Reindeer Husbandry in the Arctic – a Landscape of Conflict
The exhibition is part of the doctoral
dissertation that Maria Huhmarniemi is working for. She is studying the role of
the contemporary artist as a participant in environmental discussion, and
collaborating with researchers in various fields. When preparing this
exhibition she has interviewed reindeer researcher Mauri Nieminen and
Shamanisim researcher, Francis Joy.
The rag material used in the textile sculptures
underlines reindeer herding as part of Northern culture and the human influence
on nature. The reindeer blend into the rugs, but the wolf hangs from them.
The installation references the mining industry
with a black octahedral shaped structure, typical to diamonds. There are
existing diamond mines in the arctic region, and from summer 2014 diamond
exploration began in Lapland. The installation aims to address the cultural
sensitivities over mineral rich soil and the battle between spirituality and
profit. The installation includes an audio interview with Francis Joy. He tells
that in the old shamanic traditions, the mineral kingdom was inherited by
ancestral spirits who have a role to play in the world just as we do. Reindeer
herders can be seen as knowledge holders inherited from their ancestors. It is
part of what we call the transmission and continuity of culture.
Maria Huhmarniemi is an artist who engages with
questions concerning the North as well as environmental issues, such as the
relationship between people and nature and environmental responsibility. She
makes use of old objects and textiles in her work, as well as recycled
materials and audiovisual recordings and interviews. Her research focuses on
contemporary value debates and conflicts relating to land use and natural
resources in Finnish Lapland. The aim of this study is to ascertain how the
contemporary artist may engage in these debates in collaboration with experts
from different fields.
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