Nordic Kultur 2017 by National Nordic Museum

2017

kultur

nordic

The maga zine of Nordic Heritage Museum

Immerse yourself in bright, bold Marimekko Preview the new Nordic Museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core exhibition space Meet the Swedish novelists who invented Nordic Noir Explore the Faroe Islands with emerging filmmakers

GET A TASTE OF THE NEW NORDIC FOOD MANIFESTO

WITH FOOD REVOLUTIONARY CLAUS MEYER

June 3, 2017

SEATTLE MARRIOTT WATERFRONT

CONTENTS 3 Letter from the CEO

4 The New Nordic Food Revolution Noma restaurant co-founder Claus Meyer brings his culinary manifesto to New York City—and Seattle, too. + Plus, an exclusive interview with notable Icelandic chef Gunnar Gíslason

8 Marvelous Marimekko Company founder Armi Ratia had a farsighted vision: to create beautiful clothing that liberates women.

12 Finland Turns 100! Celebrate the centennial via events all over the world, including right here at home.

14 New Museum Preview A detailed update on how the Core Exhibition will look and feel in our new building.

20 Ballardite Makes Good How Norwegian inventor Karsten Solheim changed the golf world forever (not to mention TV antennae!).

22 A Heritage Intertwined Local artist Susan Ringstad Emery shares how her Nordic American and Native American roots show up in her work and life. + Plus, our new oral history initiative: Interwoven: The Blended History of Nordics and Native Peoples

26 The Origins of Nordic Noir The classic murder mystery novel took a fateful turn when it fell into the hands of Swedish couple Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall.

“I don’t really sell clothes. I sell a way of living. These are designs, not fashions . . . I sell an idea rather than dresses.”

—Armi Ratia

30 Wool Gathering Chef: Evan Sung; Fabric: Tuukka Koski; Wahlöö and Sjöwall: SCANPIX

Where would Iceland be without its iconic sheep? Out in the cold!

32 Art on a Whim Midcentury Danish artist Bjørn Wiinblad threw minimalism to the wind in favor of fanciful flourishes and vivid color.

36 Moomin on the Move Better brush up on Tove Jansson’s beloved characters—the world’s first Moomin museum opens in Finland this spring.

40 Faroe Island Filmmakers Two young cineastes from the tiny archipelago talk about their country’s emerging indie film scene.

44 Recipe Finnish Thin Flatbread Cover: Claus Meyer at his restaurant Agern in New York City

nordic kultur 2017 The magazine of Nordic Heritage Museum

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EDITORIAL BOARD AND M AGA ZINE STAFF

Eric Nelson Jan Woldseth Colbrese Sandra Nestorovic Danielle Hill Fred Poyner IV Jonathan Sajda Jenelle Clark Devon Kelley Ani Rucki

Chief Executive Officer Deputy Director of External Affairs Deputy Director of Operations Executive Assistant Collections Manager Program Manager Editor / Marketing Manager Contributing Editor / Marketing Coordinator Design and Layout / Graphic Designer

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MUSEUM STAFF

Executive Eric Nelson Chief Executive Officer Jan Woldseth Colbrese Deputy Director of External Affairs Sandra Nestorovic Deputy Director of Operations Danielle Hill Executive Assistant Kirstine Bendix Knudson Special Project Coordinator Erik Pihl Community Engagement Curatorial Fred Poyner IV Collections Manager Jonathan Sajda Program Manager Alison Church Children’s Education Coordinator Stina Cowan Public Programs Coordinator Robin Kaufman Exhibition Coordinator Kathi Ploeger Music Library Archivist Kaia Wahmanholm Registrar Development Katy Ahrens Development Associate Jenny Iverson Event & Sponsorship Coordinator Kelsey Svaren Grant & Membership Coordinator Marketing & Communications Jenelle Clark Marketing Manager Devon Kelley Marketing Coordinator Ani Rucki Graphic Designer Operations Pamela Brooks Finance Manager Adam Allan-Spencer Facilities Coordinator Donna Antonucci Caretaker Rebecca Bolin Weekend Receptionist Carolyn Carlstrom Bookkeeper Michael Ide Volunteer & Staff Resource Coordinator Mary Ann Namvedt Museum Store Manager Bob Smith Custodian

NORDIC HERITAGE MUSEUM 3014 NW 67th Street, Seattle, WA 98117 206.789.5707 | nordicmuseum.org

Groundbreaking: Jason Brooks; Topping: Devon Kelley

WELCOME to NORDIC KULTUR,

the magazine of Nordic Heritage Museum. As I write this, my boots are mud-spattered from yet another visit to the construction site. The progress on our new home on Market Street is thrilling, and is infusing the whole year with a sense of excitement and anticipation. In the heart of Ballard, our new home will further our connection to the community and serve as a place for visitors to be inspired by the art, culture, and values of the Nordic people. New challenges and triumphs are in store for us, and we can’t wait to share them with you. We are also excited to celebrate an important milestone for Finland in 2017. This year marks 100 years of Finnish independence, and with a global spotlight on the Finnish centennial, it’s the perfect time to present Marimekko, With Love. This exhibition highlights the creativity and influence of innovative Finnish design house Marimekko. It offers a view of the company’s history, which spans from its founding in the 1950s to its status today as a global icon. We dig deeper into Marimekko’s arrival on American shores, and examine the values that have made this company a perfect example of the determination and integrity of Nordic entrepreneurs. Our cover feature for this edition profiles influential Danish culinary entrepreneur Claus Meyer, who joins us for the 2017 Nordic Culinary Conference. Meyer cofounded the internationally acclaimed restaurant Noma, and has established innovative projects in Bolivia and New York City. He has been credited as the architect of the groundbreaking New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, which put contemporary Nordic cuisine and food philosophy on the map. He recently spoke with us about his new culinary projects and the social justice initiatives that reflect his commitment to cuisine and community. He will be joined by several other influential Nordic chefs at the conference this May, when they’ll share their experience and passion with us. Also included in this issue is a deeper look at our entire 2017 exhibition lineup. Looking ahead to the opening of the new Nordic Museum, we share more about the Core Exhibition design and what visitors will experience in the new facility. Nordic values and aspirations of openness, equity, innovation, and a strong connection to nature helped shape the design of our new museum, and will continue to guide us in the future. We have been working to provide quality Nordic events and programming in our current facility while actualizing the vision of a new, purpose-built home. It is only with your support that our museum has come so far and done so much. We invite you to join us as our members, board, volunteers, and staff work eagerly together to write the next chapter as the new Nordic Museum.

Eric Nelson, CEO, Nordic Heritage Museum

Top to bottom: Nordic Heritage Museum leadership and trustees roll up their sleeves to take part in the first shovelful of soil at the new Museum site in July 2016; Nordic Heritage Museum CEO Eric Nelson poses with final beam during the “Topping Off” celebration at the new Museum site; Museum member and trustee Allan Osberg poses with final beam during the “Topping Off” celebration

INNOVATION

COOKING UP A NORDIC FOOD REVOLUTION Celebrated Danish culinary entrepreneur and Noma co-founder Claus Meyer brings his kitchen manifesto to Seattle

COOKING UP A NORDIC FOOD REVOLUTION 4

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the restaurant Noma in Copenhagen (four times designated “best restaurant in the world”); created the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, urging Scandinavian chefs to embrace seasonal, sustainable, locally sourced menus; has established cooking schools in low-income neighborhoods in Bolivia and Brooklyn; and this past summer opened an entire Nordic food hall in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. But in a recent interview with Kultur, he said, “I’m just the catalyst.” This humble self-assessment holds within it a great truth—Meyer has sparked a global food revolution. Emanating an earnest, casual elegance, Meyer, 53, doesn’t have the stereotypical chef backstory. He didn’t have a wise older relative who instilled the joy of cooking early on. Instead, the food memory he recalls most distinctly is the persistent ding of the microwave oven. “My parents divorced when I was very young, and this device played a dominant role,” he told Kultur. “So I associate lousy quality of life and lack of love with microwave ovens.” Inversely, he came to believe that thoughtfully prepared food and sheer “deliciousness” could be “an

Meyer: Christian Grondahl; Agern: Evan Sung

LAUS MEYER COFOUNDED

The interior of Agern, which Meyer opened with Icelandic chef Gunnar Gislason at Grand Central Terminal in New York City Opposite: Claus Meyer, creator of the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto

instrument to explore how to repair the imperfect, how to improve those things that need improving.” Meyer’s goals have always tended to sound more like big dreams than business plans. As he told Forbes magazine last year, from his early twenties he knew “it was not a matter of being a cook or coming up with wonderful recipes, it was a matter of using food to impact life in Denmark.” He started doing just that when he opened Noma with chef René Redzepi in 2003, on a mission to reimagine Nordic cuisine. He rejected the commonly held assumption that “fine dining” meant imported or imitated French food, and elevated the idea that the Nordic region had its own bounty to harvest. He and Redzepi worked to create fresh takes on locally sourced ingredients (elderberries, cod roe, seaweed, beets), traditional dishes (skyr, rye bread, gravlax), and cooking methods (fermenting, smoking, pickling, and curing). As he told Food and Wine magazine in 2007, “We’ve spent too long looking outside our borders.” Soon, Meyer wanted to take the ideas he was exploring at Noma and expand them Scandinavia-wide. “I just wanted to make a great food culture out of what we had,” he told Forbes. “I wanted to explore the potential of our larder.” But as he

started to share the ideas for his bigger plan, he was met with doubt. People simply didn’t think it would work beyond one restaurant concept. Naturally, that only made Meyer more determined to see it happen. By 2004, he had convinced twelve chefs spanning the Nordic countries to sign on to his Nordic Kitchen Manifesto. The declaration prioritized fresh, seasonal, locally sourced, and sustainable ingredients in restaurants, and encouraged all parties involved in agriculture, fishing, retail, and wholesale food outlets—and even politicians—to do the same. After the manifesto gained steam (and Noma gained two Michelin stars), Meyer again felt the pull of a deeper calling. “For a long time it seemed I was about creating restaurants and bakeries, leading cooking schools, and writing cookbooks,” he told Kultur. “It appeared I was all about collecting accolades and winning Michelin stars, but for me, it has always been about impacting things larger than the praise of food critics.” In 2010, when, Meyer said, he felt like he could afford to be generous with some of the money he had earned, he founded The Melting Pot Foundation with the aim of bringing his company ideals and a spirit of entrepreneurship to struggling people. “I wanted

to see if the approach that began with the Nordic Kitchen Manifesto—starting the restaurant Noma and defining this movement—could be applied in impoverished areas,” he explained. He started by bringing a cooking program to a state prison in Denmark, to teach inmates a skill they could use to secure employment when they were released. Next up, Melting Pot initiated a cooking school and restaurant in La Paz, Bolivia, using the same philosophy embraced by his manifesto—but this time focused on the ingredients and flavors found in that region of the world. “Before we arrived, everyone would cook with imported bread from Argentina, pasta from Peru, and frozen meat from the US,” he told Forbes. Now, both the school and the restaurant use only ingredients grown in Bolivia. It has seen remarkable success, both in terms of creating jobs and a new way of thinking about the country’s rich biological diversity. “We didn’t see this coming,” he told Kultur, “but we realized we came up with a food language and belief system that has universal application.” The newest Melting Pot project is developing right now, in Brownsville, an East Brooklyn neighborhood struggling with poverty, crime, and dire health COOKING UP A NORDIC FOOD RE VOLUTION

