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NETWORK NORTH
Network
North aims to create dialogues between the Nordic region,
Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The visual art component is co-ordinated by NIFCA.
The latest issue of NIFCAinfo
is themed on Network North, please download from here.
(You will need Adobe Acrobat programme for reading pdfs)
NETWORK NORTH – THE STORY
SO FAR
Network North is a programme for cultural exchange initiated by
the Nordic Council of Ministers to consolidate dialogues between
the Nordic region, the UK and Ireland. The programme is focusing
on
contemporary art and culture in the fields of visual art, literature,
music and film. During the last decade, the Nordic region has
nurtured
relationships with its neighbours around the Baltic Sea, especially
the Baltic States and northwest Russia. In changing times, with
the
Baltic States poised to join the EU, the Nordic Council of Ministers
– the body that administers the official Nordic co-operation
in many
fields – has turned its attention to the west in order to
highlight and strengthen the naturally occurring relationships
between the Nordic
region and its neighbours beyond the North Sea.
In the visual art field, co-ordinated by NIFCA, a network is being
established by co-ordinating our core activities – exhibitions,
residencies, publications, seminars – over a wider field
of
action. The emphasis is on a bilateral approach, as opposed to
cultural imperialism, with artists benefiting in the whole
geographical area.
At the heart of the Network North programme is a large residency
network that borrows from the established Nordic-Baltic residency
programme – including Helsinki, Stockholm and Gothenburg
– and is extended to new studios in the Nordic region (including
the Faroe Islands and Lapland). These are made available to artists
from Scotland and Ireland while partners have been found in
Glasgow, Dundee, Cove, Dublin and Belfast to pledge studios to
visiting artists from the Nordic countries. A large selection
process was undertaken in autumn 2001, with around 200 applications
received. The selection committee – which was comprised of
Katrina Brown (Curator, Dundee Contemporary Arts), Hugh Mulholland
(Director, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast), Magdalena Malm (Curator,
IASPIS, Stockholm) and myself – shortlisted 40 artists
to participate. It is impossible to predict how many opportunities
will arise for artists as a consequence of their residencies but
we can take steps to encourage this.
In Helsinki, throughout the spring and summer, Scottish and Irish
artists staying at Suomenlinna will conclude their residency with
an introduction to their work for a local audience and invited
international guests. The next two publications
in the Network North series are already underway, following residencies
by the Icelandic Love Corporation in Glasgow and David Sherry
in Helsinki, introduced here respectively through a short story
and artist’s pages. This activity is being complemented by
curators’ residencies, that are either based at NIFCA headquarters
in Helsinki or involve a tour of the Nordic countries, Scotland
or Ireland, which will hopefully give rise to exhibitions and
new commissions.
A series of exhibitions and projects are being developed throughout
the Network North area. From the core NIFCA programme, the
compilation that comprises BLICK: New Nordic Film and Video is
being screened in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin. The latter of
these will take place outdoors in the centre of the recently developed
Temple Bar area. This very public cinema will also host Salla
Tykkä’s
stunning new film Thrillerthat was commissioned by NIFCA and premiered
in February. The centrepiece of Network North’s exhibition
programme is a large project, including around 40 artists, in
collaboration with Tramway in Glasgow. Rather than explore thematic
similarities or differences between the works of artists in this
diverse region, the twin exhibitions Greyscale and CMYK divide
works into two categories, across national and sectarian borders,
depending on whether they are made in black and white or colour.
Taking their titles from graphic design, these exhibitions allow
works to be included in many different media including drawing,
painting,
photography, film and video, examples of which will be seen throughout
this issue of NIFCAinfo.
The emphasis of this visual arts programme is on flexibility and
an ability to respond to opportunities arising through the development
of a new network. As a taste of things to come, we take this opportunity
to introduce you to the collaborative spirit of rasmus knud and
Søren Andreasen. For NIFCA, Network North is an exciting
opportunity to focus on commissioning work and a key tool in this
process is the new online project ionic.nifca.org. Commissioned
as an experimental architectural project and existing entirely
in the digital domain, this will house new and existing work from
throughout
the Network North region for a global audience. Added to this,
it is also hoped that the increased mobility of artists and curators
during Network North will give rise to many other exciting new
projects.
Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt
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