Category: 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

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.

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

Menu Close Safemuse 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

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

“The Common Enemy” by Nikan Khosravi

Altyn Kapalova – A fearless advocate for feminist & queer art

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© 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

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© 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

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© 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

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

March 7, 2024

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.

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© 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

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

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

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

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.

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

News Safe Residencies

Meet Safemuse’s newest artist in residence: Wang Chong – Ibsen, face masks and freedom to surf the Internet

Post author By Akari
Post date November 10, 2022

MEET SAFEMUSE'S NEWEST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: WANG CHONG -- Ibsen, face masks and freedom to surf the Internet

November 10, 2022

A long-awaited arrival

Wang Chong is Safemuse’s newest and long-awaited second artist in residence of 2022. Wang was initially supposed to arrive in May around the same time as the first resident, Belarusian artist Zhanna Gladko, however obtaining a visa turned out to be a lengthy and unpredictable process. Safemuse was therefore very pleased to finally welcome Wang to our Oslo residence program in September.

— Working at Safemuse involves a lot of frustration; frustration over visa difficulties; over not having the opportunity to welcome more artists who need the kind of respite Safemuse can offer; and thereby the frustration of having to choose between a large number of highly qualified artists who really need to get away from situations that are difficult for us to imagine.

But it is also rewarding. Very rewarding and inspiring. When the artists arrive, watch them unfold and get the opportunity to work. Opportunities they don’t have at all where they come from, says Safemuse’s former general manager (now senior adviser), Jan Lothe Eriksen.

China’s most internationally-commissioned theater director

Wang Chong was born in Beijing in 1982. He received his bachelor’s degree in law from Peking University before he decided to pursue a master’s degree in theater from University of Hawaii. In 2008, Wang founded the Beijing-based performance group Théâtre du Rêve Expérimental (www.theatrere.org).

Wang has translated and directed Chinese premieres of internationally-acclaimed texts, such as Heiner Müller’s Hamletmachine, Peter Handke’s Self-accusation, Sarah Kane’s Crave, Nick Payne’s Constellations, Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, and Woody Allen’s Central Park West.

Today Wang Chong is China’s most internationally-commissioned theater director and, so far, his works have been performed in 20 countries, including Norway at the Oslo International Ibsen Festival. Wang is happy to be in back in Ibsen’s homeland.

— Ibsen was part of our high school literature curriculum, and certainly essential to my theater education in the U.S. I started to work with the Oslo-based organization, Ibsen International, in 2012. Together with playwright Oda Fiskum, producer Inger Buresund, and dramaturg Hege Tørressen, we tried to bring most of Ibsen’s essence into one work, Ibsen in One Take, which was brought here in 2014 as part of the Ibsen Festival. I was commissioned by Ibsen International in the same year to direct Ghosts 2.0, an adaptation set in contemporary China. I hope that I can bring it too to Norway one day.

Wang Chong has an extensive and impressive artistic portfolio, and he is the recipient of numerous awards. Among his many productions, we find The Warfare of Landmine 2.0, which won the Festival/Tokyo Award; Lu Xun, which was noted as The Best Chinese Performance of the Year by The Beijing News; Teahouse 2.0, which won the One Drama Award; Waiting for Godot, a live online performance which has an audience of 290,000; and The Plague, a live online performance with artists working from six continents.

“Without the basic freedoms, I would not be able to learn, research, and experiment enough to come up with artistic concepts.”
— Wang Chong

Face masks, firewalls and basic freedoms

After two years of Covid restrictions and a lengthy six months of awaiting his temporary visa for Norway, Wang finally arrived in Oslo on the 17th of September.

— Being stuck in one country for two and a half years, as an international artist, it was stifling. I was hoping to once again dive into the world and see how people and artists in Norway and other countries are coping with life and arts. The most important thing, he notes, is that I got out of the zero-Covid zone, expecting to re-experience what life can be.

— Although I was here in 2014, it was more of a cultural shock moment this time around. On day one, when I stepped into the Central Station, I saw hundreds of men and women from all walks of life. They were standing, running, talking, laughing, and eating, all maskless and fearless. I stood there, speechless, trying to make sense. When I started to understand the situation, I couldn’t stop laughing. I took off my mask. I became a new being on my arrival.

