SPEAKING BACK

Sissel M. Bergh, Annika Dahlsten & Markku Laakso, Marja Helander, Minna Henriksson, Hannimari Jokinen, Marjo Levlin, Britta Marakatt-Labba, Katarina Pirak Sikku, Hilde Skancke Pedersen, and Outi Pieski.

SPEAKING BACK is an art and research project that reflects upon colonialism in Europe’s North and its past and present entanglements with Germany. With the perspective of the arts, the exhibition SPEAKING BACK focuses on this complex and ethically sensible field. SPEAKING BACK calls attention to the white supremacy ideology and racist structures that even today bias people’s minds and attitudes. 

Sámi cultural heritage was stolen for European museums, the language of the Sámi banned, and their land rights restricted. In the exhibition SPEAKING BACK, Sámi and non-Sámi artists will critically review the colonial legacy of the Nordic countries. With a variety of media, the art works turn against racism, looting, eviction and commodification of nature. They visualise possibilities and strategies of resistance, change of perspective and empowerment. 

From September on, the exhibition at Kunsthaus Hamburg will be followed by the exhibition Das Land spricht. Sami Horizonte at Museum am Rothenbaum—Kulturen und Künste der Welt (MARKK). 

Curators: Áile Aikio, Hannimari Jokinen and Katja Schroeder.

Opening: June 2, 7pm
Lecture performance with Minna Henriksson: June 3, 4pm
Artist talk with Hannimari Jokinen: June 15, 7pm
Lecture with Anne Heith: June 22, 7pm 
Curators’ talk: September 10, 12pm

The project is funded by: Nordic Council of Ministers’ Culture and Art Programme, Nordic Culture Fund, Bundesprogramm “Neustart Kultur” der Stiftung Kunstfonds, NUE-Stiftung (Norddeutsche Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwicklung) aus Erträgen von BINGO! Die Umweltlotterie, Norwegische Botschaft, Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst der Nordkirche, Finnland-Institut.