A touring exhibition in collaboration with the National Museum
Skakke folkedrakter – ikkje ei draktutstilling is a touring exhibition that has now found its way to Hordaland Kunstsenter. Developed by the National Museum through dialogue across institutions and professional communities throughout the country, it represents an in-depth exploration of the craftsmanship and history connected to bunad, kofte and folk costumes.
In the exhibition, you’ll find works by Rafiki, Christian Blandhoel, Márjá Karlsen, Harald Beharie, Lin Wang and Håvard Kranstad. These six contemporary artists were invited to explore and challenge folk costume customs, identity and craft traditions. In their process, they have examined contradictions and engaged in dialogue with craftspeople and knowledge bearers, creating their own expressions through photography, weaving, beadwork, porcelain, installations, instruments and dance. The result is both a tribute and a rebellion – an exhibition about folk costumes that is far from a folk costume exhibition. Above all, the works we encounter in it are symbols and ideas that shape the time we live in, how we see ourselves, our relationships and our history.
Traditional garments like bunads, koftes and folk costumes can create strong feelings of belonging and pride, but also of exclusion, shame and anger. At the core of the Skakke folkedrakter project lies the question: How should we relate to our traditional costumes when they no longer accommodate all the people who make up Norway? Through this exhibition, we hope to convey under-communicated stories about art, craftsmanship and norm-breaking lives, but also inspire increased support for professional communities linked to folk costumes and traditional crafts, and recognize the knowledge that already exists there.
MEDIATION PROGRAM
A mediation program has been developed for the exhibition. Two workshops will be held, one by Margaret Abeshu (5-6 April) and one by Nina Eriksson (26-27 April). A Kitchen Dinner will be arranged (2 May), where Lars Korff Lofthus and Justine Nguyen – both part of the artistic leadership group for Skakke folkedrakter – will join. In addition, HKS invites you to an alternative 17th of May breakfast!