Looking back at his first few weeks in Oslo, Wang says:

— I have regained Google freedom, YouTube freedom, Wikipedia freedom, and Netflix freedom. These things are not something to talk about or worry about in the Norwegian context, but I have to say these freedoms are forming a new foundation to my creativity. Right away I started to learn and create with artificial intelligence. The booming field looks so exciting, when there is no firewall blocking your vision. So many apps, websites, and open-source platforms are out there. Without the basic freedoms, I would not be able to learn, research, and experiment enough to come up with artistic concepts.

— The residency has been great so far. I have been focusing on an artificial intelligence (AI) generated short film and checked out performances, museums, and hiking trails of Oslo.

“I have regained Google freedom, YouTube freedom, Wikipedia freedom, and Netflix freedom. These things are not something to talk about or worry about in the Norwegian context, but I have to say these freedoms are forming a new foundation to my creativity.”
— Wang Chong”

Wang Chong’s artistic ambitions

Wang has large ambitions for the residency and his artistic plans include an AI-generated short film, a documentary film, and a new text for theater.

— I don’t want to spoil it by telling you how exactly the AI-generated short film would look like. What I can say is that I want to create an intriguing story about the future of humanity.

Wang’s ongoing documentary film project is titled A Director Sitting Still. It is about the life and death of Hu Bo, the young director of award-winning film An Elephant Sitting Still.

— In 2019 I started to ask, why did such a talented artist commit suicide at the age of 29? During the residency, I will focus on editing and post-production of the film. If you have not seen Hu Bo’s movie, I highly recommend it!

Wang is also working on his solo performance, Made in China 2.0. It will premiere in Boston before a world-tour. There is a possibility the piece will be shown in Oslo in 2023.

— Wang Chong is an artist who uses the newly acquired opportunities with great enthusiasm. And for us at Safemuse, the Norwegian art community and for the Norwegian public, it is a fantastic resource to have artists like this visit. We are very much looking forward to being able to present Wang on stage, and to get his look and his artistic approach to the themes he will present, says Jan Lothe Eriksen, before he continues: — At the same time, our guest artists are a reminder of what an incredible reality we live in here, compared to other countries and regions. Many thanks to Oslo municipality for making this program possible.

Safemuse’s residence coordinator, Jon Lundell, is also impressed by Chong’s artistic work and ambitions:

— Artistically, Chong stuck out from the vast number of applicants for our Oslo residence. I saw that his previous work and future plans are full of life, humor, creativity, experimentation and seriousness. He intelligently confronts difficult themes with a brave and open mind. This openness and interest of learning and meeting new obstacles professionally, is both inspiring and important in present and future collaborations. His interest in other people, their struggles and character also makes him humble and just a great guy to work with.

– –

For more information and artistic works, check out online articles on Wang Chong and his Youtube channel.

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

Safe Residencies News

An artist’s reflection: Hvitsten Salong 2022

Post author By Akari
Post date October 8, 2022

An artist´s reflection: Hvitsten Salong 2022

By belarusian artist Zhanna Gladko

October 8, 2022

About the artist

Zhanna Gladko (1984) is a visual artist and a graduate of the Republican College of Arts in Minsk and the Department of Easel Graphics at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. She is currently one of Safemuse’s artists in residence based in Oslo. In this article, Gladko reflects on her experience and the process of creating an outdoor art installation for the festival Hvitsten Salong in august 2022.

Relentless flow of time

Working on the art installation Relentless Flow Of Time / 2022 for the art festival Hvitsten Salong has been an important and interesting experience for me. It was especially important to me because it was the first time that I exhibited my art in Norway. I was interested in the Norwegian history and local context, the topics that contemporary Norwegian artists work with and my encounters with Hvitsten Salong’s creative community and the participants with different stories and backgrounds.

This festival showed me that the art community in Norway is developing in a friendly and supportive atmosphere, welcoming people with different histories and cultural contexts. I was happy to meet many artists whose names was not already familiar with. I met those whose practice is close to me both in terms of artistic strategy and the themes that contemporary artists work with. I was pleased to get good feedback on my work from local artists and was pleasantly surprised at how hospitable they were.

