchange program for artists from Poland and Norway 2023

January 6, 2023

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTIC RESIDENCY IN WROCLAW, POLAND 2023

We invite artists to apply for the residency exchange “Whose voices are being heard?” organised by the Wrocław Institute of Culture (Wrocław/PL), Hvitsten Salong (Hvitsten/NO) and Safemuse (Oslo/NO). The project benefits from funding received from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA funds. The artistic residency exchange between Poland and Norway aims to equalise opportunities and visibility for artists belonging to minorities, creating safe and inclusive spaces for artistic work. It focuses on integrating foreign and minority artists living in Poland and Norway into the mainstream of cultural and artistic life in these countries.

In 2023, six artists from Poland will have the opportunity to go on a month-long residency in Hvitsten and take part in the local art and music festival Hvitsten Salong 2023, and six artists from Norway will be invited to the Wrocław Institute of Culture (WIK) and participate in a closing exhibition in autumn 2023. In Hvitsten, Norway, there will also be one artist at risk chosen from outside the Schengen area who will stay for a longer period. All artists will be supported by curators, in the adaptation, research and creative process. The application deadline is February 6^th, 2023.

When will the residencies take place?

The residencies will take place from spring to autumn 2023, on dates agreed upon between the selected artists and the hosting organisations.

Who can apply?

The call is aimed at artists, focusing especially (but not exclusively) on female artists that are migrants or belong to minority groups, at different stages of their career:

→ representing various fields of contemporary art (mainly visual arts, but also performing arts and others)

→ living or residing in Norway, including foreign artists living in Norway

→ who are interested in themes related to migration, inclusion, majority-minority relations, engaged art, art made in public space, the role of the artist and art in society and social change.

→ who wants to go for a month-long residency in Wrocław, in 2023 and show their work at the residency closing exhibition in autumn 2023 in Wrocław. Detailed dates of the residency are agreed upon together with WIK.

How to submit the application?

To apply for the residency, please send by e-mail, in English;

→ a portfolio in .pdf format and a CV (max. 10 MB) in English;

→ answers to the questions (1,500-2,000 characters with spaces):

Why would you like to participate in the project?
What would you like to work on during your residency?
What topics move you most in your artistic work?

The application deadline is 6^th of February, 2023.

Please send your application by email to: hvitstensalong@gmail.com and post@safemuse.org with the following title: [YOUR NAME] – Whose voices are being heard?

About the residency program

Selected artists will receive an artistic fee and accommodation. They will work with a local curator and have the opportunity to create art in a safe environment and to learn about the cultural life in Poland and Wroclaw. In addition, the project “Whose voices are being heard?” offers an educational component for artists with the aim of professionalising their work. The selected artists will work in an international environment and have the chance to learn about the work of the host institution and the local community. The project is carried out in collaboration with the NGO Safemuse, which supports artists at risk.

Partners

The Wroclaw Institute of Culture (WIK) is a legacy organisation preparing and implementing for the Wrocław European Capital of Culture 2016. Today it continues to run activities focusing on creating and co-creating artistic, cultural and educational programs for different communities situated between the artistic-, cultural- and educational, focusing on co-creating and art animation for different communities. The AiR program supports mobility of artists from different fields to further develop their artistic praxis.

WIK wants to be a bridge between the institutional field of culture and active citizens, creators, artists and the non-governmental sector. We create opportunities for cooperation, test new formats of activities, identify and research trends and support innovative, non-commercial artistic and cultural initiatives.

We are an institution with a flexible and agile programming structure which can be easily adapted to the challenges posed by a dynamically changing world. In our program we focus on such areas as: competences, support and networking.

Hvitsten Salong is an art institution run by artists and professionals from the world of art and culture. With its experience in organising artistic events, including the annual Hvitsten Salong art and music festival, and its cross-sectoral approach, the institution contributes to the development and creation of innovative solutions for culture. It reaches a wide and diverse audience by exhibiting art in Hvitsten’s public spaces. The initiative also includes an educational program for children and youth.

