{"id":1886,"date":"2022-02-20T18:23:49","date_gmt":"2022-02-20T18:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/?page_id=1886"},"modified":"2026-02-17T14:24:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:24:45","slug":"background-texts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/press\/bakgrundstexter\/","title":{"rendered":"Background texts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Press room<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Background texts<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  1. Introduction to the exhibition<\/li>
  2. Introduction of the counsellors<\/li>
  3. Exhibition tour plan<\/li>
  4. Exhibition management<\/li>
  5. Preface to the book Arctic Highways by Jan Wejdmark<\/li>
  6. About M\u00f6tesplats Gran\u00f6<\/li><\/ol>

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    1. Introduction to the exhibition<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Arctic Highways - A borderless indigenous people<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Across the Arctic landscape, culture and art have travelled seamlessly with the movement of the wind, the migration of the sun and the movements of our reindeer herds, creating a network of Arctic Highways. Roads that are cultural and spiritual, real and alive - but as invisible as the system of national boundaries that have weighed down and rigidified us, relentlessly seeking to suspend the free flow of ideas and the identity that unites our souls.<\/p>

    We are indigenous peoples living in different countries and on different continents, yet we see ourselves as peoples with kindred spirits. The borders of nation states, arbitrarily drawn without regard to our ancestral landscapes, have been used to divide the Sami people and pit us against our brothers and sisters on the other side - fencing in and silencing our voices and knowledge.<\/p>

    With this exhibition, we want to tell our own story, through our own experiences and with our own forms of expression. We want to open up a wider way of thinking about what it means to be borderless and to make visible the limitations that borders impose - not only on indigenous peoples, but on all of us.<\/p>

    The exhibition takes as its starting point the pandemic that swept the world in 2020 and 2021. How will its consequences affect indigenous peoples? Can the knowledge of our ancestors, some of which we still carry with us, become important and valuable in a changing global reality?<\/p>

    We, twelve indigenous artists from the Arctic region, invite you to join us in the search for answers and commonalities - and for a way across the frozen borderland between the words \u201dus\u201d and \u201dthem\u201d. Together, we can embark on a journey along the Arctic road of culture and life, stretching from the past into the future - without ever crossing a border.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    2. introduction of the counsellors<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Arctic Highways - A people without borders<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Indigenous people around the world existed long before the borders of nation states were drawn. Borders that have not taken into consideration the indigenous peoples\u2019 regions, the areas which hold our traditional places that have sustained us. Borders were drawn up according to the fells, valleys, lakes and rivers, and so forth. Meanwhile, people had always travelled across these regions, raised their families, lived in communities that socialised, expressed themselves through language and culture, led their lives. Many indigenous peoples have experienced how governments have annexed their regions for their own purposes which have not followed the will of the indigenous peoples. Despite this, the indigenous people of the Arctic Highway have survived as a people, although they have had to struggle to maintain their culture.<\/p>

    Visitors to this travelling exhibition will be able to get a glimpse of what is happening in the world of Artic art and duodji S\u00e1mi handicraft. The exhibition aims to pique the curiosity of indigenous peoples and create bridges between us, and also foster understanding and insight among the public at large.<\/p>

    Many indigenous regions are troubled by the exploitation of their lands and cultures. Has this exploitation reached its limit? Groups of indigenous people are, at times, pitted against each other, because we live in different nation states. In such cases, we may find ourselves fighting alongside the authorities of the nation states against our own brothers and sisters who reside in other nation states. Nevertheless, we of the Arctic Highway still consider ourselves as one indigenous people. We agree that we want to work together and share our cultural experiences with each other, and that we will not let our national borders be an obstacle.<\/p>

    A cloud spread over the world - a cloud called \u201cCovid 19\u201d - and all borders were closed. Our idea for this exhibition was conceived at a time when all the world's borders were closed. What is happening in the world? What is happening to the indigenous peoples? What happens when we must stop and reassess our way of living, both on a personal and an interpersonal level?<\/p>

