Katarina Spik Skum and Kin Museum of Contemporary Art with Tjállegoáhte Authors Centre Sápmi at the Gothenburg Book Fair

Reindeer hide bean bags, cotton drapes with Sami patterns, wooden tables that have kept the branches’ organic forms, and rákkas, mosquito tents made of thin material. This Sami alternative to interior design is what welcomes visitors to the Sápmi Stand at this year’s Gothenburg Book Fair. It has been created by the artist and duojár (Sami craftsperson) Katarina Spik Skum. The chairs and large tables have been borrowed from Röhsska Museum, just under two kilometres away from the fair, keeping in line with the Sami tradition of collaborating with others and reusing materials. In its entirety, the different elements of the stand create a welcoming environment with ample space for visitors to take a seat and converse in what so far is this year's most significant cultural endeavour outside of Sápmi.

Tjállegoahte Authors’ Centre in Jokkmokk was asked to manage the stand that represents Sápmi, one of Gothenburg Book Fair’s main themes this year. In turn, they asked a number of Sami publishing houses, organisations and institutions to contribute to the four-day programme. As one of the invitees, Kin Museum of Contemporary Art in Giron/Kiruna requested Katarina Spik Skum to design the space. After the fair, her work will be moved to Giron where it will become an active part of Kin’s collection, with some of the pieces being used in the museum’s Art Workshop.

With a great deal of skill and material sensibility, Spik Skum creates works to live with, often in collaboration with other duojárat (Sami craftspeople) and artists. Bringing duodji (Sami craft) to new spaces means weaving together arts and crafts with roots in the Lule Sámi region. She takes inspiration from life in the goahti (Sami tent), where she spent time with her mother’s family during her childhood summers, while also allowing contemporary materials and forms to seep into the designs. She is based in Jåhkåmåhkke/Jokkmokk and has a master’s degree in duodji from Sámi allaskuvla in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino. Since the beginning of the 2010s she has participated in several exhibitions in Jåhkåmåhkke, Árjepluovve/Arjeplog, Julevu/Luleå, Kárášjohka/Karasjok, Bådåddjo//Bodö, Stockholm and Toronto. Her works are included in numerous public art collections.

Katarina Spik Skum participated in the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture together with the architect and artist Joar Nango, and his project Girjegump, a mobile and constantly changing library about Sami culture and architecture. She has also been at Sápmi Salasta, a residency for indigenous peoples in Lusspie/Storuman. Her work has been awarded with a working grant from Sámi Duodji, in memory of Asa Kitok, as well as the Gannevik Stipend for design.

On Thursday 26 September, Katarina Spik Skum and Maria Lind, director of Kin Museum of Contemporary Art, will discuss the art in the Tjallegoáhte Stall.