NEWS
Fieldtrip to Finland
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Icelandic dramaturg Andrea Elín Vilhjálmsdóttir and artist Anna Katrín Einarsdóttir visited Finland for 15 days in February with Hyrynsalmi based producer Tiina Pehkonen as their local host. The creative excursion was supported by the EU through I-Portunus mobility support for artists.
Andrea and Anna -- responsible creatives for sparking up Plöntutíð festival in Iceland - met with Tiina in order to put up a Finnish-Icelandic take on the eco-centric performance art festival. Plöntutíð (e. Plant Times) was founded in Reykjavík as an experiment to form a new community that would facilitate artists to develop works and showcase experiments that take an eco-centric point of view.
In Finland the team spent time familiarising themselves with the local scene, meeting artists and locals both onsite and online in Hyrynsalmi and in Helsinki. During the visit, the project seedling evolved into a concrete plan for organising the Kasviaika festival in Hyrynsalmi, on 13th-14th August 2022 in collaboration with the international artist residency and arts association Mustarinda. Later this spring six Finland based artists will be chosen for the festival through an open call. In Kasviaika festival the artists get to share their experimental, plant centered artworks with the local community and other visitors.
While scouting locations in Hyrynsalmi the team discussed in detail the motivations and goals for organising this kind of festival. What is there to gain for each participant, for the artists and the audience? Our idea is to explore how artists in different ecosystems are working within this frame of plant centred performance making. The hope is for the Kasviaika festival to leave a trace of new connections between humans and nature and new connections within artist’s communities.
Pictures are taken on a field trip into the snowy old-growth forest on top of Paljakanvaara summit in Hyrynsalmi.
Skiing into the forest around Mustarinda Photographer: Andrea Vilhjálmsdóttir
Photographer: Tiina Pehkonen
Photographer: Andrea Vilhjálmsdóttir
Skiing into the forest around Mustarinda Photographer: Andrea Vilhjálmsdóttir
Sustainable integration in the Nordic House
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The artistic director of Plöntutíð participated in the series "Sustainable integration - a conversation between art and science about sustainability" organized by the Sæmundur Institute in collaboration with the Nordic House. Last Thursday, the second event of the three series of events was held and the topics were stories, human communication and awareness raising. The focus was on the stories or "narratives" of our time; communication, listening and hope. How are environmental issues reflected in our contemporary narratives? What is the role of the creative industries in telling stories that make people aware of sustainability and environmental issues but also raise hopes for the future? How do stories and interactions intertwine with consumer culture and values?
The exhibition Plöntuleikhús is looking for interested kids aged 9-12 to take part in a workshop and exhibition at Plöntutíð on 5 September. The workshop starts on Thursday 19 August. The workshop will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 4 and 6 in Grasagarður and will end with an exhibition in Grasagarður on Sunday 5 September. Registration by email plontutid@gmail.com
REGISTRATION
Registration until July 3
What is a Plant Theater? Who is it for? Is it possible to create a theater where plants are the only artists? Is it possible to make a theater where only plants are spectators? Together, plant specialists will embark on a creative process with the aim of creating a stage work that will be shown outdoors at the Performing Arts Festival Plant Season on 5 September.
LOOKING FOR KIDS!
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The Plant Theater is a two-week course from 5 - 16 July for kids who are interested in creating a Plant Theater. But what is a Plant Theater? Who is it for? Is it possible to create a theater where plants are the only artists? Is it possible to make a theater where only plants are spectators? Together, plant specialists will embark on a creative process with the aim of creating a stage work that will be shown outdoors at the Performing Arts Festival Plant Season on 5 September.
The course will include an educational expedition to a botanical garden to learn about plants and field trips to get to know other plant artists and their working methods. The workshop is in the hands of the stage authors Andreu Elín Vilhjálmsdóttir and Lóa Bjarkar Björnsdóttir. They both have experience of creative work with children and plan to make the course both fun and empowering for participants.
Interested parties can apply here before June 30.
The workshop will have an office in Yogavin at Grensásvegur 16, top floor, 108 Reykjavík. The project is funded by the Icelandic Children's Cultural Fund and is free.
BRUM SUMMER WORKSHOPS IN NATURE
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DO YOU LIKE MUSIC AND TREES?
The performing arts group Trigger Warning offers summer courses for kids aged 10-12 from 5 - 9 July in Heiðmörk. There, the kids will have the opportunity to create an experiential work with the art group that will be shown to the audience in August and September.
Among the things that will be done during the course are instruction on forestry and vegetation, guidance of a composer and all kinds of creative exercises and co-creation in groups.
Supervisors are Andrea Elín Vilhjálmsdóttir, Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter, Harpa Arnardóttir, Kara Hergils and Ragnheiður Erla Björnsdóttir.
Fill out the application here:
REGISTRATION
Registration until July 3
The performing arts group Trigger Warning offers summer courses for kids aged 10-12 from 5 - 9 July in Heiðmörk for children living in Reykjavík and 12 - 16 July in Guðmundarlundur for children living in Kópavogur. There, the kids will have the opportunity to create an experiential work with the art group that will be shown to the audience in August and September.
BRUM Courses
Lookoking for agers!
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Ásrún Magnúsdóttir will have a work at the festival this year and is now looking for 100 teenagers to take part in the work. It will be shown the first weekend in September and here you can read more and sign up, or their children, or their students, or someone you think might have a message.
Photographer: Alda Valentína Rós
Artists 2021
Ásrún Magnúsdóttir
Búi Bjarmar Aðalsteinsson
Dóra Haraldsdóttir
Eva Halldóra Guðmundsdóttir
Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter
Harpa Arnardóttir
Hrefna Lind Lárusdóttir
Íris Skúladóttir
Jakub Ziemann
Kara Hergils
Lóa Björk Björnsdóttir
Ragnar Íslefur Bragason
Ragnheiður Erla Björnsdóttir
Vigfús Karl Steinsson
Wiola UjazdowskaYelena Arakelow
Plant-times at Hugarflug 2021
Turning point
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February 10th 14: 00 -15: 00
Plöntutíð will participate in a roundtable discussions at The Iceland University of the Arts’ annual Hugarflug conference.
The panel represents performance artists that participated in the first edition of the festival, discussing motives and intentions of their works made for and/or with plants.
The audience will as well be guided through short performances that give an indication of
what kind of performances will be discussed.
Round Table Participants:
Andrea Elín Vilhjálmsdóttir
Anna Katrín Einarsdóttir
Estate of Bjarmar Aðalsteinsson
Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter
Hrefna Lind Lárusdóttir
Kara Hergils
Lóa Björk Björnsdóttir
Ragnheiður Erla Björnsdóttir
Vala Höskuldsdóttir