Above: Icelandic chef Gunnar Gíslason has embraced the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto Left to right: dishes from Claus Meyer’s Noma, where he pioneered his Manifesto: White asparagus with poached egg; toast with turbot roe and vinegar dust

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Q/A

A Viking Takes Manhattan Icelandic chef Gunnar Gíslason adds Nordic flavor to Grand Central Terminal IN 2009, ICELANDIC CHEF GUNNAR KARL GÍSLASON opened restaurant Dill in Reykjavik, basing his menu on the local, fresh, sustainable food philosophy espoused by the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto. There he created new cuisine using indigenous Icelandic ingredients, such as arctic thyme, dried and salted fish, sorrel, hay, blue mussels, birch leaves, and Icelandic barley. It was a radical move in a country where food wasn’t considered “fine” unless it was sourced from Europe. But his gamble proved a successful one—Dill has been ranked as one of the best restaurants in Iceland ever since and recently won a Michelin Star, the first ever in the country. Last spring, Gíslason took another chance, relocating to the US to helm a new upscale

Gíslason: Fredric Smith II; Dishes: cyclonebill (Creative Commons 2.0)

issues. Meyer said his goal is to form an apprenticeship-model school where 60 local youth will be offered tuition-free culinary training. Brownsville Community Culinary Center will include a bakery and a neighborhood eatery that offers healthier alternatives to the many fastfood outlets in the area. “It’s a crazy project—so inspiring—and a little more expensive that we had anticipated, but we are so excited by the possibilities,” he told Kultur. At the same time, Meyer is spreading the Nordic food gospel across America, by way of one of the busiest transportation hubs in the country: New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, which sees 750,000 people daily. In June, he opened Great Northern Food Hall, featuring an artisanal bakery (sweet Danishes, rye croissants, Nordic flatbread); a sandwich shop serving Denmark’s iconic smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches with seasonal vegetables, meat, and fish); a grain bar serving sweet and savory porridges made with rye, barley, and oats; and Danish Dogs, which celebrates New York and Copenhagen’s shared love of hot dogs by way of gourmet sausages. “It’s been extremely inspiring to bring this thing that we are calling ‘New York Nordic’ alive,” Meyer told Kultur. “It’s an expression of my personal idea of what it means to be a host and restaurateur—to provide people with food that reflects a Scandinavian sensibility toward the environment, employer-employee relations, freshness, and quality.” Attendees at Nordic Heritage Museum’s second annual Nordic Culinary Conference (May 5–7; see details online) will get a literal taste of Meyer’s remarkable food movement. He’ll be serving as keynote speaker, sharing his culinary concepts, philosophies, and dreams for the future of food.

restaurant in New York City with Claus Meyer. Called Agern, which means acorn in Danish (a nod to Grand Central’s founding father Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose family symbols included the acorn), the hot spot has already earned a Michelin star rating. We spoke with Gíslason in late 2016, in eager anticipation of his appearance at the Nordic Culinary Conference this May.

Kultur: How did the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto influence your food philosophy? Gunnar Gíslason: I was living in Copenhagen when Claus opened Noma with Rene Redzepi [in 2003], so I see it as a big influence on what I do. When I later moved back to Iceland, I also apprenticed under Hakón Örvarsson, an Icelandic chef who was one of the original signers of the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto, so it’s been what I’ve been doing since day one at Dill. After Dill was open about two years, I started to think I needed something “new,” so I ended up driving around the country. I didn’t so much find new people doing new things, but older people doing traditional things. Still, those traditional things were not being used in the modern kitchens of Iceland, so I wanted to start using those [methods and recipes] to protect our traditions. At Dill, we use the ingredients around us, and the history and traditions of Icelandic food, and take them in new directions.

Nordic Culinary Conference May 5 – 7, 2017

Kultur: How big a role does the Icelandic environment play in the cuisine at Dill? GG: It was sort of the inspiration for our food. In Iceland, you can actually use the ground itself to cook, using the depth of the hole to manipulate the temperatures. It is also a very quick transition from the city to the countryside, so I could go foraging twice a week for our menu quite easily. I could even gather seawater to make our own salt.

Kultur: Last spring, you and Claus Meyer opened Agern at Grand Central Terminal. How did you two connect? GG: Claus and I have been friends for about 12 years. He came to Iceland while his Grand Central Terminal project was in development, and had a few dinners at my restaurant Dill in Reykjavik. Later, he phoned to ask if I was interested. It was so funny that Claus called me, because at the time I was planning on a move to the countryside from Reykjavik, and yet here I am…I’ve always dreamed of living in New York.

Kultur: How do you reflect the Nordic Kitchen Manifesto in the middle of New York City?

Kultur: How does foot traffic in Reykjavik compare with Manhattan? GG: On a normal day, there are something like 750,000 people passing through Grand Central Terminal, where Agern is located. Some days it reaches over one million people—which is about three times the entire population of Iceland. It’s kind of crazy!

By Brangien Davis, interviews by Jonathan Sajda

Featuring Claus Meyer and Gunnar Gíslason— with Sasu Laukkonen, Titti Qvarnstrom, and Kalle Bergman

GG: At Agern, we focus on being a local restaurant with Nordic roots. So we try to buy everything locally, but use Nordic recipes and practices. Right now, we are partnering with some good friends in Brooklyn who are gathering all of our wasted cork at the restaurant, combining it with leftovers from some beer brewer friends, plus a bit of white oak, and we’re growing mushrooms with it. The cork is actually a very nice fertilizer for coffee mushrooms. With time, I hope we can figure out ways to use all of our waste in projects such as this.

magazine

COOKING UP A NORDIC FOOD REVOLUTION

Pattern: Maija Isola for Marimekko; Courtesy of Marimekko Corporation; Ratia: Marimekko Corporation; Ad: ÂŠ Marimekko Corporation; Exhibit: Devon Kelley

DESIGN

Not Just Another Pretty Dress Marimekko’s design philosophy envisioned a bold new way of life for women

OR FANS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN, Marimekko is synonymous with bright colors and bold patterns. In Finnish, however, the word embodies a deeper meaning. Translating as “Mary’s dress,” Marimekko was originally intended to convey “every woman’s dress,” and reflects the egalitarian ideals embraced by forward-thinking company founder Armi Ratia. Ratia had a big dream: to establish a new approach to women’s daily wear that celebrated smart, independent women. In 1949, she and her husband, Viljo, purchased a small textile-printing company in Helsinki called Printex. As artistic director, she hired young graphic-artist friends to create striking new designs that would stand out from the standard fare. These bold lines, paired with simple cuts and natural fabrics, soon earned high acclaim in postwar Finland. Ratia established Marimekko as a company in 1951, and the first store opened in Helsinki a year later. “I don’t really sell clothes. I sell a way of living,” Ratia is often quoted as saying. “I sell an idea, rather than dresses.” That idea centered on the modern woman, who Ratia believed should be able to express herself—her individuality—with little fuss and great comfort. In direct opposition to the highly constructed (and constricting) girdles and bras popular in the day, Ratia insisted on relaxed fits that allowed women to move freely. Her team of designers included Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, who used as few buttons and darts as possible, and who created the iconic Piccolo striped fabric. Also on board was Maija Isola, who created Unikko, the over-size, vividly colored flower pattern that remains a favorite. In 1958, Marimekko made its international debut at the World’s Fair in Brussels. It was there that Ratia was given a pivotal introduction—to Ben Thompson, founder of Design Research, the pioneering lifestyle boutique based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A trendsetter, Thompson suspected the Marimekko patterns, fabrics, and spirit would be a hit with American women, and his became the first store in the United States to carry the brand. His bold bet met with success—especially after a certain highly influential American woman raised Marimekko’s profile nationwide.

Above: images from the exhibit at Nordic Heritage Museum. Opposite, clockwise from left: Marimekko’s classic Unikko pattern in pink; founder Armi Ratia wearing an iconic Jokapoika shirt designed by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi; a vintage promotional image from the collection of Janis and Helga Kravis

NOT JUS T ANOTHER PRE T T Y DRE SS

Fashion: Courtesy of Marimekko Corporation, photographed by Corentin Thevenet; Printing: Tuukka Koski

Models present Marimekko’s ready-to-wear Spring/Summer 2017 collection at the Finnish Embassy residence during Paris Fashion Week.