Another important point for me is that this is the first work I have shown outside a gallery space. So for me this experience is still important as a step in the development of personal professional tools, which is important for an artist whose practice is mainly related to gallery and museum spaces.

I also felt comfortable working on the preparations for the festival whilst being in Hvitsten itself, with the warm and caring support of the Safemuse team. The fact that no one restricted my ideas, did not correct or censor me – neither in the process of reflection on the work, nor during the creation of the installation is of great importance to me and cannot be underestimated. For me, as a Belarusian artist, this is an important and valuable aspect, which I emphasise, because in Belarus, making such a work is simply impossible. To work in Belarus with any statement that touches on social or political issues can lead to imprisonment – it is a restrictive and limiting condition, which binds the artist’s hands and takes away his or her voice. That is why I am happy to have the chance to show my voice, to have the right to a personal manifesto, not to leave unnoticed and invisible those topics of concern in countries where crimes against humanity and crimes against artists are taking place right now.

It was important for me to show work that has a difficult conceptual side. It refers to events which are important for the current history, which on the one hand is important to fix, but on the other hand is also ephemeral and unstable – like everything that happens in the era of post-truth, digital oversaturation and devaluation of meanings. Therefore, it was conceptually important for my work in interaction with the natural environment – which always corrects and puts everything in its right place.

“To work in Belarus with any statement that touches on social or political issues can lead to imprisonment – it is a restrictive and limiting condition, which binds the artist’s hands and takes away his or her voice.”
– Zhanna Gladko

About my work in Hvitsten

The installation consists of a series of glass inscriptions made of ashes. The series is called Relentless Flow Of Time / 2022 and was created especially for Hvitsten Salong.

The inscriptions on the glasses are taken as fragments of expressions, headlines from the world’s press, which printed news about the war in Ukraine, about the revolutionary events in Belarus. I am interested in the phenomenon of information deformation in the post-truth era, when information flow is characterized by the layering, distortion and devaluation of meanings. My intention was that, with the passage of time and interaction with nature, the rain and humidity would partly deform, erase, disappear – everything that happens to memory and history over time in the social, political and any other context.

This series of works began with the creation of Force. Farce. False. / 2020 (https://gladko.org/FORCE-FARCE-FALSE). The slogan emerged during the 2020 pandemic when the President of Belarus refused to take any action to reduce the risk of coronavirus during the pandemic. Statistical figures on the sick were hidden and distorted in the media.

In 2020, I created a slogan on glass and displayed it on the balcony of my flat in Minsk, on one of the city’s main avenues. The inscription was made of a sticky transparent liquid and, over time, dust, dirt, and smog from the avenue accumulated on it. Later, during the revolutionary events in Belarus, the glass panel displayed on the balcony was passed by police cars as peaceful protests were held. Thus, the inscription was symbolically shaped by the dust, by the moods that were in the air in 2020 – hatred, fear, enthusiasm, protest.

The work in Hvitsten is the next stage in the series. And the ash material is important here as a reference to the military events in Ukraine, to recent events in Belarus – which are part of a complex history and struggle for independence.

A commentary by Anne Weyer Larsen:

Zhanna Gladko’s art work Relentless flow of time

Glass panels with inscriptions of ashes. The piece is based on a work she started at the onset of the pandemic – Force Farce False. It dealt with, among other things, the popular uprising against Lukaschenko in Belarus, and is now relevant in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A simple chain of events that unfortunately develops into a greater and deeper darkness. The work is not intended to be decorative, illustrative or complex, but seeks to reflect the pain of the present. The work is a response to contemporary events with a relevant statement. At its core – a universal code that corresponds to any historical moment. The work is not intended as a political statement, but as a reflection on the changes taking place in the social structures, the breaking of the times in which we now find ourselves.

One of the layers is dedicated to the information war that is currently taking place. The artist is interested in post-truth, the layers of meaning that disappear, memories and forgetting, the conflict zones around different meanings, different discourses. The words become like a thundercloud that thickens, darkens because of the layers of meaning, and all the words. The words are taken from world news. With rain and wind, the words will be erased over time. This is also the passage of time in a longer perspective. We do not forget and remember the horror in the same way.