    What has this time period done to the indigenous people? What is happening to our lands? Will there be further exploitation, and will we be forced into silence so that nation states can rebuild their economies? Or will our forefathers\u2019 knowledge, which is still partially intact, become important in a new global reality? Have we, as individuals, learned something we wish to impart, to pass on? Now that the world is starting to open once more, have we perhaps learned to reclaim the knowledge and ways of life of our forefathers and mothers, seeing that there is more to our regions, appreciating them anew - on a personal level. Many of these thoughts are expressed through the works shown in this exhibition.<\/p>

    The chosen theme - a borderless people - affords everyone an opportunity to reflect, in a broader perspective, on what it truly means to be borderless, both with a view to national borders and in a purely visual sense. What we see throughout the exhibition is that many of the representatives of S\u00e1mi culture featured here are engrossed with the experience of living in a landscape, both the beautiful natural one and the more controversial manifestation, the exploited landscape. Our point of departure is the events that have taken place over the past six months. However, we recognise that the exhibition's theme can be interpreted very broadly.<\/p>

    The knowledge of the indigenous peoples - the silent and the silenced knowledge - must take its place on the global art map. Now, despite historical abuses and a culture of silence, this exhibition gives us the opportunity to tell our own story, through our own experiences, using our own forms of expression.<\/p>

    Tomas Colbengtson, Gunvor Guttorm,<\/em>
    Dan J\u00e5ma, Britta Marakatt-Labba<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    3. exhibition itinerary<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    House of Sweden<\/span><\/span>, Washington DC (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in March 2022 - exhibition until mid-July 2022<\/p>

    Yukon Arts Centre<\/span><\/span>, Whitehorse (Canada)<\/strong>
    Opening in September 2022 - exhibition until November 2022<\/p>

    Swedish American Museum<\/span><\/span>, Chicago (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in January 2023 - exhibition until April 2023<\/p>

    Scandinavia House<\/span><\/span>, New York (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in May 2023 - exhibition until July 2023<\/p>

    National Nordic Museum<\/span><\/span>, Seattle (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in August 2023 - exhibition until October 2023<\/p>

    American Swedish Institute<\/span><\/span>, Minneapolis (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in January 2024 - exhibition until April 2024<\/p>

    IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts<\/span><\/span> (MoCNA), Santa Fe (USA)<\/strong>
    Opening in August 2024 - exhibition until January 2025<\/p>

    Saemien Sijte<\/span><\/span>, Sn\u00e5sa (Norway)<\/strong>
    Opening in June 2025 - exhibition until September 2025<\/p>

    the Meeting Place Gran\u00f6<\/span><\/span>, Gran\u00f6 (Sweden)<\/strong>
    Opening in December 2025 - permanent exhibition<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    4. Exhibition management<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    The Swedish constitution recognises that two peoples live in Sweden: the Swedes and the Sami. As an advisor to cultural authorities, institutions and artists, TYP Kulturkapital works with both Swedish and Sami artists, cultural institutions and organisations.<\/p>

    TYP Cultural Capital operates at the intersection of cultural policy, leadership and artistic development. The work focuses on strengthening the structural capacity of the organisations advised and their long-term sustainability as cultural actors. The team consists of Yvonne Rock and Pratik Vithlani, co-founders of TYP Kulturkapital, and their colleague Ann Larsson, who works in different roles and functions. All have collaborated with the Meeting Place Gran\u00f6<\/span><\/span> and the exhibition curators to realise the vision. The result is Arctic Highways<\/em>.<\/p>

    We were first approached by Jan Wejdmark and Tomas Colbengtson in 2017. They introduced us to Gran\u00f6 and its history, and to their vision of connecting people through art - indigenous people and the majority society. The vision of creating an exhibition that could reach an international audience was born during this meeting. Being able to follow and facilitate this journey, where the S\u00e1mi artists not only present their work but also make the selections, make the decisions and generously share their stories, has been a powerful experience. It is a journey that will live on in Gran\u00f6, where a new place is emerging that can be shared by both the majority society and the indigenous peoples.<\/p>

    Exhibition production<\/h3>

    Arctic Highways<\/em> produced by Guller Group<\/span><\/span> in Stockholm, through the exhibition designers Igor and Ilkka Isaksson, in close co-operation with TYP Kulturkapital and the exhibition curatorial team.<\/p>