Jacqueline Kennedy purchased seven Marimekko dresses from the Design Research store in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, to wear during her husband’s campaign for the presidency in 1960. Because Jackie Kennedy was already a fashion icon, her shopping spree made headlines. That same year, she and JFK graced the cover of Sports Illustrated—Jackie wearing a simple red and pink cotton shift from Marimekko. If American women weren’t aware of the brand before, they certainly were from that point forward. Throughout the 1960s, Marimekko was a consistent presence in international fashion publications, such as Elle, Vogue, Harper’s 10

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Bazaar, and Women’s Wear Daily. Marimekko was the perfect complement to the way American women’s lives were changing during the 1960s. The dual focus on functionality and beauty was in tune with a new feeling of liberation. The unusual patterns gave women the opportunity to express themselves however they liked—with chic geometry or loud flowers. The clothing lent itself to personalized mixing and matching, to reflect every woman’s individual style. Today, Marimekko still embodies that spirit of distinction, via timeless clothing, home goods, and textiles. So, too, is the emphasis on bringing design into every-

day life, seen in the brand’s partnerships with huge US stores such as Crate and Barrel, Target, and Banana Republic. In recent years, Marimekko has positioned itself alongside the most influential design houses in contemporary fashion by premiering women’s clothing lines at global fashion weeks. Last fall, the company debuted its Spring/Summer 2017 collection at Paris Fashion Week, with an appropriate twist—the venue was inside the Finnish Embassy residence. As the brand grows globally, it maintains the authentic Finnish values integral to its formation. Marimekko is celebrating Finland’s

Marimekko, With Love Exhibition Details

Founded in 1951, Marimekko remains a strong global brand today. Here, a worker prints textiles at the Herttoniemi factory in Helsinki.

“One has to dream. And one has to stand out from the rest.”

—ARMI RATIA

centennial this year with exciting new designs that reflect the brand’s—and the home country’s—commitment to bold thinking, cooperation, and open-mindedness. In January, Marimekko designer Maija Louekari created a new pattern called Veljekset (brothers), which features totem animals (bears, owls, woodpeckers, lynx) central to Finnish folklore. The design debuted as part of an interactive art installation at the Lux Helsinki light festival with the intention of reminding city dwellers that the forests of Finland are still inhabited by strong, expressive creatures. It’s the first of several new pattern releases planned for 2017. With an eye always turned toward innovation, this September, Marimekko will partner with Slush (Europe’s leading

technology/startup conference) and Junction (the largest hackathon in Europe) to host the first Marimekko Designathon. This competition will give a new generation of creators the opportunity to share innovative ideas and solutions, and challenge the conventions of the textile and clothing industry. As Marimekko president Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko put it when announcing the Designathon, “We will build a successful future for Finland by doing things together and crossing boundaries open-mindedly.” Marimekko is poised to reach new audiences and new heights, bringing “Mary’s dress” to women everywhere.

Marimekko, With Love offers a retrospective look at the company’s midcentury origins and the role Marimekko played in shaping a new aesthetic and approach to living through fashion and design. Marimekko not only sparked an international revolution in post-WWII pattern and textile production, but also embodied a new philosophy based on the power of design in everyday life. Marimekko was “a cultural phenomenon guiding the quality of living,” founder Armi Ratia said in 1962. On view from March 10 through July 9, this exhibition draws together landmark Marimekko fabrics and fashions created by pioneering designers under Ratia’s leadership from the 1950s to the 1970s. Through a breadth of archival materials highlighting the personal stories and social relationships at the heart of the company’s international impact, this exhibition traces Marimekko’s expansion onto the global stage and its arrival in North America. Marimekko, With Love also explores the role of two key partners who brought Marimekko to American and Canadian audiences: Design Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Karelia Kitchen in Toronto, Ontario. The exhibit offers a behind-the-scenes look at the formative decades of the company, and insight into the creative influences and interactions that shaped Marimekko’s design philosophy, international presence, and enduring guiding values. Organized by the Textile Museum of Canada and curated by Shauna McCabe, who in March visited Nordic Heritage Museum to share insights about the exhibit at our member preview.

With contributions by Jenelle Clark

NOT JUS T ANOTHER PRE T T Y DRE SS

A centennial celebration of Finnish independence

f you know Finnish culture, you know the term sisu—a word that with a mere four letters encapsulates the notoriously brave, resilient, and stoic Finnish national character. Without sisu, the Finns would likely never have reached this year’s centennial, which heralds one hundred years of independence and recognition as a free republic. “Gaining and retaining our independence was not easy,” said Kirsti Kauppi, ambassador of Finland to the United States, in an exclusive interview with Kultur. “Finland had been a part of

most people would have quit, and to fight with the will to win.” Indeed, Finland won independence. But as Kauppi, who was born in 1957, recalled, “When I grew up, the past war and the possibility of a new war was never far from our thoughts.” After such an extended period of strife, Kauppi said, “Finland had to rebuild and reinvent itself.” The democracy has stayed intact, she said, “because our people have built the country together.” She proudly noted Finland’s high scores in worldwide studies measuring social equality, transparency, competitiveness, innovation, and freedom of the press. (No one has rated countries by sisu yet, but you can bet Finland leads the field.) To commemorate the centennial, the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office established the Finland 100 Years organization to oversee a yearlong, international series of celebratory events. Reflecting the

Select Seattle-area Finland 100 Events Marimekko, With Love Exhibition Tells the story of the first twenty years of Marimekko—how it was founded in Finland by a visionary woman and grew to become a global brand. The exhibition focuses on the impact that Marimekko has had in North America, with objects and archival materials selected to highlight that compelling story. Friday, March 10–Sunday, July 9 Nordic Heritage Museum

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Kalevala Reading & Festival Reading from the Kalevala by the Seattle Storytellers Guild on Saturday, with 41st annual Kalevala Festival, featuring the Finnish Choral Society and Finlandia Foundation National Centenary lecturer Börje Vähämäki. Saturday, March 25–Sunday, March 26 Nordic Heritage Museum

Mostly Nordic Series: Finnish Musical Centennial Clarinetist Sean Osborn, cellist Eric Han, and pianist Jessica Choe perform Finnish chamber music encompassing the past century of musical innovation and beauty, including works by Sibelius, Wessman, Rautavaara, and Salmenhaara. Sunday, April 23 | 4pm Nordic Heritage Museum

Icons from the Noun Project: dress created by Domingo Marti ; book created by Nicholas Menghini; music created by fcFrank; dancing created by Hea Poh Lin; restaurant from AIGA Collection;

JUHLIA!

Sweden for over 600 years [from the twelfth through the eighteenth century] and then an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire for over one hundred years [from 1809 to 1917].” During this latter period, Russia repeatedly tried to suppress the Finnish culture, including by insisting that Finns speak Russian. With the abdication of Nicolas II of Russia and the February Revolution, Finland declared itself a free nation in 1917. But soon the country was embroiled in a civil war, which it survived only to enter into combat against Russia during World War II. Reporting in 1940 about the Finnish-Russian “Winter War,” Time magazine remarked upon the Nordic nation’s fortitude: “The Finns translate sisu as the ‘Finnish spirit,’ but it is a much more gutful word than that. . . . It is a compound of bravado and bravery, of ferocity and tenacity, of the ability to keep fighting after

Suomi 100 / Leena Koskela; Finland 100 / Juha Metso; Finland 100 / Juha Metso; Finland 100 / Juha Metso

CELEBRATE!

conductor created by Luis Prado; glue bottle created by Nick Green; fireworks created by i cons

diverse but connected range of people who are Finnish or of Finnish descent worldwide, Finland 100 Years has chosen “Together” as the centennial theme. Festivities kicked off in Helsinki with fireworks on New Year’s Eve, and around the world, nations have begun honoring the occasion with their own celebrations. In Tokyo, the Finnish embassy announced a short story competition to pay homage to Finnish-Japanese relations, with winning entries to be produced as anime shorts starring the embassy’s mascot, Fintan. Paris honored the indigenous Sami culture with the event “Lapland: Tracing the Sami of Finland,” featuring Sami music, art, films, and literature. Just outside London, the Dulwich Picture Gallery announced England’s first exhibition of works by illustrator Tove Jansson (October 25, 2017–January 28, 2018), boasting 150 newly discovered

Nordic Culinary Conference Dig into the New Nordic Kitchen Manifesto (see page 4) with star chefs and tasty bites. See nordicmuseum.org for updated information. Friday, May 5–Sunday, May 7 Nordic Heritage Museum and Hot Stove Society

Folklife Festival Finnish music and dance. Thursday, May 26–Saturday, May 29 Seattle Center

artworks in addition to her trove of Moomin characters (see page 38). In Berlin, gallery Salon Dahlmann opened an exhibit of works by Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen, a.k.a. Tom of Finland, whose erotic illustrations of hypermasculine men played an influential role in the rise of gay culture during the 1950s and ’60s. In total, Finnish groups representing five continents, sixty-nine countries, and dozens of US cities—including Seattle— will host special programs and events to honor Finland throughout 2017. In Seattle, the Nordic Lights Film Festival dedicated an entire day to screening Finnish films—including The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (Hymyilevä Mies), Finland’s official 2017 Academy Award entry. Also in January, vocal ensemble Cappella Romana performed Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara’s piece “Vigilia” (“All Night

Finlandia Foundation Summer Party Celebrate the Finnish Centennial year with a family-friendly summer festival featuring Finnish music, dance, games, food, and swimming in Lake Sammamish. Saturday, June 3 | 12-6pm Vasa Park

Pekka Kuusisto and Seattle Symphony Acclaimed Finnish violinist and composer Pekka Kuusisto with the Seattle Symphony. Thursday, June 8 | 7:30pm Benaroya Hall

Vigil”) at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. In March, the Finnish Choral Society of Seattle performed one hundred traditional hymns, joined by choirs from Vancouver, British Columbia; Dallas; and San Diego. And in hot news, the Embassy of Finland in Washington, DC, organized a Traveling Sauna tour across America, which is to pull up in Seattle in April. But don’t worry—if you missed your chance to soak up the steam, there are plenty of other opportunities to celebrate Finland 100. See below and seize the sisu! With contributions by Rebecca Bolin

Finland is celebrating its centennial all year long. Left to right: Finland 100 flags wave in the breeze; crowds gather to mark the occasion; hoopers liven up a centennial parade; Finns enjoy the sauna tradition in a converted bus

Moomin Mania Drop-in celebration featuring crafts, cartoons, and stories relating to Tove Jansson’s enormously popular Moomin characters. (Free with museum admission.) Thursday, August 3 | 1pm–2:30pm Nordic Heritage Museum

Independence Day Gala A grand affair celebrating Finland’s official day of independence. Saturday, December 2 | 6pm University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture JUHLIA !

