A K DOLVEN
Artica Svalbard, a recently formed foundation in a far-flung settlement in the unincorporated Norwegian archipelago region of Svalbard, north of Norway and near the top of Greenland, has tapped artists for a residency program in the town of Longyearbyen. The artists awarded are Carlos Casas, Oddvar I. N. Daren, Lars Palgaard, and Mette Henriette.
Svalbard is the northernmost settlement with a permanent population in the world. The Artica Svalbard foundation residency, supported by partners including the Office of Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), will serve as a platform for engagement with citizens in Svalbard, as well as researchers stationed there. A series of public programs initiated by the resident artists will last between three and nine months each. At the heart of the endeavor is an intent to initiate international dialogue around environmental issues facing the Arctic.
Casas is a filmmaker whose work tackles themes of survival and death. I.N. Daren and Palgaard are both multi-disciplinary artists working across a range of mediums. Henriette is a Norwegian-based musician, improviser, and composer.