FSS

Zanele Muholi at FSS

South African photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi presented their powerful work at the First Supper Symposium’s Prologue 1: Art Activism – White Cube vs Public Space. Muholi, known for documenting the lives and struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa, has exhibited globally, including the Venice Biennale and Documenta 13.

Eirik Myrhaug at FSS

Eirik Myrhaug, a Sámi activist, healer, and shaman, played a key role in the 1981 hunger strike against the Alta River development. Originally trained as an engineer, he later pioneered a model of ecological economy widely recognised in the Nordic region. In 1992, he embraced his shamanic heritage, becoming known as "the shaman who stopped the storm," and has since helped thousands through healing and education.

Judy Chicago at FSS

Artist and feminist icon Judy Chicago reflects on her journey and challenges as a female artist. Coinciding with the symposium, Oslo Kunstforening hosted an exhibition of her work, where Queen Sonja of Norway met Chicago and declared herself a feminist. The event celebrated the centennial of women’s suffrage in Norway, marking a significant moment for feminist art and activism.

Mikkel Bolt at FSS

Mikkel Bolt, art historian and cultural critic, presented "The Long March in or through the Institutions" at First Supper Symposium’s Prologue 1. Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Bolt is known for his works on crisis, insurrection, and cultural critique, with publications in leading journals and books like Crisis to Insurrection (2015).

A K Dolven at FSS

A K Dolven gave an artist talk at the First Supper Symposium, reflecting on her experiences as a female artist. Dolven, a Norwegian artist, has exhibited internationally at institutions like the Tate Modern in London and the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. Her practice often explores themes of identity, nature, and the passage of time, making her a significant figure in contemporary art.

Geir Haraldseth at FSS

Geir Haraldseth, curator and writer, discussed gender and collective projects from Norwegian and American perspectives. With a background from the Center for Curatorial Studies and Central Saint Martins, he has curated internationally and written for publications like Kunstkritikk and Billedkunst.

Shannon Jackson at FSS

Shannon Jackson, Professor at UC Berkeley and Associate Vice Chancellor for the Arts and Design, spoke at Prologue 2: Art and Media Activism – Strategies for Political Change. Her work explores the intersections of performance, visual arts, and social engagement.

Llewellyn Mnguni at FSS

Llewellyn Mnguni, a dancer from South Africa, performed at the opening of Zanele Muholi's exhibition Mina - Me at Kulturhistorisk Museum, Oslo, on 22 June 2016. The performance was part of First Supper Symposium’s Prologue 1: Art Activism – White Cube vs Public Space.

Elizabeth Sackler at FSS

Dr. Elizabeth Sackler, founder of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, delivered a lecture titled "New Forms: The World in a Different Order" at The First Supper Symposium. A public historian and social activist, she explored ethics in the art market and the relationship between artists, art, and the public good.

Juan Puntes at FSS

Juan Puntes gave a talk at the First Supper Symposium Prologue 1 event at the Cultural Historical Museum in Oslo, Norway, about the gallery WhiteBox and its practice. WhiteBox, a non-profit art space, serves as a platform for contemporary artists to develop and present site-specific work, offering unique commissions, exhibitions, events, and arts education programs.

Pia Maria Roll at FSS

Pia Maria Roll gave a talk at Prologue I: Art Activism – White Cube vs Public Space in Oslo. An actor, director, dramaturge, and screenwriter, Roll is known for productions like Over evne III, Ship O'hoi, Ses i min nästa pjäs, Nå løper vi, and Ways of Seeing.

Viktor Misiano at FSS

Viktor Misiano, a renowned Russian curator and art critic, lectured at The First Supper Symposium: Second Course at Chateau Neuf in Oslo. He discussed the artistic context of Pussy Riot's work within the history of post-Soviet art activism. Former editor-in-chief of Moscow Art Magazine and a key figure in contemporary art, Misiano brought unique insights into the intersection of art and activism.

Lamia Abi Azar and Zoukak Company at FSS

Lamia Abi Azar is a performer, drama therapist, and founding member of Zoukak. With degrees in Clinical Psychology (USJ, Beirut) and Theatre Arts (Italy), she combines experimental theater and psychology in her work. Lamia has led drama therapy programs with children, youth, and individuals with special needs in diverse contexts, including Palestinian camps and Lebanese prisons.

Nefise Özkal Lorentzen at FSS

Nefise Özkal Lorentzen is a Turkish-Norwegian writer, filmmaker, and producer based in Oslo. Known for her award-winning documentaries on Islam and gender, including the trilogy Gender Me (2008), A Balloon for Allah (2011), and ManIslam (2014), she is a prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights and human rights activism.

Mohamed Soueid at FSS

Mohamed Soueid, Beirut’s pioneering video artist, spoke at Prologue 3: Art Activism - Feminism - Transcultural Movements. Known for groundbreaking visual experimentation, his work, including Al-Ghiyab (Absence), explores personal narratives beyond Lebanon’s civil war, shaping Beirut’s contemporary art and video production scene over the past two decades.

Amina Sahan at FSS

Amina Sahan, a visual artist based in Oslo, explores multicultural themes through her art, drawing on her Norwegian and Iraqi heritage. With a background in art education, she has exhibited internationally and participated in debates on art and multiculturalism. Her work was featured in Prologue 3: Art Activism - Feminism - Transcultural Movements.