PREVIEW

Peek Inside the

NEW NORDIC MUSEUM History and culture come alive with a revitalized Core Exhibition

HAT DOES IT MEAN to be Nordic? The new Nordic Museum will offer a multifaceted, immersive answer to that question when it makes its debut in the spring of 2018. Visitors to the airy new space will engage with visually stunning displays, cutting-edge interactive media, and intriguing installations of historically significant artifacts—all part of the redesigned and expanded permanent collection. A refreshed Core Exhibition will emphasize personal stories (both past and present), journeys (both physical and metaphorical), and narratives from our local community that amplify the overarching sense of connection. “We hope to give visitors a better sense of the Nordic countries’ heritage and cultures, while inspiring visitors with the values, traditions, art, and spirit of Nordic peoples,” says Nordic Heritage Museum CEO Eric Nelson. “The Core Exhibition will highlight Nordic-American contributions in the US, especially in the Pacific Northwest, while celebrating the connections between Nordic and Nordic-American people through their shared values.” The planning process for the new Core Exhibition has benefited from contributions by more than 120 international scholars, museum professionals, and community volunteers. Along with Nordic

NORDIC KULTUR

Heritage Museum staff, this group has been working with a team of experts from New York City–based museum exhibition design firm Ralph Appelbaum Associates for more than two years to develop the concepts and storylines for the new Museum. “The museum’s location on the Ballard waterfront imbues it with a strong ‘power of place’ with which to explore the core ideas of immigration and cross-cultural connection,” Appelbaum says. “The stories within will speak to the ways in which new Americans build families, maintain communities, and find opportunities.” Thanks to the national museums in each of the five Nordic countries—counterparts to our own Smithsonian national museums of art, history, and culture in Washington, D.C.—the Core Exhibition will feature specially selected objects on loan. Partner museums include the National Museum of Denmark, the National Museum of Finland, the National Museum of Iceland, the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, the Nordic Museum in Stockholm, the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm, and the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Throughout the Core Exhibition, galleries, texts, and artifacts will reinforce the Nordic values of openness, social justice, innovation, and environmentalism.

NORDIC ORIENTATION GALLERY

Visitors will begin their exhibition experience in the Fjord Hall on the first floor, from which they will enter the Nordic Orientation Gallery. This gallery showcases the concepts and values that define Nordic culture, and introduces visitors to the five Nordic nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, plus the semiautonomous regions of Sápmi, Greenland, Åland, and the Faroe Islands. A large graphic display will feature contextual maps of the Nordic countries and regions, along with selected data regarding each area. Through first-person stories and a narrated script, a large-format video program will convey what it means to be Nordic today—both in the Nordic region and in Nordic America. Displays will include traditional costumes, historical artifacts, and contemporary objects selected by Museum staff with input from members of the Museum’s national committees. Visitors who associate themselves with Nordic cultures will see their own heritage reflected within the displays and find personal relevance in the stories presented. Opposite, clockwise from top: Seattle’s new Nordic Museum under construction in Ballard; architectural renderings of the new Museum’s Fjord Hall and Nordic Orientation Gallery

Construction: Devon Kelley; Exterior: Mithun, image by MIR; Interior: Ralph Appelbaum Associates

PEEK INSIDE THE NE W NORDIC MUSEUM â&#x20AC;&#x192;

Continuing upstairs, visitors will encounter the Sense of Place Gallery. Conceived as an immersive, sensory experience, this gallery will introduce visitors to the Nordic landscape and environment, and explore how the natural elements have influenced cultural development and values in the Nordic region. A large-format video projection will present rotating images and soundscapes that capture the variable climate, and invites visitors to ground their experience in the details of this particular geographic setting. Immediately outside the gallery, a display devoted to Norse Myths and the Natural World will introduce visitors to the Norse creation story and the primary gods in the Norse pantheon.

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SENSE OF PLACE GALLERY

NORDIC REGION GALLERY

Entering the Nordic Region Gallery, visitors will begin their journey through the historical and cultural development of people in the Nordic region. Richly illustrated wall displays, enhanced with short video presentations and hands-on activities, will present information thematically, in a chronological sequence. The Nordic Region Gallery is divided into four distinct sections, each one focusing on a specific historical moment or time period: • Nordic Prehistory and the Viking Era: 10,000 BCE–1,100 CE

• The Medieval Period and the Early Modern World: 12th–18th Centuries • Building Nations and National Identities: 18th–19th Centuries

Throughout each section of the Nordic Region Gallery, thematic displays of significant artifacts—many offered as long-term loans from the Nordic national museums—will enliven the historical narrative. Large platforms containing additional object groupings and media programs will expand upon the key themes and concepts introduced in the Nordic Region Gallery’s timeline wall displays. 5

Architectural drawings of galleries

Renderings: Ralph Appelbaum Associates

• The Nordic Region in the 20th Century

NORDIC AMERICA GALLERY

Crossing one of two architectural bridges over the Fjord Hall below, visitors will continue their physical and metaphorical journey to the Nordic America Gallery. Here, they will discover a new design and interpretation of the themes and artifacts featured in the Museum’s longstanding Dream of America exhibition. Unlike the Nordic Region Gallery, in this gallery, content is organized geographically, to clarify the Nordic-American experience by region: • The East Coast • The Midwest and West • The Pacific Northwest A large central platform, divided into three sections, will house an installation packed with many treasured objects from the Museum’s own collection. Dedicated, thematic installations will tell the story of the immigrant experience, the history of the logging and mining industries, and the importance of maritime innovations in the Pacific Northwest.

Objects: courtesy Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo

NORDIC PERSPECTIVES FORUM

In this final gallery of the Core Exhibition, visitors will explore contemporary Nordic life through a variety of formats. A large media wall in the center of the gallery will be programmed to present a series of programs in short chapters. Recalling the core Nordic values that visitors first encountered in the Nordic Orientation Gallery, topics might include: social integration and gender equality, politics, sustainability, immigration, science and technology, health care, labor issues, education, and design. Interactive stations will invite visitor participation and feedback through on-screen prompts, creating the potential for virtual discussions. A wall display equipped with color-coded comment cards will provide an analog alternative for those visitors who prefer to share handwritten remarks. With contributions by Nancy Zinn

When completed, the new Nordic Museum will showcase a collection of Viking artifacts. Clockwise from upper left: Viking grave finds; woman’s trefoil-shaped brooch, bronze; silver hoard including silver ingots and rings

Every Object Tells a Story New Viking artifacts offer a glimpse into the daily lives of early Nordic peoples Thanks to the generosity of the National Museums of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, the Core Exhibition in the new Nordic Museum will include a number of significant objects offered as long-term loans. These ancient artifacts serve as tangible evidence of the important historical and cultural developments portrayed in the Nordic Gallery. Among the rarest and most exciting of these objects are those that have been found in archaeological excavations throughout the Nordic region dating to the Viking Age (circa 800–1100 CE). Some of the most intriguing Viking-period discoveries are the many stockpiles, or hoards, of silver jewelry, coins, wire, and ingots. Often called “hack-silver,” these pieces of raw or clipped silver were treated as bullion and valued by weight as currency. Hack-silver was frequently worked into elaborately twisted neck, arm, and finger rings, which allowed the owner to display his wealth while transporting it easily on trading excursions or military campaigns. In addition to the silver hoards on exhibit, ancient household items, including a bronze key, will shed light on women’s roles as guardians and business managers. Women ran Viking society’s farmsteads while men were away on raiding parties, military campaigns, and trading expeditions. A large rune stone from Uppland, Sweden, will demonstrate the comparative wealth attained by many Viking women. Wives, daughters, and mothers erected these large stones—inscribed with runes cataloging property and accomplishments—to honor their husbands, sons, and fathers. The loans will include finely wrought bronze and gilded brooches, combs carved from animal bone, silver rings, and armbands, as well as glass, stone, and amber beads, which functioned as practical or decorative objects as well as important trade goods. A set of carved bone game pieces recovered from a burial site in Gotland, the largest island in Sweden, will provide colorful evidence of leisure-time activities. Daily life in an agricultural settlement will get some of the spotlight, too, thanks to a cache of burial goods. A gravesite, discovered by a farmer in Oppland, Norway, in the 1870s, yielded many treasures, which are to be featured at the new Museum. These include a single-edged bronze sword, a pair of bronze scissors, a spearhead, and sections of a horse harness. With each new object, visitors can piece together a more complete understanding of life during the Viking Age.

PEEK INSIDE THE NE W NORDIC MUSEUM

DONORS TO THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN $5,000,000 +

Osberg Family Trust; Allan and Inger Osberg; Osberg Construction Company The A.P. Møller and Chastine McKinney Møller Foundation

$3,000,000– $4,999,999

Jane Isakson Lea and James Lea* State of Washington

$1,000,000– $2,999,999

4Culture Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation Breivik Family Trust In Honor of the Breivik Family: Michael, Freide, Berit, and Erik Floyd and Delores Jones Foundation The Lars and Laurie Jonsson Family Kaare* and Sigrunn Ness The Family of Einar and Herbjorg Pedersen Einar* and Emma Pedersen Scan | Design Foundation by Inger and Jens Bruun City of Seattle John and Berit Sjong

$500,000– $999,999

Earl and Denise Ecklund Jon and Susan Hanson M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Nesholm Family Foundation The Norcliffe Foundation Robert L. and Mary Ann T. Wiley Fund

$100,000– $499,999

Raymond R. Brandstrom Jan and Priscilla Brekke Svanhild and Russell Castner In Memory of Henry and Hildur Swasand Patricia and Robert Charlson Peter Henning* Stan* and Doris Hovik Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle and Kolbeinn S. Thordarson Joshua Green Foundation Koon Family Trust Karen L. Koon Microsoft Corporation Donald and Melissa Nielsen In Honor of Jens and Erna Nielsen Everett and Andrea Paup Reimert and Betty Ravenholt Chris Siddons* Sons of Norway, Wergeland Lodge #21 Norman Kolbeinn Thordarson and Judy Thordarson Estate of Leo Utter*

