February 18: A Conversation between artists Ingela Ihrman, Inga-Wiktoria Påve, and Ana Victoria Bruno, Curatorlab

12:00–12:45 A Conversation between artists Ingela Ihrman, Inga-Wiktoria Påve, and Ana Victoria Bruno, Curatorlab. In English.

The conversation centers on the role of women, nature, and darkness in the artwork of Ingela Ihrman and Inga-Wiktoria Påve. How have the different perspectives and cultural backgrounds of Ihrman, from the south of Sweden, and Påve, from Sápmi, shaped their practices as well as the ideas behind their works? In the work, Oilbird with Nestling, Ihrman enacts the mothering gesture of an oil bird feeding a chick in a performance, which is caring and violent at the same time. The topic of light and darkness emerges strongly, an opposition coming from the history of oil birds themselves, a nocturnal species whose fat in the past was used to fuel lamps. The imagery of Påve is largely populated by animals, mostly reindeers. The bright colors of Sámi heritage coexist with darkness and obscurity, giving her paintings an aura of mystery. A reoccurring motif in her work are the strong women who stare straight into the eyes of the viewer while caring for babies or families against a dark background. Inspiration and creative processes will be discussed, as well as references and experience.