#nuuk2017

Last August I was invited to participate in a month-long residency investigating the interaction between artists, designers and the local people and craftsmen in Nuuk, Greenland, organized by Hors Pistes. “Absence”, is a mural, i painted on the façade of Illorput, a social centre in Nuussuaq, Nuuk, Greenlanland. Illorput means “Our house” and the tree reflects the idea of a communal space-house that helps people grow by working with each other but provides some kind of shelter as well. There are no trees in Nuuk. The mural works as the only tree in the area and Illorput as the only social centre. Despite the absence of trees in Greenland, all the houses are built out of wood. The simple answer is that wood is imported (as well as fruits, vegetables and other necessities). Even when the Inuit did not have any kind of trade activity, lots of their tools as well as their kayaks were built out of wood. They built everything with found driftwood. An Inuit myth says that Sasuuma Arnaa, the goddess of the sea provided people with driftwood, fish etc that she left floating in the sea. Floating in the sea, working together to survive and build a new identity, with some imported elements as well.