Skade Marie Henriksen Svennevig

There is a Hole in the Earth - triangulating site and materiality (working title)  

University of Bergen, Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design, The Art Academy – Department of Contemporary Art

This project aims to broaden the discourse on contemporary indigenous artistic expressions, focusing on sculpture and installation. It explores the relationship between humans and landscape, delving into materiality's role as a carrier of truth. Embracing a diverse range of materials, the project refrains from preconceiving its form, emphasizing a conceptual starting point. Leveraging Sámi cultural elements, it proposes a novel method for understanding site, landscape, and materiality. An additional objective is to investigate the potential of geometric motifs in Sámi ornamentation as tools for approaching the landscape, transmitting knowledge, and serving as instruments for reflection. Furthermore, it aims to visually represent the Arctic landscape through artistic research, identifying sites of interest by using a set of Sámi ornamentation as a triangulation method. Through practical research methods and direct material engagement, the project seeks to challenge traditional notions of indigenous art while fostering a dynamic dialogue between past and present. 

Skade Henriksen (b. 1988, Finnmark, Sápmi/Norway) works with drawing, photography, sculpture and installation. Skade combines the poetic with a semi-scientific approach to artistic research. With a background as a research technician, she often uses scientific instruments and records as a working method and reference point in her works. Landscape is a consistent theme in her artistic practice. Selected exhibitions include Bodø Biennale (2022), Preus Norway's National Photo Museum (2023), MAĐĐI - Romsa Dáiddahálla (2024) and LÁ Art Museum, Iceland (2024). Henriksen has also been involved in the interdisciplinary project Climate Narratives, funded by NFR and led by UIB, as project coordinator and artistic advisor from 2022 to 2024. She is currently a PhD research fellow at The Art Academy – Department of Contemporary Art, Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design, University of Bergen