Northwave: A Survey of Video Art in the Nordic Countries: Lecture & Performance

Northwave: A Survey of Video Art in the Nordic Countries
Talk by Lorella Scacco
with Performance by Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen

Tuesday, March 1, 6:30 pm

Free

Northwave: A Survey of Video Art in Nordic Countries (Silvana Editoriale, 2009) offers a broad survey of developments video art from the Nordic countries from the 60s until nowadays and the poetics developed by artists. Particular attention was given to artists who have worked since the 90s. After author Lorella Scacco's talk, Danish-Filipino artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen will stage a performance of her work Mis United.

The book is bilingual (Italian and English) and is divided into two parts: an essay that investigates the early video experiments of the 60s and 80s in the five Nordic countries and then goes to the "Nordic Miracle" that began in the 90s, describing the issues, trends and work of the artists. The second part consists of a series of biographical profiles illustrating the works and ideas of the individual artists that make this book a survey not only of video art but also of recent artistic developments in the Nordic countries in the broader sense.

Among the artists included in the book are Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Lauri Astala, Johanna Billing, Elina Brotherus, Jonas Dahlberg, Maria Friberg, Marit Følstad, Siri Hermansen, Laura Horelli, Henrik Håkansson, Jesper Just, Eva Koch, Ragnar Kjartansson, Annika Larsson, Petra Lindholm, Anu Pennanen, Rúrí, Lars Siltberg, Mika Taanila, Salla Tykkä, Gitte Villesen, Magnus Wallin and Knut Åsdam.

Mis United is a musical art tragedy by Rasmussen about a complex contemporary character called Mis United, constantly prepared to change directions and with no solid ground under her feet. Lilibeth will perform 6 new songs that shift from punk to rock and hip-hop, like the ever changing Mis United. Rasmussen has written the lyrics to the songs and composed the music together with the Danish composer Anders Christophersen and recorded the music in a studio in Copenhagen.

Art critic and curator Lorella Scacco has edited monographs and exhibition catalogues of famous Italian and international artists, especially of recent generations. Over the past fifteen years she has curated numerous solo and group exhibitions in Italy and abroad. She collaborated with various public institutions and private foundations, in Italy, including the Venice Biennale, VIU Venice International University, Triennale and Sforzesco Castle in Milan, MACRO Museo d'Arte Contemporanea in Rome, ICE Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Italian Ministry Heritage and Culture, and abroad, including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, the Foundation Fritt Ord and Stenersen Museum in Oslo, Tampere Art Museum, and NORDEN Council of Nordic Ministers.

Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was born in 1970 in Manila, the Philippines. In 1978 her family moved to her father's home place Stevns, Denmark. Cuenca primarily engages in video and performance art. Taking her own Danish-Filipino background as a point of departure, Cuenca gathers, adapts, and universalizes her narratives in both a critical and humorous approach in regards to issues such as identity, culture, religion, gender, and social relations. Her productions involve scripted texts/songs; composed music as well as intricate visual elements that include set design and costumes.

Cuenca Rasmussen's solo exhibitions includes The Heidelberg Kunstverein in 2010, Ego Show at Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen in 2006, Lilith Performance Studio, Malmö in 2007 and Woman in the Rhythm at the Gävle Konstcentrum, Gãvle in 2006. She has participated in numerous exhibitions and performance venues worldwide including: Performa 2009 in New York City with the piece "The Present doesn't exist in my Mind and Future is already far behind." In 2010 the performance was re-staged at Hélio Oititica in Rio de Janiero, at Verbo, Galeria Vermelho in São Paulo, The Living Room Art in Public Spaces in Auckland City, Location One in New York City, Statens Museum for Kunst and Aros in Denmark.

For reservations, call 212.847.9740 or email event_reservation@amscan.org.

100 YEARS OF THE AMERICAN-SCANDINAVIAN FOUNDATION & 10 YEARS OF SCANDINAVIA HOUSE

Fall 2010 inaugurated a year-long celebration of two important milestones: the 10th anniversary of Scandinavia House: The Nordic Center in America, and the 100th anniversary of The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF), the owner and operator of Scandinavia House.

Founded in 1910 and incorporated in New York State in 2011, the ASF serves as the leading educational and cultural link between the U.S. and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. It is a publicly-supported, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and cultural understanding and has an extensive program of fellowships, grants, intern/trainee placement, publishing, membership offerings, and cultural activities.

Scandinavia House - home to The American-Scandinavian Foundation - offers a wide range of programs presenting contemporary Nordic culture that encompasses the visual arts, music, and literature along with public policy, business, finance, and technology. These programs include art, design, and historical exhibitions as well as films, concerts, readings, lectures, symposia, language courses, and children's programming that illustrate and illuminate the modern-day vitality of the Nordic countries.

# # #