$50,000–$99,999

Pirkko and Brad Borland D.V. and Ida McEachern Charitable Trust

NORDIC KULTUR

Estates of Dr. C. Ben Graham and Pearl Relling Graham* Jon Halgren Jackson Remodeling LLC In Honor of Mari-Ann Kind Jackson Kristen Lindskog Jarvis Egon and Laina Molbak Skandia Music Foundation Maria Staaf and William Jones Arlene Sundquist Empie Estate of Judith Tjosevig*

$25,000–$49,999

Brandon Benson The Bergquist Foundation Per and Inga* Bolang Leif Eie Irma and Don Goertzen Michael and Jill Heijer Leif Erikson International Foundation Georgene and Richard Lee Marilyn and Rodney Madden Tom and Drexie Malone Karl Momen Valinda I. and Lyle S. Morse Nordic Council of Ministers Peach Foundation Louise Solheim Lois and Svend Toftemark Anonymous

$10,000–$24,999

Karin Ahlstrom Bean Kenneth M. Beck Boeing Employee Individual Giving Program Lynn Davidson Etienne* and Nancy Debaste Raymond and JoAnne Eriksen Asmus Freytag and Laura Wideburg Lotta Gavel-Adams and Birney Adams* Gertrude Glad Raymond George Gooch and Robyn Jean Middleton Estate of Helen K. Hagg* Elling B. Halvorson Brent and Catherine Johnson Steven J. Jones Kevin and Penny Kaldestad Sven and Marta Kalve Olaf Kvamme* Patricia J. Lundgren In Memory of Richard E. Lundgren Norman and Constance* McDonell In Memory of Anna Pauline Huusby Eric and Yvonne Nelson Alice Ness* Eldon and Shirley Nysether Sigurd and Else* Odegaard Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Price Börje and Aase Saxberg Marvin and Barbara Stone* Nina Svino Svasand and Ernest Svasand Swedish Finn Historical Society

Donald* and Kay Thoreson Tor and Ingrid Tollessen Lorraine Toly Anonymous (3)

$1,000–$9,999

Steve Aanenson Hans and Kristine Aarhus Soomie Ahn and Casper Sorensen Rick, Marlene, and Derek Akesson Richard and Constance Albrecht Edward Almquist Myrna Amberson American Seafoods Company LLC Bruce and JoAnn Amundson Anderson-Bartanen Family Orville Andrew Anderson Stig and Ruth Andersen Chris and Terrie Rae Anderson Jan Anderson B&N Fisheries Company Isabella Backman Johnson Bainbridge Community Foundation and the Harald Hurlen Fund Steven and Kathleen Barker Ingrid Bauer Patti Benson Dwayne M. Berg Margaret V. Berg Anne-Lise Berger and Ozzie Kvithammer Lisa Bergman and David Fluharty Keith and Kathy Biever Robert and Connie Blair Sandra Boeskov Janice Bogren Anders and Karen Bolang John and Tonjia Borland Robert Born Herb and Shirley* Bridge Naomi Briest* Diana Brooking Douglas and Betty Brownlee Jackie Brudvik Jette and Stephen* Bunch Ward and Boni Buringrud Gloria Mae Campbell Grace Carlsen-Jones and Roger Jones Jean K. Carlson Elaine and Richard Carpenter Carrs Family Robert and Katherine Cederstrom Joanne Chase Children of Richard and Anna Chester Jordan Chester Louis and Anna Christensen Carol L. Christiansen Coastal Transportation Mike Colbrese and Jan Woldseth Colbrese JoEllen Connell Laura Cooper and Stuart Mork Timothy P. Cosgrove Reidun Crowley Ragnar Dahl* Danish Brotherhood Lodge #29

Compiled on 3/23/17

Peter Davis and Kristiann Schoening Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific Sandra Egtvet Donna Eines Ned and Nanette Eisenhuth John and Linda Ellingboe Embassy of Denmark, USA Embassy of Finland, Washington D.C. Embassy of Sweden, Washington Olav Esaiassen Thomas and Willy Evans Frank and Barbara Fanger James Feeley Geoff Ferguson and Joan Valaas Ferguson Finn Room Committee Gunilla and Jerry Finrow Pamela Arntzen Firth and Richard Douglas Firth Gary and Maureen Fisker Marianne Forssblad and Roland Wedenström H. Weston Foss* Gwyn and Rick Fowler Paul Friis-Mikkelsen and Rita Hackett Lisa Garbrick Lael Gedney James and Marilyn Giarde Glacier Fish Co., LLC Jeff and Miyako Gledhill Britt Glomset Gary and Bonnie Graves Stiftelsen Kongung Gustaf VI Adolfs Fond För Svensk Kultur Greta HaagensenRoseberg and Lee Roseberg Marja Hall John Martin Hansen Richard and Marilyn Hanson Harbor Enterprises, Inc. Fred and Karin Harder Christopher Hardy Scott and Lisa Harpster Peter and Pat Haug Sandy Haug Wally and Kristin Haugan Norman Haugen Barry and Dee Dee Hawley Electa Hendricks* and Electa Anderson Jeff and Linda Hendricks Paul Heneghan Woody and Ilene Hertzog Kristiina Hiukka Olavi Hiukka Ruth and Preben Hoegh-Christensen* Roy Holmlund* Karen Holt Susi Hulbert Janet and Steve Hunter Gunnar Ildhuso, Sr. Curtis and Shirley* Jacobs Don and Lynne Jangard Ernst and Linda Jensen Erik Nordback Johnson Richard and Ingri Johnson Sirkku and James Johnson Bob and Oddny Johnston James and Dianne Johnston Stan Jonasson and Linda Jangaard Jacob and Ellen Jordal

Mari-Ann Kind Jackson Ken and Rachel Jacobsen Pat and Paul Kaald Janice B. Kaplan-Klein Arnold Kegel and Martha Fagnastøl Kegel Jim and Cris Kelley Keybank Foundation Jan and Alita Kiaer Megan Knight and Alison Mondi Henning Knudson Lowell and Shirley Knutson Peter and Janice Kolloen Paul Kromann Susan Alkire Lane Mina and Raymond Larsen John Frederick Larson Family Leadership Tomorrow Alumni Association Solveig M. Lee John S. Legg Adrian Leven C. Stephen and Donna Lewis Kerstin Liland Olaf and Frieda Liland Family Foundation Limback Lumber Vivi-Anne Lindback Charles Lindholm Family Elmer and Joan Lindseth David C. Lundsgaard and Lori Lynn Phillips Eva Long and Bill Jepson Svenn L. Lovlie Ivan Lund Estate of Olav Lunde* Florence Lundquist* Birgit Lyshol Jon Magnusson John and Hanna Liv Mahlum Josephine* and William Mahon Victor and Karen Manarolla Leif and Cindy Mannes Kristin Martin Tom and Carolee Mathers Lars Matthiesen and Yara Silva Colleen McArdle Robert S. McEwen Bruce and Carol Meyers Don Meyers and Kathi Ploeger Microsoft Employee Giving Program Kaare Mikkelsen Karen Mildes Darlene (Stensland) Miller Ronda and Brad Miller Luanne and John Mills John Mitchell and Marie Anderson Kay Most* Ritva and Harvey Musselman Robert and Maria Nelson Betty Nes Wabey Susan and Russell Ness Norman Archibald Charitable Foundation Nysether Family Foundation Russell and Patti Oberg Cindy and Ron Olander Richard and Kay Olsen Vern and Martha Olsen Gordon Olson

Ulla and Harold Olsson Desiree Omdal Carol Oversvee Johnson Helen Overton Family Pacific Nordic Council Craig Pape Barbara Paquette Judith Patterson and Jerry Walsh Kathryn and Jay* Pearson Walter Pereya Rick Peterson Erik Pihl Eilert and Virginia Prestegaard Evan T. Pugh Megan and Greg Pursell Christian and Joanie Raaum Gustav and Claire Raaum* John Rabourn Karen Richstad Ed and Marjorie Ringness Ringstad Enterprises E. Paul and Gayle Robbins Dean A. Robbins Kathleen Robel and Herman Payton Norman Rockness Rotary Club of Ballard Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington Vivian Sandaas* Kent and Inger Saltonstall Ralph Schau Seattle Latvian-American Embroidery Group Karen Sheldahl Craig and Nancy Shumate David Skar and Kathleen Lindberg Landis and Patricia Smaaladen Edward Smith Carol and Norman Sollie Sons of Norway, Hovedstad Lodge #94 Harriet Spanel* William Stafford Birger Steen Elaine Stevens Gordon Strand Susan Stroomer Stuart and Alison Swanberg Frank and Jennifer Swant Norman and Phyllis Swenson Phil and Julie Swenson Symetra’s Matching Time and Matching Gift Program Kris Templin Ron and Whitney Tjerandsen Lisa A. Toftemark Dorothy Trenor Trident Seafoods Corporation Christine Trigg and Doug Hauger Susan Laurie Tusa and Dan W. Durham Debbi and Larry Vanselow Raiti Waerness Douglas Warne Ross and Nancy Weinstein Colleen White Karin and Colin Williams Dale Wright Margaret and Richard Wright Anonymous (3) * denotes deceased

AS WE COMPLETE OUR JOURNEY TO THE NEW NORDIC MUSEUM, OPENING IN 2018.

NORDIC HERITAGE MUSEUM is the only museum in the US that celebrates the history and culture of all five Nordic nations. We are constructing a new, state-of-theart building on a beautiful site in the center of Ballard’s working waterfront—the historic center of Seattle’s Nordic community. The new Nordic Museum will be a vibrant expression of Nordic culture, history, and values. It will be a strong resource for the region, state, and the entire nation in expanding the understanding of Nordic identity. You are invited to help us complete the project and include your name as a lasting legacy.

Rendering: designed by Mithun

At $1,000 and $5,000 your name(s) will be inscribed on a plaque in the new Nordic Museum’s east garden. At $10,000 your name(s) will be included on a plaque in one of the eight sidewalk planting areas surrounding the new Nordic Museum. To participate, contact Jan Woldseth Colbrese at janwc@nordicmuseum.org or 206.789.5707 x39.

