The Sámi Pavilion

In an historic first, the Nordic Pavilion in Venice has transformed into 'The Sámi Pavilion', with a project commissioned by Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA) featuring the Sámi artists Pauliina Feodoroff, Máret Ánne Sara and Anders Sunna during the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2022. This transformation of the Nordic Pavilion celebrates the art and sovereignty of the Indigenous Sámi people, whose nation extends across the Nordic countries and into the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

'The Sámi Pavilion' project is curated by a group consisting of Sámi scholar Liisa-Rávná Finbog, OCA’s Director Katya García-Antón and Sámi land guardian Beaska Niillas; curatorial assistants: Liv Brissach, Raisa Porsanger and Martina Petrelli. Following the Sámi custom of learning from elders of the community, the selected artists benefited from the individual guidance of chosen elders Karen Ellen Marie Siri Utsi, Asta Mitkijá Balto and Ánde Somby. In partnership with Sámi University College, the 'Sámi Pathfinders' programme brings together students from across Sápmi to act as mediators for ‘The Sámi Pavilion’ project. The 'Sámi Pathfinders' guide visitors through the exhibition, offering insights on culture and society from a Sámi perspective.

Press

Programme

General public and opening hours

Pauliina Feodoroff

Maret Anne Sara Gutted Gavogalsi 2022 Ale suova sielu saiget 2022 Photo Michael Miller OCA

Máret Ánne Sara

Anders Sunna

Project

The Nordic Pavilion

Project Credits

Acknowledgements

‘The Sámi Pavilion’ project marks a ground-breaking moment in the history of the Biennale Arte in Venice: the Indigenisation of the Nordic Pavilion. Commissioned by OCA, with the support of co-commissioners Moderna Museet and Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, it also represents a pivotal moment in OCA’s eight-year journey to advocate for institutional decolonisation. As a multi-layered initiative that has sought to centre Sámi perspectives every step of the way, the project has involved many collaborators over many years, all of whom we wish to honour in this acknowledgement.

First and foremost, we are deeply grateful to the artists whose dedication and creative thinking we deeply admire: Pauliina Feodoroff, Máret Ánne Sara and Anders Sunna. We express our thanks and we honour the artists’ families and their ancestors. In addition we thank Hanna Parry, Outi Pieski, Eséte Eshetu Sutinen, Katja Haarla, Birit Haarla, Satu Herrala, Terike Haapoja, Marja Helander (collaborators in Feodoroff's project); Alexandra Harald (assistant to Sara), as well as Nadjib Achaibou, Symrise and Oswaldo Maciá (advisors for the smell duet in Sara’s installation); Gaby Hartel (dramaturgy advisor for the sonic elements in Sunna’s installation) and the Sunna family members who contributed to the production of the installation: Britt-Inger Sunna, Bo Sunna, Nils-Erik Sunna, Per-Olof Sydfeldt Sunna, Lars-Göran Sunna, Jon- Isak Sunna, Aino Strand Sunna, Conny Strand, Elena Sunna and Michiel Brouwer. We also thank Elder and the pavilion’s Guest Book-maker Elle Hánsa / Keviselie / Hans Ragnar Mathisen.

Máret Ánne Sara also extends a special thanks to Fimben Áillo Ánte (Anders Aslaksen Siri). Pauliina Feodoroff thanks Sarakka Gaup, Elina Israelsson, Mio Negga, Anna-Stina Svakko, Jan Saijets, Osmo Seurujärvi, Esko Aikio, Kevin Francett, Jarmo Pyykkö, Jouni S. Laiti, Kaisu Mustonen, the ‘What Form(s) can an Atonement Take' project, Mary Beth Jäger, Amy Juan, Shawna Larson, Noor Johnson and Eero and Rita Murtomäki.

OCA extends a heartfelt thank you to members of the curatorial group Beaska Niillas, Liisa-Rávná Finbog and Katya García-Antón; and assistant curators Raisa Porsanger (2020–21), Liv Brissach (2020–22) and Martina Petrelli (2022), as well as the Elders Asta M. Balto, Ánde Somby and Karen E.M. Utsi, who were dialogue partners with the artists. In addition, we thank the International Indigenous Advisers to the project Brook Garru Andrew and Wanda Nanibush, as well as Harald Gaski and Beaska Niillas, members of the project’s Language Group, for their collaboration.