Lotte Konow Lund at FSS

Lotte Konow Lund gave an artist talk at The First Supper Symposium, commemorating the centennial of women’s suffrage in Norway. Konow Lund, a prominent Norwegian artist, is known for her socially engaged practice, spanning drawing, video, and performance. Her work often explores themes of identity, power, and the everyday.

Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Mousavi at FSS

Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Mousavi, renowned Iranian poets and key figures in the Post-modern Ghazal movement, gave a voice to social criticism in their work, leading to harsh sentences by an Iranian court in 2015. After fleeing Iran, they sought refuge in Turkey before being relocated to Norway by ICORN and the city of Lillehammer in 2016.

Mike Bonanno at FSS

Q&A with Mike Bonanno, an artist, activist, and an associate professor of media arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. Known for his work as part of the culture-jamming collective The Yes Men, Bonanno uses satire and media pranks to expose corporate and political misconduct. Moderated by Trine Krigsvoll Haagensen, the event was organized by FSS as part of Prologue 2: Art and Media Activism - Strategies for Political Change. 

Javad Parsa at FSS

Javad Parsa began his photography career in 2005 with Fars News Agency in Iran, using the opportunity to explore and experiment with the medium. Reflecting on his work, Parsa highlights the challenges of being a journalist in Iran, where critical investigation is often suppressed under a dictatorship, leaving journalists to navigate complex and dangerous circumstances.

Tedd Kerr at FSS

Ted Kerr is a Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based writer, curator, and organizer whose work focuses on HIV/AIDS, representation, art, and history. Former Programs Manager at Visual AIDS, he has organized events with institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and New York Public Library.

Will Bradley at FSS

Will Bradley, curator and artistic director of Kunsthall Oslo, spoke at The First Supper Symposium. Originally from Wales, Bradley co-founded the influential Modern Institute in Glasgow in 1997 and has been based in Oslo since 2007. At the symposium, he discussed Hold stenhårdt fast på greia di, Kunsthall Oslo's groundbreaking exhibition on Norwegian art and women's rights from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Manal AlDowayan at FSS

Manal AlDowayan is a Saudi artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans photography, sculpture, video, and participatory installations. Her work explores themes of memory, archives, and the representation of Saudi women. Exhibited globally, including at the Venice Biennale and the Victoria and Albert Museum, her projects engage communities to confront social injustices.

Brian Drolet at FSS

Brian Drolet, activist and executive director of Deep Dish TV, works to amplify grassroots movements for social and economic justice through independent media. Deep Dish TV connects marginalized communities, artists, and activists, using public access television and the Internet to challenge corporate media narratives and promote alternative perspectives.

Tone Olaf Nielsen at FSS

Tone Olaf Nielsen, an independent curator, activist, and educator, co-founded Kuratorisk Aktion in 2005, a collective known for projects like Rethinking Nordic Colonialism. She also co-founded Copenhagen's Trampoline House, supporting refugees and migrants. Her work fosters anti-racist, anti-sexist, and decolonial critique, highlighting art's potential for social transformation.

Kate Pendry at FSS

Kate Pendry, a British artist based in Norway, is known for her confrontational works that blend personal and political themes with sarcasm and black humor. At The First Supper Symposium, celebrating 100 years of women's suffrage in Norway, Pendry shared her perspectives on the status of the female voice in the art world.

Xabier Arakistain at FSS

Xabier Arakistain, an internationally recognized feminist curator and art critic, discussed feminism and contemporary art at this event. Former Director of the Centro Cultural Montehermoso Kulturunea in Spain, he helped pioneer feminist policies in contemporary art and culture. Arakistain requested that his image not be displayed.

Camille Norment at FSS

Camille Norment, an American-born artist and musician based in Oslo, gave an artist talk at The First Supper Symposiumon, celebrating 100 years of women's suffrage in Norway. Known for her multidisciplinary work exploring sound, space, and perception, Norment has exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale.

Wenche Gulbransen at FSS

Wenche Gulbransen is a Norwegian artist known for her work in sculpture and graphics. Educated in Oslo, Vienna, and Budapest, she has contributed to major public art projects and held professorships in Norway. Gulbransen is celebrated for her extensive exhibitions and influence on Norwegian art.

Andrew Perchuk at FSS

Andrew Perchuk, art historian and Deputy Director at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, explored Judy Chicago's impact on the art world and the evolving landscape for women artists since the 1970s. A prominent scholar, Perchuk specializes in postwar art and its intersection with social and political movements.

Yasser Almaamoun at FSS

Yasser Almaamoun, a Syrian activist, architect, and spokesperson for Berlin's Center for Political Beauty, spoke at Prologue 2: Art and Media Activism - Strategies for Political Change. Known for actions like Kindertransporthilfe and Die Toten Kommen, Almaamoun bridges the gap between refugee communities and German society.

Bruce Fergusson at FSS

Bruce Ferguson's curatorial work focuses on contemporary art, particularly through large-scale exhibitions and international biennales. He often explores themes of cultural identity, global perspectives, and the intersection of art with social and political contexts. His leadership at institutions like SITE Santa Fe and his involvement in biennales such as Venice, Istanbul, and São Paulo highlight his interest in fostering dialogue across diverse cultural and geographic boundaries.

Tominga O' Donnell at FSS

Tominga O'Donnell, a Norwegian-Irish curator, studied Modern History and Politics at Oxford and History of Art at the University of Oslo. She holds an MA in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art and has extensive curatorial experience in London and Norway, focusing on contemporary art practices.