    Igor Isaksson is an architect and Ilkka Isaksson is an exhibition and stage designer. They have worked together in exhibition design, exhibition production and event design for over 25 years. After previously running their own studio Mu AB, they joined Gullers Grupp in 2019.<\/p>

    Ilkka and Igor are also responsible for the design and layout of the book Arctic Highways<\/em>, the exhibition's accompanying text of the same name.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    5. Preface to the book Arctic Highways by Jan Wejdmark<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    A new way point on our journey<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    This book introduces twelve indigenous artists from S\u00e1pmi, Canada and Alaska. They invite us to join them on a spiritual and artistic journey in search of answers and community. With their guidance, we can travel along an Arctic path of culture and everyday life that stretches from the past into the future - without crossing a single border.<\/p>

    At the same time, this book is an in-depth encounter with the artists and the world premiere of their exhibition Arctic Highways<\/em>. The exhibition will tour North America and Europe in 2022-2025. After that, it will have its permanent home in Sweden, in Gran\u00f6 in V\u00e4sterbotten County.<\/p>

    It is a natural choice for Arctic Highways<\/em> will become a permanent exhibition in Gran\u00f6 from 2025. The town lies on the 470-kilometre-long Ume River, which has always been a natural summer and winter route between the coast and the mountains. For centuries, people have travelled freely up and down the river. This is where Sami culture and Swedish rural culture have met through trade and exchange. Historical sources tell of midwinter markets, the so-called \u201dLapp festivals\u201d, which were held here. As early as the 16th century, Swedish kings recognised Gran\u00f6 as an important meeting place. Even today, reindeer herds are brought to the area for winter grazing.<\/p>

    The small town of Gran\u00f6 is now becoming one of the most important places to meet the history, culture, and nature of northern Europe. Furthermore, through the creation of a global exhibition for Indigenous art Arctic Highways<\/em> - we will bring people together, laying the foundation for an international \u00adIndigenous peoples\u2019 stage that is unique in the world.<\/p>

    Mr Jan Wejdmark<\/strong><\/p>

    Jan Wejdmark was born and raised in Gran\u00f6 in V\u00e4sterbotten, north-eastern Sweden. He is a forest owner with deep roots in the area, where his family has lived and worked for fifteen generations. Mr Wejdmark holds an MSc in Real Estate Economics and Law, specialising in Environmental Studies, from KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology, in Stockholm.<\/span><\/span> (KTH).<\/p>

    He is the initiator and founder of the Meeting Place Gran\u00f6<\/span><\/span> and funder and patron of Arctic Highways<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    6. About the Gran\u00f6 meeting place<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    M\u00f6tesplats Gran\u00f6 is both an idea and a physical place. The idea or concept is based on the idea that meetings between people create understanding and provide opportunities for everyone to shape their own lives, regardless of the choices of others. At the same time, it is a tangible place - a cultural centre - that will come to life in 2025, when the travelling exhibition Arctic Highways<\/em> returns home to become a permanent exhibition at the Meeting Place Gran\u00f6<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>

    The fact that the meeting place is located far from the major cities and other population centres of the majority population characterises the whole concept. Here, the indigenous scene has the freedom to create its own expressions and its own context. The Gran\u00f6 meeting place carries on the tradition of cultural encounters that have taken place here for centuries. Arctic Highways<\/em> marks the beginning of a new chapter in this historical adventure.<\/p>

    Follow our journey and the development of M\u00f6tesplats Gran\u00f6 at www.motesplatsgrano.se<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Pressrum Bakgrundstexter Inledning till utst\u00e4llningen Introduktion av kuratorerna Utst\u00e4llningens turn\u00e9plan Utst\u00e4llningsledning F\u00f6rord till boken Arctic Highways av Jan Wejdmark Om M\u00f6tesplats Gran\u00f6 Skrolla och kopiera \u2013 eller om du f\u00f6redrar: Klicka f\u00f6r att ladda ner en fil med alla texter 1. Inledning till utst\u00e4llningen Arctic Highways \u2013 Ett gr\u00e4nsl\u00f6st urfolk \u00d6ver det arktiska landskapet har […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":1790,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1886","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1886"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3916,"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1886\/revisions\/3916"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arctichighways.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}