We offer our very special gratitude to the inspiring collaborators in ‘The Sámi Pavilion’ project’s extended programme: Poet in Residence Timimie Gassko Märak; ÁRRAN 360’s filmmakers and artists Elle Márjá Eira, Marja Helander, Ann Holmgren, Hans Pieski, Siljá Somby and Liselotte Wajstedt, as well as ISFI Director Anne Lajla Utsi and project manager Maria Utsi, ISFI colleagues Morten Pettersen and Liisa Holm- berg, and NFI Director Kjesti Mo and colleagues Nedin Mutic and Stine Oppegaard; for the special 2022 edition of aabaakwad, which comes to Venice under the auspices of ‘The Sámi Pavilion’, we thank founder Wanda Nanibush, the aabaakwad curatorial team and all participants (too numerous to name here); and for the collaboration with the TBA–21 Academy’s Indigenous edition of their Ocean Fellowship Programme we thank mentors Harald Gaski and Rebecca Belmore, the Fellows Matti Aikio, Liryc Dela Cruz, Ursula A. Johnson, Fernanda Olivares Molina and aqui Thami, and collaborators Wanda Nanibush, Markus Reymann, Niall Smith, Mareike Dittmer, María Montero Sierra, Graziano Meneghin, Chus Martínez and Barbara Casavecchia (with input from Brook Garru Andrew and Megan Tamati-Quenell).

OCA is deeply grateful to the editors of Čatnosat. The Sámi Pavilion, Indigenous Art, Knowledge and Sovereignty Liisa-Rávná Finbog, Katya García-Antón and Beaska Niillas (and assistant editor Liv Brissach). This publication is the fruit of an intensive journey of reflection, asking the question ‘what does it mean today to make a book from a Sámi perspective, given the colonial repressive legacy of book making and the written word?’. We are forever thankful to the authors: Brook Garru Andrew, Asta Mitkijá Balto, Liv Brissach, Pauliina Feodoroff, Liisa-Rávná Finbog, Katya García-Antón, Harald Gaski, Timimie Gassko Märak, Beaska Niillas, Máret Ánne Sara, Sigbjørn Skåden, Ánde Somby and Anders Sunna. We are also humbled by the powerful insights of the participants of the two Collective Jurddabádji (online gatherings) that set the conceptual ground for the making of this publication: Anna Afanasyeva, Katarina Barruk, Liv Brissach, Tanya Busse, Pauliina Feodoroff, Liisa-Rávná Finbog, Katya García-Antón, Harald Gaski, Eeva Kristiina Harlin, Elle Hánsa / Keviselie / Hans Ragnar Mathisen, Beaska Niillas, Taqralik Partridge, Outi Pieski, Fredrik Prost, Inga-Wiktoria Påve, Máret Ánne Sara, Sigbjørn Skåden, Katarina Skår Lisa and Anders Sunna. Finally we also warmly thank Tiina-Sanila Aikio, Aleksi Koponen, Christina Hætta, Harald Gaski and Siljá Somby for their advice on the publication, and the network of people who helped translate the book's dedication into eight Sámi languages: Mikkel Rasmus Logje and Siljá Somby (Northern Sámi), Pauliina Feodoroff (Skolt Sámi), Jørgen Kintel (Lule Sámi), Katarina Barruk (Ume Sámi), Inger Fjällås and Peter Steggo (Pite Sámi), Domna Khomyuk (Kildin Sámi), Joseph Fjellgren (Southern Sámi), Henna Lehtola (Anár Sámi) and facilitators: Natalia Vaskova – Saami Council; Anita Kitok – Sámi Parliament in Sweden; Risten Länsman and Per-Martin Israelsson – Sámi Parliament Norway and Giellatekno Apertium – UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

We are particularly delighted with the pioneering collaboration generating the project’s visual identity and publication design, between designer Hans Gremmen and Sámi duojárs Inga-Wiktoria Påve and Fredrik Prost.

We extend our deepest thanks to the the OCA team for their commitment to the project and we offer our warmest thanks to the following collaborators and friends: from the Sámi University of Applied Sciences: Lena Susanne Gaup, Laila Susanne Vars, and the Pathfinders; from Riddu Riđđu Festival: Sandra Márjá West and musicians Hildá Länsmann, Emil Karlsen and Lávre; Deutchlandfunk; Art Gallery of Ontario; from The Oslo School of Architecture and Design: Kai Reaver; from Valiz, Amsterdam: Astrid Vorstermans; Forest People AS; Egil Pedersen; Mette Henriette; Dáiddadállu Artist Collective; Aili Keskitalo; Siljá Somby; Magne Svineng; Tiina Sanila-Aikio; David Garneau and Elin Már Øyen Vister.

We are deeply grateful to Sarah Greenberg and her team at Evergreen Arts for the international communication and events work for this project; as well as to Anna Clark, Valeria Gemelli and to the Palazzo Nani Bernardi.

We offer our thanks to the following project supporters: The Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nordic Culture Point, Fritt Ord – the Freedom of Expression Foundation, The Sámi Parliament in Norway, in Sweden and in Finland, The Sámi Parliamentary Council (SPC), The Norwegian Film Institute and Canada Council for the Arts.

We remember the Sámi artist Aage Gaup, due to exhibit in Biennale Arte 2022’s central exhibition, who passed unexpectedly and whose presence in the celebration of this historic project will be deeply missed.

Finally, we thank the numerous Sámi peers who gave invaluable advice and support along the way.

Film by Egil Pedersen – Snöfokk Film AS. Produced by Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA). Music by Mette Henriette (ECM)