An architectural rendering of the East Garden, with plaques

Nordic Legacy Circle Profile

Courtesy of Floyd Jones

FLOYD AND DELORES JONES ENDOWED FUND LONG-TIME PATRON AND TRUSTEE FLOYD JONES recently announced plans for a new endowed fund. This generous planned gift will be added to the Museum’s endowment, and will dramatically enhance our ability to sustain the new Nordic Museum’s programs and operations. “Maybe Delores and I were destined to have a good marriage because we both wanted to do good and be good,” explains Floyd. “What amazes me is that it all turned out so well. It was like a dream come true. Neither my wife, nor I thought we would ever do big charity, but before we got through we were doing big charity. Nothing could please me more than that, because this is how I used to daydream as a boy.” From picking cotton as a young boy, to enlisting in the Army, and finally opening his own investment firm, Floyd’s life has been marked by hard work and a determination to succeed. Floyd and Delores married in 1953, and the following year he graduated from the University of Washington with majors in World Trade and Finance. He immediately took a job at Dean Witter in Tacoma, rapidly distinguishing himself by his ability to secure new clients and to make good investment decisions. “I was a much better stock picker than I was a cotton picker,”

Floyd has said. Eventually, Floyd formed Seattle First Asset Management, where he and his son managed assets for individuals as well as institutions. His son, Steve, now manages the company. It was through his wife, Delores, that Floyd became acquainted with Nordic culture. This endowment is born of his desire to share the rich cultural heritage of the Nordic countries with people in the United States. Floyd and Delores’ commitment to our mission and their generosity will provide significant long-term support for the Museum, and enhance our ability to share the Nordic Spirit with generations to come. Income from the new endowment will provide long-term support for the Museum, thereby fulfilling Floyd’s wish to expose more people in the US to this rich cultural heritage. We are deeply honored and grateful to Floyd and Delores for generously investing in the future of Nordic Heritage Museum.

PEEK INSIDE THE NE W NORDIC MUSEUM

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Ace Innovator

Former Ballardite Karsten Solheim took a distinctly Nordic route to golf immortality and the American dream

Driver: Chris Dysart; Karsten and Louise: courtesy of Karsten Manufacturing/Solheim Family; Workshop: courtesy of Karsten Manufacturing/Solheim Family

ORWEGIAN-BORN ENGINEER KARSTEN SOLHEIM changed the game of golf as much as golf altered the course of his life. When he took up the sport in his forties, Solheim found that although his long game was pretty good, putting was almost impossible. Rather than give in to the notoriously frustrating game, he tackled the challenge with his customary determination. Starting with Popsicle sticks and then moving into his garage workshop, he brainstormed an entirely new type of putter blade that transferred weight in such a way that even beginners could putt in a straight line. Solheim’s innovative prototype went on to change the trajectory of the entire sport. With his impish smile and distinctive goatee, Solheim was as memorable as he was successful. Thanks to hard work, creativity, and resilience, he transformed himself from a young immigrant with one year of college into a manufacturing and design pioneer, eventually founding the wildly successful Ping brand and Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. And while he may have achieved the American dream, his route to success followed a Nordic path. Born in Bergen, Norway, in 1911, Solheim emigrated with his family in 1913. They settled in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, where his father found work as a shoemaker. Solheim graduated from Ballard High School in 1931, but could only attend the University of Washington (UW) for one year, due to financial hardships caused by the Great Depression. After leaving the UW, he worked as a cobbler in his father’s business, and later sold aluminum cookware. When aluminum was allocated to the war effort, and the US military began seeking the talent of engineers, Solheim enrolled in a ten-week engineering extension course at the University of California at Fresno. He was green, but his natural talent for engineering allowed him to quit the course halfway through and move directly to a government job working on airplanes. Solheim worked on jet fighters and missile guidance systems. At Ryan Aeronautical, he improved the landing gear and air speed measurement system for the FR-1 Fireball, a fighter plane designed for the US Navy during the Second World War. While working for shipyards, he invented a tool that helped his coworkers bend steel more quickly and efficiently. During another stint, he won the weekly competition for best new idea so often

director Mike Holder told This Land. “He was a genius.” Ping and Karsten Manufacturing are Solheim’s engineering legacy, but his Nordic values extend further. He embraced egalitarianism and sustainability, and encouraged his employees to do the same. As a boss, Solheim awarded employees equal monetary bonuses without regard to position or title. As a manufacturer, he avoided unsustainable outsourcing and mass-marketing practices. As a philanthropist, he donated to universities and tournaments, and created a Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament: the Solheim Cup, a biennial competition between golfers from the United States and Europe that is the women’s version of the Ryder Cup. In 1991, he received the Patty Berg Award for his contributions to women’s golf. Solheim was inducted into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame that same year. He died in Phoenix in 2000 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame posthumously in 2001. “Karsten is, as he should be, in the World Golf Hall of Fame,” wrote Adams Golf founder Barney Adams in Golf magazine in 2011. “Sure, some of his ideas didn’t catch on, like the multicolored golf ball. But he did a lot of things right.” That sentiment is as true of his innovations in engineering as it is of his good works in the global community. that the management put limits on how many times the same employee could win. Although he changed jobs and moved his family many times, Solheim maintained his drive to improve tools and increase the productivity and abilities of his fellow workers. Eventually, he took a job at General Electric in New York and later in California. While at GE, he was the lead on a design team that added an all-important swivel to the traditionally stationary “rabbit ears” antenna. “GE thought that they would build about 40,000 units,” Solheim’s son John told This Land magazine in 2012, “but the design was so popular that they built over four million.” Solheim never received official credit for fine-tuning the rabbit ears, and according to This Land, it “would be the last time he invented something that he didn’t manufacture himself.” Eventually, the success of Solheim’s innovative putter design turned a hobby into a side business. While still at GE, Solheim worked late at night in his garage, handcrafting putters and fine-tuning prototypes. His wife, Louise, woke early every morning to help with the business: taking orders, checking shipments, keeping the books, and taking care of business correspondence. Karsten and Louise were partners in every sense of the word. And it was Louise who convinced him to invest in his own manufacturing company. In 1959, Solheim left GE to concentrate full-time on golf club manufacturing and design. By 1966, he had created the Anser putter—which gained instant acclaim as the putter that won the PGA’s Phoenix Open in 1967, and is still one of the most popular putters in the game. He soon established the Ping brand, which later helped take Oklahoma State University’s (OSU) golf team to five national championships during the 1980s and ’90s. “Karsten was pretty special. There was nothing conventional about him,” OSU athletic

With contributions by Devon Kelley

Clockwise from facing page: Solheim designed different types of clubs, including this Ping TiSi titanium driver (NHM collection no. 2001.093.001); Karsten and Louise at the Princeville Makai Golf Course; newspaper clipping circa 1959; Karsten at his workbench ACE INNOVATOR

Q/A

Of Two Minds SUSAN RINGSTAD EMERY CREATES AN ARTFUL BRIDGE BETWEEN HER NORDIC AND NATIVE AMERICAN ROOTS

EINDEER, VIKING SHIPS, RAVENS, SHAMANS, AND THE NORTHERN LIGHTS populate the paintings and drawings of Seattle-area artist Susan Ringstad Emery. The daughter of a Norwegian/Swedish father and an Iñupiat mother, she conjures works that explore and celebrate her blended heritage. Ringstad Emery’s captivating cultural background is part of a long history of Nordic and native peoples making lives together in North America. Her story is the first to be collected for Nordic Heritage Museum’s

new Nordic-American oral history program, titled Interwoven: The Blended Heritage of Nordic and Native Peoples. In anticipation of her solo exhibit of mixed-media paintings at Nordic Heritage Museum this fall, she spoke to Kultur.

Susan Ringstad Emery: I believe there are many people of diverse heritage who can relate to not being quite enough of anything to exactly fit in . . . perhaps like me, too white to be fully native, and too native to be fully white. I’ve chosen to try and embrace both of my cultures: Scandinavian and Iñupiat . . . and hopefully to walk freely in these two worlds. I’ve found a sense of belonging in my growing circle of friends and reconnections with family in Alaska, and my forays into learning Norwegian culture and language, and new friends, family, and opportunities in the Seattle area. Social media has brought slektninger (relatives) from Norway into my life as well. I even have a standing invitation to visit some cousins in Norway. It’s part of everyone’s human makeup to desire to have people in our lives whom we can relate to and who share commonalities with ourselves, in appearance, background, interests, or ancestry. My “cave paintings” usually feature animals that can be found in both northern Norway and Alaska, bringing a bridge of sorts between my diverse roots.

Kultur: What do you know about your maternal great-greatgrandfather, who was a shaman? SRE: He stepped down from his position in our ancestral village of Shishmaref, Alaska [on the Chukchi Sea near the Bering Strait], when the white missionaries came to the village to begin their work. He was a gregarious and welcoming person whom my mother remembers fondly as a good host in his traditional semi-subterranean, sod, Arctic home.

NORDIC KULTUR

Courtesy of Susan Ringstad Emery

Kultur: How do you see your place in the world?

Need credits/captions for all. Ringstad Emery’s painting, “Ringstad i Bø i Vesterålen” (oil on canvas) Opposite: Artist Susan Ringstad Emery in Seattle; her ancestor, a shaman

Kultur: Have you drawn on his story in your work? SRE: I have a story about a puzzling, unintentional shamanic image in one of my artworks—the story practically gives me the chills! I had a college printmaking class in 2013, where the instructor asked us to create a loose, spontaneous monoprint. I’m typically a careful planner for my paintings, so this was a rare work without much forethought. I just created it freely. Once the work was done, I decided to call it The Shaman’s Last Dance. The piece shows the backs of two figures clad in Iñupiat cultural dancewear, holding feather dance fans (borrowed from the Yup’ik tradition, and to me, signifying unity amongst any differing tribes). The figures are facing a planet-shaped dance drum with a drumming stick, and they’re standing on a sort of planetary surface with a pile of three rocks next to one of them. I’ve only publicly shown this work a couple of times. The first time was at Phinneywood Art Walk in 2014. Afterward, I was told that visitors from Asia commented that the three stacked stones signified traveling to the afterlife, and they felt the work had spiritual significance. The next time I showed the work, it was a last-minute decision to include it in my show, Origins: An Art Show by an Iñupiaq Scandinavian [Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery, October 2015–January 2016]. During the show’s run, I received an email from someone who studies or practices shamanism who was stopped in her tracks while passing by the artwork. She said she recognized the place immediately as a place she’d traveled to in an out-of-body experience! I was stunned. She wanted to buy the artwork. I related the story to an Iñupiat family elder who immediately recognized the work as shamanistic and instructed that I should not sell it, so that no one might use its power. I must add that I don’t have any special powers and don’t pretend to know much about the topic of shamanism, except our traditional beliefs to tread very carefully with such things. I’m a Christian, attend church, and was even confirmed in the Lutheran church as a youth, so I don’t know what to make of it all and don’t plan on “trying” to make any other such works.

