What power lies in the hand of the artist? In this plenary discussion, artist and art connoisseurs will be discussing the power of political voices in art. + AFTERPARTY

What is considered as political art, or a political artist is inherently different for people. Some artworks have a clear message that offers the view of the maker, and some art is created to initiate the discussion, without knowing where it will go. Norway has a rich history of artists with strong political voices, from Hannah Ryggen and her tapestries on war, to Kjartan Slettemarks abstract and performance works with political insights. Slettemarks artwork Av rapport fra Vietnam from 1965, which portrays a collage of an open mouth, a baby doll mutilated in blood and the American flag, got a lot of critique. The work was mounted in Eidsvolls plass, outside Stortinget in Oslo, where it was attacked by axe and a heavy stone. Slettemark insisted that it was not a political act, but purely humanistic.

What has changed over the years? What impact have previous generations of artists left behind, and how does today’s emerging art scene in Trondheim navigate self-expression and activism through art? What does it mean to be a political artist, and who defines its significance? Has the power of art evolved over the past 50 years? These questions will be explored at our panel discussion at K.U.K. in Trondheim.

We are honored to welcome Anders Gjesvik, Lars Ø. Ramberg and Miroslawa Danuta Næss to discuss these themes. Last participant TBA

Leilet Safi, also known as Helena Natvig Safi, is an Oslo-basert DJ. She plays fusion music, where she combines club-music from Oslo, queer underground music and arabic rhythms from her palestinian background. She mixes genres like Tech-house, habibi funk, hyperpop, palestinian techno and queer-culture staples. The end product is music to shake your hips to, all night long…

Instagram: @helenanatvig