In 2004 Rakett was invited by Geir Tore Holm and Søssa Jørgensen to visit their newly initiated self organized school project in Gildeskål, in the Northern part of Norway. This became a new acquaintance for Rakett that would foster many new collaborations, projects, travels and friendships in the future!
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Establishing compost location, photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Den Glömda Staden (The Forgotten State) (1999) by Jan Håfström, photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Planned location for a out door kitcen inside Den Glömda Staden (The Forgotten State) (1999) by Jan Håfström, photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Den Glömda Staden (The Forgotten State) (1999) by Jan Håfström, photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
Photo: Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land
The invitation included different tasks relating to the program of one of the first official meetings, presentations and discussions about Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land.
One of our first tasks on arrival was to make preparations to establish a location for composting for ecological disposal of waste.
The programmed activities were taking place both at the school building and inside the public out door sculpture ‘The Forgotten State’ (Den Glömda Staden) by the Swedish artist Jan Håfström. The program started off with a public presentation and talk by Jan Håfström about his sculpture from 1999 and its future in relation to Sørfinnset skole/the nord land. This was followed by a meal prepared by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija assisted by Rakett. Together we cooked up a spicy Red Thai Curry with local codfish. The discussion continued and the idea of establishing an outdoor kitchen inside and as part of the sculpture, was born.
The next day was followed by a Saturday Café at Sørfinnset school with an exchange market and local flatbread workshop. There was also a talk about the newly started project with the collaborating artists Søssa Jørgensen, Geir Tore Holm, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Caroline Eeg (producer) and Per-Gunnar Tverbakk (curator of the project Artistic Interruptions). Afterwards we all went for an afternoon hike to fish in the nearby mountain lakes and prepared it on the fire.
Other activities part of our stay:
We got the task to paint a street sign for Sørfinnset Skole/the nord land saying ‘Free Coffee, 250 m’. The style copied the colors and font of ordinary Norwegian traffic signs. When finished, the sign was installed along the village road, 250 m from the school building. The slogan: One free cup gives ten cups in return, was coming along with the sign. (http://sorfinnsetskole.blogspot.no/2010/07/gratis-kaffe-en-kopp-gir-ti-tilbake.html)
‘Saftige Forstyrrelser på Flaske’ During our last day we made juice from redcurrant berries picked outside, in the school garden
This visit led to our return in 2005 when we initiated our project ‘Kjør Inn Kino’ (Drive In Cinema)
More about Sørfinnset skole/the nord land
Sørfinnset skole/ the nord land aims at researching how contemporary art can function in a long-term dialogue within a small rural community. One of the main focuses is exploitation of nature in a broad understanding. This means to investigate the concept of ecology and broaden the understanding of artists practice. This has been an ongoing process since the start of the project in 2003. The abandoned school building in the Sørfinnset village, ‘Sørfinnset skole’, is the hub for the activities. (ed. until Summer 2010).
“Ecology becomes a way where one can balance a hyper-complex whole by the means of respect and mutuality. Ecology does not indicate harmony with absence of conflicts nor a whole without pain. To work and live together always includes conflicts of interests and negotiations.”
Boel Christensen- Sheel about Sørfinnset skole/ the nord land, Øjeblikket #47/2006
Conversations and discussions have during the work with Sørfinnset skole/ the nord land been a way to find solutions to tasks and challenges in the project, and at the same time an arena – to find and clarify knowledge. Subjects we have been dealing with are amongst others; growing of herbs, marine biology, building technology, climate, industry, tourism and also practical problems linked to tasks at Sørfinnset skole/ the nord land. Artist presentations, practical workshops and discussions have been frequent during the events at the school.
More about ‘The Forgotten State’, by Jan Håfström http://www.skulpturlandskap.no/artwork/den-glomda-staden/prosessen/