Kultur: In several of your pieces, ravens are featured prominently. Does this animal carry special symbolism for you? SRE: I’m intrigued by corvids, and The Raven is a subject I return to again and again. I’ve felt at times the ravens in Alaska were calling out to me as I went about my way. Ravens

NEW PROJECT

An Oral History of Blended Heritage

In 2017, Nordic Heritage Museum launched a new initiative called Interwoven: The Blended Heritage of Nordics and Native Peoples. Museum staff and volunteers from the Nordic American Voices project will be working to collect stories from people who are descendants of both Nordic and Native American ancestors. The long-term goals of the project are to explore the blended heritage of native peoples and Nordic-Americans, and to inspire further dialogue, cooperation, and cultural awareness of this distinct demographic group. Oral history recordings and transcripts produced by this project will be maintained in perpetuity at the new Nordic Museum’s Cultural Resource Center. Materials will also be available through the museum’s website (nordicmuseum.org), where they can be accessed and enjoyed by museum members and visitors, history enthusiasts, oral history scholars, and anyone with an interest in the impact of mixed ancestry on family history. Among the participants in the Interwoven oral history project will be Odin Lonning, a Vashon Island–based graphic artist and totem pole carver with Tlingit and Norwegian roots.

OF T WO MINDS

Cultural Exchange Finns discover what it means to be Finnish–Native American

Ringstad Emery often depicts animals native to Northern climates. Here she captures caribou in her painting, “Arctic Caves, Caribou 2” (acrylic mixed media on cradled birch panel)

are strong in Native Alaskan lore as a creator and trickster. Sometimes we don’t know where an interest stems from or if it has a deeper meaning. In art, one may often be led by an impression or a drive towards certain subject matter, finding out later that there is a deeper connection. I’d be very interested if and how the raven is presented in Norse mythology.

Kultur: Your work has been shown in the Seattle area, and also exhibited in New York City and Salem, Massachusetts. Have you found any challenges in reaching audiences outside Washington state? Do you hope to show in Nordic countries as well? SRE: I love this question because I treasure a desire to someday share my artwork somehow, somewhere, in Scandinavia. I’ve been practicing my Norwegian language skills, and it would be thrilling to have an opportunity to embarrass myself while trying out my tiny bit of Norsk. On a semi-recent visit to the Anchorage Museum at Rasmussen Center, I viewed a small exhibition of [indigenous] Sami artwork and I was captivated. I felt an unexpected affinity to the Sami people and to the work, even though I am not Sami.

Kultur: What is your latest project? SRE: Lately, when not creating new paintings, I’m hoping to make time to create an online store, and brainstorming other ways that people can enjoy my work, such as fashion accessories and maybe a puzzle. I just finished a course on kiln-fused cloisonné-enamel jewelry making to determine if this might be another way to express my unique art designs. I’m also part of a group of four women artists of color who are proposing an exhibition to selected venues in Seattle about what it means to be “local” and touching on the subject of belonging, especially as it relates to people who walk in “black or brown bodies.”

With contributions by Fred Poyner IV

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Until recently, the experiences of the descendants of unions between Finnish immigrants and Native Americans were relatively unexplored in Finland. But last August, the American Resource Center, located at the US Embassy in Helsinki, took a deep dive into the subject. The event featured writer Katja Kettu, photographer Meeri Koutaniemi, and filmmaker Maria Seppälä—three artists who collaborated on the recent book, Fintiaanien Mailla (or Finndians’ Countries), which sheds welcome light on this distinct culture. The majority of ties between Finnish immigrants to the US and Native Americans were with members of the Ojibwa tribe of the Great Lakes region. They shared many common values and skills, including an intimate relationship with the forest. Both groups were adept hunters, fishers, and foragers. The communities also traded skills. The Northern European immigrants shared their expertise in building cabins and weaving bark, and the Native Americans shared their knowledge of cultivating maize and the use of medicinal herbs. Today, most people of joint Finnish–Native American ancestry live in reservation communities, and though many feel more connected to their Native American roots than their Finnish ones, they are blending traditions from both cultures.

2017 Exhibitions

Swedish Crime Scenes January 13–April 2

As evidenced by the phenomenal success of novels such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, contemporary Swedish crime fiction has garnered major international interest since its debut in the 1960s. Swedish Crime Scenes, a banner exhibition from the Swedish Institute in Paris, presented an enthralling introduction to 21 Swedish crime fiction authors by way of geography and landscape. Produced by the Swedish Institute, with assistance from the Embassy of Sweden and Consulate General of Sweden in Boston.

Marimekko, With Love March 10–July 9 Oversize flowers, striking stripes, and organic geometry—it must be Marimekko. Founded in 1951, the Finnish textile and fashion brand sparked an international revolution in post-WWII pattern and textile production, and trumpeted a refreshing philosophy based in women’s individuality and the power of design in everyday life. This exhibition features landmark Marimekko works created by pioneering designers under visionary founder Armi Ratia’s leadership, as well archival material highlighting the personal stories and social relationships at the heart of the company’s global impact. Curated by Shauna McCabe, organized and circulated by the Textile Museum of Canada.

Lessons from the Arctic— How Roald Amundsen Won the Race to the South Pole April 7–August 27 This expansive survey of the legendary Norwegian explorer’s life sheds light on Roald Amundsen’s youthful preparations for a life in the polar regions, his first encounter with the Antarctic, the three years he spent with the Inuit in the Arctic region, and the historic Race for the South Pole from 1910 to 1912. The exhibit includes more than 200 photographs, some never before seen. Produced for Nordic Heritage Museum by The Fram Museum, Oslo, Norway.

The Whimsical World of Bjørn Wiinblad July 28–November 5 Bjørn Wiinblad is known for creating the fanciful faces and fantastical scenes that have enlivened Danish ceramics, textiles, posters, and children’s books since the 1940s. This retrospective shines light on the iconic designer who threw midcentury Scandinavian minimalism out the window—and was loved for it. The exhibit includes several large-scale pieces on loan from Denmark, alongside an assortment of works from private collectors across the United States. Original exhibition developed by Arken Museum of Modern Art in Ishøj, Denmark. American tour organized by the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa, and curated by Tova Brandt.

Susan Ringstad Emery September 8–November 12 Descended from generations of Iñupiat and Scandinavian hunters, fishermen, shipbuilders, and a shaman, Seattle-area artist Susan Ringstad Emery calls herself an “urban Iñupiat and a Norwegian who doesn’t look the part.” She explores the rich duality of her family’s blended heritage through her visual art, which includes cave-art-inspired mixed-media works, graphite on paper, and paintings. Exhibition organized by Nordic Heritage Museum. 2017 E XHIBITIONS

LITERATURE

THE BRIGHT DUO BEHIND NORDIC NOIR

HEN SWEDISH AUTHOR Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo roared onto the literary scene, it offered many Americans their first thrilling experience of Nordic crime fiction. With its gritty themes, complicated heroes, and bleak landscapes, the book (along with its successors in the Millennium series) proved irresistible to countless readers worldwide. But Larsson wasn’t

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the first—or the last—Scandinavian writer to employ the hallmarks of the genre known as Nordic noir. This now omnipresent approach to gripping crime stories was started in the 1960s by a romantic couple who created a new kind of police procedural and in the process, revolutionized the writing world. Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall met as journalists in 1962—he was an established crime reporter, and she was just starting out in her career. Wahlöö, who

was already working on a book, asked Sjöwall for help with editing (and even writing) parts of it. Soon they had fallen in love with each other’s words—and with each other. The couple set out to write ten books under the series name The Story of a Crime, centered on main character Martin Beck, a troubled Swedish homicide detective (played by Walter Matthau in the 1973 film adaptation of book four, The Laughing Policeman). Wahlöö and Sjöwall worked side by side, writing alternating chapters and editing each other in an equal partnership. The first book in the series, Roseanna, came out in 1965, and soon momentum began to build. Unusual for crime fiction at the time, the authors give just as much space to the protagonist’s psyche and struggles as they do the details of the criminal investigations. Beck’s physical ailments, addictions, and deteriorating personal relationships humanize his character. Not a stereotypical hero (or even an endearing oddball, such as those found in popular English mysteries), he is worn down by the same worries and woes as any other person. He’s morally flexible, too; his code of conduct is not always a code of honor. With so many current crime dramas driven by fallible lead detectives, it’s hard to believe this hasn’t always been the case, but Wahlöö and Sjöwall pioneered the idea that a flawed hero is a relatable, and therefore more compelling, hero.