Anne Weyer Larsen works as an art mediator at Hvitsten Salong, Henie Onstad Art Center and has many years of experience working with a number of art institutions where she has partaken in various art projects and artist-driven events.

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

News Safe Residencies

“We are doing this to support independent voices”

Post author By Akari
Post date August 24, 2022

– We are doing this to support independent voices

August 24, 2022

Artistic freedom of expression, solidarity and collaboration

In an increasingly polarised world, with tensions between nations, cultures, political parties and cultural norms, a growing group of artists are encountering obstacles in the execution of their work. Artists are in many cases regarded as activists, even when they themselves do not identify with, or promote a political view or a political movement. This is especially true for female artists, artists that are queer, come from minority or indigenous groups or artists that work in genres not deemed acceptable by society or by their government. One of Safemuse’s most important projects is, therefore, to create safe residencies for artists and to promote artistic freedom of expression, as well as artistic solidarity and collaboration.

At the closing event of the Safe Havens Conference in Oslo in December of 2021, Vice Mayor for Culture and Sports, Omar Samy Gamal, expressed the City of Oslo’s unwavering endorsement for Safemuse’s residency program:

– 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.”

“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.”

– Omar Samy Gamal, Vice Mayor for Culture and Sports in Oslo

At the opening of the Artistic Freedom Week in March, the Norwegian Minister of Culture, Anette Trettebergstuen followed suit and emphasised that she – cannot think of anything more important than to promote the importance of artistic freedom and to define artists’ right to move and express themselves. It is simply a matter of democracy, the most fundamental thing we have to fight for.

Safemuse Artistic Safe Haven residency program

At the beginning of the year, Safemuse established a residency program in the Norwegian capital of Oslo for artists subjected censorship, threats, persecution, or/and that for various reason cannot work freely in the place they currently reside. The program offers residencies for artists within all artistic disciplines. The residencies have a duration of up to six-month and are focused on artistic development and cooperation. The Safemuse Artistic Safe Haven residency program in Oslo is funded by the City of Oslo and carried out in collaboration with Nordic Black Theatre.

– After years of uncertain, unpredictable and scarce funding for our residency projects, Safemuse finally has the possibility, through the support of the City of Oslo’s enthusiastic political and administrative leadership, to invite artists in need for a safe space and possibilities for artistic development. But unfortunately, we are only able to host some few artists out of the many thousands who are in danger and in serious need of safe residencies. Hence, we are looking forward to develop the program further and be able to invite more independent voices, says Jan Lothe Eriksen, general manager of Safemuse.

Safemuse is also working to expand the program in order to offer similar residency opportunities in other places in Norway.

Open call for applications

On August 1^st, Safemuse published an open call for applications for its upcoming residencies in 2023. The deadline is on September 1^st and Safemuse encourages its friends and supporters around the world to help spread the word about this opportunity to artists at risk and in need of a safe space to develop their art.

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

21 September, “Dancing Into Fire” – Audiovisual performance @National Opera, Oslo

14 September, Concert by Pouya Pour-Amin at the Ultima festival @Trekanten, Oslo

OPEN CALL – Oslo and Hvitsten Art Haven 2025!

Når kunsten er å gjøre motstand

Skal UDI ødelegge for kunsten?

I hope to rediscover freedom of speech

Altyn Kapalova — A fearless advocate for feminist and queer art

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

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

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

MEET SAFEMUSE'S NEWEST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: WANG CHONG -- Ibsen, face masks and freedom to surf the Internet

“Without the basic freedoms, I would not be able to learn, research, and experiment enough to come up with artistic concepts.”

“I have regained Google freedom, YouTube freedom, Wikipedia freedom, and Netflix freedom. These things are not something to talk about or worry about in the Norwegian context, but I have to say these freedoms are forming a new foundation to my creativity.”

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

An artist´s reflection: Hvitsten Salong 2022

By belarusian artist Zhanna Gladko

“To work in Belarus with any statement that touches on social or political issues can lead to imprisonment – it is a restrictive and limiting condition, which binds the artist’s hands and takes away his or her voice.”

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

– We are doing this to support independent voices

“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.”

© 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.