LAND
part of the New Icelander series
5m 11s
Video | Audio | Performance: Freya Olafson
format available:
Beta, Mini DV, DVD (NTSC or PAL)
Completed in 2007
In my New Icelander series I draw parallels between the cross-cultural experiences of my 19th century ancestors and my own present-day identity. In the creation of this work I referenced the Icelandic River Saga, written by Manitoba genealogist Nelson Gerrard, chronicling the history of the settlement of New Iceland, north of Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the New Icelander series I manipulate both the visual images and stories within this “saga”; thereby interpreting history, figuratively resurrect my ancestors and in the process discovering and creating my own mythology.
*** notes on Land: My ancestor’s settled on a homestead called Nes along the Icelandic River in Manitoba. This land was an unmarked graveyard for approximately 80 Icelander’s who died of smallpox within the first years of settlement: 1875-76. Upon visiting this site for the first time this summer 2006, I was surprised to have direct encounters with unearthed graves and bones that were gradually being dragged to the basin of the river. The imagery in Land is as a result of this serendipitous connection with history resurfacing.
Screening History:
2017 Âjagemô gallery - Canada Council for the Arts - exhibition 'Thunderstruck: Physical
Landscapes' curated by Jenn Goodwin - Ottawa, Ontario
2017 Fédération Culturelle Canadienne-Française 40th Anniversary Gala - Winnipeg, Manitoba
2010 ContainR “Land” - screened during the Olympics (Vancouver, Canada)
2010 Nordic Arts Alliance / Minnesota State University (Fargo / NorthDakota, Moorehead / Minnesota)
2010 OFFTA (Montreal)
2010 Winnipeg Art Gallery ' Subconscious City' curated by Shawna Dempsey & Lorri Millan (Wpg, Mb)
2009 Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival (Fargo / NorthDakota, Moorehead / Minnesota)
2008 Akureyrarvaka (Akureyri, Iceland)
2008 Drake Hotel as part of “A Taste of Iceland” (Toronto, Ontario)
2008 D:MIC, Dance: Made in Canada Biennial at the Betty Oliphant Theater (Toronto, Ontario)
2007 O.K. Centrum | Transart Institute (Linz, Austria)
2007 núna (now) Festival (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Contact Freya for the password to view the work online
Distributed by: VIDEO POOL MEDIA ARTS CENTER
The development of this series is generously supported by the Manitoba Arts Council, The Winnipeg Arts Council and Video Pool Media Arts Center.