Safemuse was founded on the initiative of several art organisations in Norway with the purpose of protecting artistic freedom, promote the role of the artist in society and creating an international solidarity initiative. Safemuse has been organising safe residencies for artists at risk from different countries since 2014. Safemuse is part of a network of Norwegian cultural institutions and organisations, as well as an international network working with artistic freedom of expression. Safemuse has so far organised a series of events on the freedom of artistic expression; Artistic Freedom Week / Music Freedom Day; and .SAFE – a film series portraying artist encounters and conversations about artistic freedoms. Safemuse is also the co-founder and fiscal sponsor of SH|FT – Safe Havens Freedom Talks who organise the Safe Havens Conference – a global networking conference on art, culture, human rights and artistic freedom, as well as a Freedom Talks series. Safemuse will coordinate the participation of the artist at risk staying for the six month-residency in Hvitsten.

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from supperssion to imagination

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Meet our newest staff members

Meet our newest staff member

Safemuse søker programmedarbeider

12 November, Album release of “Qaf” by Ghawgha @Nasjonal jazzscene, Oslo

“Qaf” – New album release from Ghawgha

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

Eddie Htet Aung Lwyn: A Dose of Survivor’s Guilt, Recurrent Frustration, and Moments of Overcoming

Written by Kate Ngan Wa Ao

“Do I still feel survivor’s guilt? Yes, of course. But my motivation has shifted. Now, I want to create art as a celebration of being alive, of having survived, of being in community. I like to call it radical joy, because we all need it.“

“Everyone navigates the world in their own unique way. We are all just doing the best we can with what we have.

We all heal in our own time.“

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Saba Pouyeshman: Rewriting the spell, from suppression to imagination

Written by Kate Ngan Wa Ao

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Pouya Pour-Amin: An artist’s journey from fear to freedom

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

“While living in Iran, I worked a lot in fear. I had to find secret ways, like put my phone in the microwave to avoid being tapped, and I lived under the constant fear of getting in trouble with the authorities.”

“To have artistic freedom now is a totally new feeling for me. I didn’t know how it would feel. When I look back at this short period I have worked in freedom, I can see that things have started changing in the ways that I think and create art.”

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Altyn Kapalova — A fearless advocate for feminist and queer art

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

When I applied for the Hvitsten art residency, I wanted some peace and time for myself. I wanted to reclaim myself as an artist.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

OPEN CALL - Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Artistic freedom of expression, solidarity and collaboration

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

Varun Narain interviewed in BLIKK magazine

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

Add Your Heading Text Here

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE VARUN NARAIN: A universe of puppetry, botany & queer survival

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

If you find yourself in Oslo between the 10th and 13th of March, you have the rare opportunity to experience ‘Dark&Delicious’ by artists Varun and Shaad at Nordic Black Theatre — a unique artistic performance combining botany, poetry and queer survival.

Imagining freedom and inclusion

“I hope to rediscover free expression and interact with students and artists to create ways to imagine new possibilities of freedom and inclusion.”

– Varun Narain, Safemuse artist-in-residence

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

FRI KUNST DAGSKONFERANSE 2024 / ARTISTIC FREEDOM CONFERENCE 2024

Fri Kunst konferanse, 1. mars på Riksscenen, Oslo

Artistic Freedom Week Conference, 1st of March at Riksscenen in Oslo

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

OPEN CALL - Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2024!

Artistic freedom of expression, solidarity and collaboration

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

OPEN CALL: Whose voices are being heard? - Exchange program for artists from Poland and Norway 2023

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTIC RESIDENCY IN WROCLAW, POLAND 2023

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

If you find yourself in Oslo between the 10^th and 13^th of March, you have the rare opportunity to experience ‘Dark&Delicious’ by artists Varun and Shaad at Nordic Black Theatre — a unique artistic performance combining botany, poetry and queer survival.