Caroline Bergvall (NO/FR/UK): Flag Up
Some artists believe that art should FLAG UP against conventionalised injustice FLAG UP against moral paralysis against the fear of change and the fear of others. They put their lives, hearts and minds on the line for this. Who are they? Who will you choose to be celebrated with a flag day at ANTI Festival?
FLAG UP, inspired by Finland’s tradition of flag days – and specifically the day honouring 19th-century journalist, playwright, activist and Kuopio resident Minna Canth – will raise and fly three new flags created by writer and artist Caroline Bergvall. The three unique flags will celebrate three known or lesser known artist-activists, whose work continues the debates begun by Minna and her generation of proto-feminist writers and activists. One of the flags will honour a present day artist-activist living in Kuopio. Chosen by popular vote, you can nominate a potential flag day recipient! It’s your choice – nominate now!
Each flag will be raised during a ten-minute performance-dedication by Caroline on Minna Canthinkatu outside Hotel Puijonsarvi at ANTI festival 2010. The flags have been created in collaboration with Hormazd Narielwalla.
Caroline Bergvall (NO/FR/UK)
Caroline Bergvall is a Norwegian-French writer and artist based in London. Working across various artforms, media and languages, she has presented her much-celebrated work across the world, with recent projects at Tate Modern, London, and MOMA, New York. She is the author of numerous books of poetic, performative and graphic texts including PLESSJØR (H Press), CROPPER (Torque Press 2008) and ALYSON SINGES (Belladonna).
“I understand language as a very physical, all powerful yet also potentially comical structure that shapes and trips up both speaker and listener, both writer and reader. My work addresses questions such as new literacies, contemporary citizenship, bilingualism, speaking with an accent, body politics through a range of ways and platforms. In my more public work, I incresasingly take on these issues by setting up events that allow the public to explore their own perception about language, writing, and community. “
Who will be celebrated with a flag day at ANTI Festival 2010? You decide!
Minna Canth said NO. NO to the social confinement of women NO to keeping women illiterate isolated split from social action ridiculed out of political and intellectual platforms stripped of human value and autonomous worth.
Minna Canth said YES. YES to education for all YES to women’s professional and personal autonomy, to financial freedom, to freedom of movement and the freedom to love. YES to the fact that changing women’s worth means to change society deeply and radically.
Not all has been achieved. Deep chasms and inequalities persist, injustices and banal hatreds rear their heads. Other issues, other bodies, other genders, other histories burn. More things and other things need to be said.
Some artists are saying it today. Artists who consider it part of their art that it should STIR UP, that it should OPEN our minds and senses to what is today kept at bay ostracised ridiculed.
Some artists believe that art should FLAG UP against conventionalised injustice against moral paralysis against the fear of change and the fear of others. They put their lives and minds to this.
Who will you choose to be celebrated with a flag at ANTI festival 2010?
Caroline Bergvall is a Norwegian-French writer and artist based in London. Inspired by Finland’s tradition of flag days she will raise three flags on Minna Canthin katu outside Hotel Puijonsarvi. One of the flags will honour a present day artist-activist. Chosen by a popular vote, you can nominate a potential flagday recipient. In the spirit of Minna Canth, the nominee should have a connection to Kuopio: perhaps the artist works in Kuopio and lives in the surrounding area, or perhaps they live in Kuopio and their work has a presence across Finland. The nominee should deal with language in their work, either directly or in an expanded sense and in some way their work must approach ideas of personal, social, cultural or political freedom. Artists working in all mediums can be nominated.
Nominate your choice in the field below, stating the artist’s name and a brief comment on why you think this artist should be celebrated with a flag day. The deadline for nominations is August 15th 2010.