Portrait: Scanpix; Background: © Nikkytok | Dreamstime.com

Meet the 1960s Swedish couple who quietly revolutionized the murder mystery

The writing duo further established the parameters of Nordic noir by incorporating the bleak beauty of the Nordic landscape and weather as veritable characters that exert as much force on the people and course of events as antagonists and plot twists. The nights are as dark as the crimes, and the inhospitable climate is a real adversary to overcome in many of the investigations—and often hauntingly echoes the characters’ mindsets. In the vast, uninhabited terrain, one can hide many secrets. But while the landscape may conceal things, the writing doesn’t: Wahlöö and Sjöwall chose a stripped-down writing style, straightforward and largely free of metaphor, that would come to define Nordic noir. In a 2009 interview with The Guardian, Sjöwall made clear that this was very much on purpose, with an egalitarian goal in mind. “We wanted the books to be read by everyone, whether you were educated or not.” Perhaps the most revolutionary element of Wahlöö and Sjöwall’s work was the way they embedded strong, socially conscious messages in the plots of the series. “We realized that people read crime, and through the stories we could show the reader that under the official

image of welfare-state Sweden, there was another layer of poverty, criminality, and brutality,” Sjöwall recalls in The Guardian interview. This was remarkable at a time when Sweden and other Nordic countries were lauded as bastions of equality. Wahlöö and Sjöwall were among the first authors to question this reputation for social justice and liberalism, and to bring to light issues of intolerance, social inequality, and xenophobia. As Sjöwall has said, the name Story of a Crime refers to both the individual incidents and society’s poor treatment of the working class. These carefully crafted writing tactics proved immensely successful. The books, continually reprinted, sparked more than three dozen films based on the characters. But even more telling is the fact that Wahlöö and Sjöwall’s trademark ingredients are present in the writing of so many of their literary descendants. Among those writers is Henning Mankell, whose books (and the television series) about police detective Kurt Wallander have gained a huge following—thanks in no small part to the appeal of Mankell’s temperamental, brooding protagonist, and his weaving of crucial socio-political issues into the stories. And perhaps most

famously, there is Stieg Larsson, whose Millennium series features not one but two troubled protagonists (investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and private investigator/hacker Lisbeth Salander), both of whom battle misogyny, fascism, and xenophobia in the course of seeking justice. The astonishing legacy of Wahlöö and Sjöwall, two writers who met in a pub and shared a passion for writing and each other, is evident in many other Nordic noir books, television shows and movies (see sidebar on page 28)—and speaks volumes about the kind of storytelling that captures our hearts and minds. With contributions by Devon Kelley

Opposite: Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö in their writing heydey; the couple created and co-wrote The Story of a Crime books, a highly influential detective series that remains popular today.

THE BRIGHT DUO BEHIND NORDIC NOIR

DELVE INTO THE DARKNESS Swedish Crime Scenes, a traveling exhibition recently featured at Nordic Heritage Museum, celebrated the depths of Nordic noir by showcasing the many books and television shows that have popularized the genre. For those who missed the exhibit—or want to dive deeper—we present this collection of Nordic literature and television shows, which will plunge the reader/viewer into the deliciously dark worlds pioneered by Per Wahlöö and Maj Sjöwall.

L I T ER AT U R E

T EL E V I S I O N

Wallander (Seasons 1–3 adapted from Henning Mankell’s novels) Forbrydelsen (The Crime) The Killing (American version of The Crime) The Bridge

Television screen shots at left, from top: Kenneth Branagh stars as the titular character in BBC’s Wallander series; based on the Martin Beck character created by Sjöwall and Wahlöö, the Beck movie series was originally released in Sweden, and later brought to the UK by BBC; the Danish crime television series Forbrydelsen (The Killing) features police detective Sarah Lund

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Television stills: BBC; BBC; BBC;BBC Background: © Nikkytok | Dreamstime.com

Karin Alvtegen has written seven novels, including Missing, winner of the Nordic writing award the Glass Key.

Nordic Knitting Conference 2017 October 6–8 | featuring Arne & Carlos!

We will once again be hosting an outstanding group of internationally-known knitting, spinning, crochet, and design instructors. Passionate knitters, spinners, designers, and textile artists of all kinds are invited to attend!

A Nordic C hristmas Celebration November 18 & 19, 2017 H A NDCR A F T ED GIF TS

L I V E M U S IC

* 10am – 5pm

N OR DIC F O OD & DR I N K

PHO T O S W/ S A N T A

HERITAGE

Modern Iceland might not exist if not for its wooly icon

N THE OPENING SCENE OF THE acclaimed Icelandic film Rams (2015), a small group of farmers compete for the title of best ram in the valley. They gather with the pick of their flock at a rustic grange, among windswept, treeless pastures ringed by mountains. Many of the farmers and spectators in the small crowd wear old, beaten-up but still beautiful Icelandic sweaters. Before the winning ram is announced, a fellow farmer offers a few lines honoring the day’s woolly stars: Of “mankind’s savior and friend,” he says, “In this nation none has played a larger role. . . . Bright was the outlook when our sheep felt fine. Black were the nights with the flock in decline.” Everyone listens attentively, nodding in acknowledgment that these distinctive animals, bleating in a corral just outside the hall, have been essen30

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tial not just to these farmers but to the nation—going back to its earliest days. This moment in the film hints at a simple equation: no sheep, no Iceland. The Icelandic sheep’s forebears arrived with the first settlers—from northern Europe in 874 CE. The Vikings knew these hardy creatures would be critical to their survival in the subarctic climate, providing meat (still a staple of the Icelandic diet today) as well as wool. Shepherding, shearing, carding, and spinning were all daily activities that supported these earliest generations. Over the next 1,000-plus years in the rugged, isolated environment, Icelandic sheep thrived and adapted. Today, they are stocky, with thick, long wool coats, short tails, and wool-free faces and legs. They can be any variation of white, gray, brown, and black. Many have horns, sometimes curling majestically like those of bighorn sheep, but not all. Their coats are ideally suited to cold, wet conditions. The coat’s tough outer layer, known as the tog, is glossy, strong, and water-repel-

lent. The superlight inner layer, known as the thel, is insulating and airy, providing superior resistance to cold. When these two layers are carded (or blended) together, they make lopi, a wool that retains all these beneficial properties. You’ve seen lopi even if you didn’t know what it was called. The versatile wool is used to knit the lopapeysa (plural, lopapeysur), the iconic Icelandic sweater that often features boldly patterned concentric rings around the neck and shoulders. The complex designs and high degree of contrast are possible without the use of dyes because of Icelandic sheep’s naturally varied coat colors. While its popularity and cultural importance are undeniable, the lopapeysa is actually a newcomer to the lopi story, and its origins are murky. Most locals agree the distinctly patterned yokes date back to the 1940s or ’50s, but it’s unclear who deserves credit for the design and how it was inspired. Lopapeysur have become a symbol of Icelandic national identity. Case in point:

Sheep: Thomas Quine; Yarn: Lisa Risager; Sweater: Ben Husmann

Super Sheep

From left: a traditional Icelandic sweater in progress; a completed lopapeysa, symbol of Icelandic pride. Opposite: a pair of Icelandic sheep showing off their special wool, called lopi

After the country experienced a dramatic economic crisis in 2008, the sweaters were frequently worn to show solidarity. They represent a desire to honor traditional values and embrace a garment that is handmade in Iceland, using wool sheared from a special breed of local sheep, raised on Icelandic soil. It doesn’t get much more homegrown than that. While textile production techniques have evolved dramatically since the days of the Vikings, the way Icelandic sheep are raised remains relatively unchanged. In the summer, herds of sheep graze freely on vast tracts of land, browsing on edible mosses and herbs. In the winter, most are are kept closer to home and live off hay that’s grown locally. Wool is harvested in the fall and again in the spring, with each season producing a different kind, used for a different purpose. Prized lopi is gathered in the fall. Iceland has one national commercial producer of lopi, called Ístex. The company purchases wool directly from farmers and processes it with a mini-

mum of chemicals and detergents. This ensures that the wool retains its natural oils and preserves the light, water-resistant quality of the natural fibers. The approach also reduces negative environmental impacts. In addition, only natural energy sources, such as geothermal and hydroelectric power, are used in the production of Icelandic wool at Ístex, which means that the final product is ecologically green. This humble yarn reveals its remarkable qualities once knitted into garments. Lopapeysur and other wearables are handmade by local artisans, many of whom are women supplementing their income. These makers are organized into member-owned companies, such as the Handknitting Association of Iceland. This keeps the financial benefit in the hands of local makers and ensures that items made from the revered lopi are authentic. The current challenge is keeping up with demand—the recent boom in tourism means even more visitors wanting to take home an Icelandic sweater. The market

for exporting lopi yarn is also expanding as more knitters worldwide discover this exceptional fiber. Ístex currently exports to more than twenty different countries, on three continents, and provides free English-language knitting patterns (created by local knitwear designers) to further encourage people to knit in the Icelandic way. Even the sheep responsible for lopi yarn and lopapeysur are finding themselves in the international spotlight. In 2015, Rams won prizes at Cannes and other international film festivals. Released in the United States last year and screened at the 2016 Nordic Lights Film Festival in Seattle, this tale of a feud between Icelandic sheep-farming brothers has been called one of the most successful Nordic films ever. It seems not at all surprising that this important cultural chapter in Iceland—like so much else in the country—revolves around these shaggy ruminants. With contributions by Jenelle Clark SUPER SHEEP

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VISUAL ARTS

Flight of Fancy How Danish artist Bjørn Wiinblad flew in the face of convention and became a cultural mainstay

N 1943, FRESH OUT OF THE ROYAL Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Bjørn Wiinblad embarked on a project that laid the foundation for the rest of his career. He was commissioned to create four copies of an illuminated manuscript—adorned with his own exquisitely hand-painted illustrations—for “Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp,” one of the classic stories from 1,001 Arabian Nights. The project was eventually scrapped, but not before Wiinblad had already filled the margins of many pages with elaborate, fantastical art. The work not only served as an introduction to his signature style—swirling lines, vivid colors, and fanciful adornments—but also foretold of the many art objects he would create over the course of his career. As explained in the exhibition catalog for a 1981 retrospective in Copenhagen, in these prototypes “we see in the patterns and colors . . . the seed of his later printed textiles . . . we see, in among cushions and musical instruments, bowls, vases, and jars with multicolored decoration, a precursor of his ceramics.” Wiinblad packed the manuscript’s imagery with tiles, curtains, costumes, wallpaper and distinctive onion-shaped jars—all items he ended up creating for a global range of outlets. It’s as if he had stashed all his hopes and FLIGHT OF FANC Y

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follows function.” Kristian Handberg, an art historian at the University of Copenhagen, says, “If modernism’s dogma was less is more . . . Wiinblad’s answer seemed to be that less is a bore.” But Handberg emphasizes that Wiinblad didn’t represent the opposite of modernism—after all, his work was equally as radical a departure from established artistic tradition—but instead, he took a “parallel, alternate path.” Modernists were unimpressed by Wiinblad’s embrace of mass production, such as when he partnered with German porcelain company Rosenthal to design several table settings. But it didn’t bother Wiinblad that others considered this too commercial, or low art. “Wiinblad believed that everyone should be able to have something beautiful in their home, and he happily collaborated with companies that offered affordable items to the public,” says Tova Brandt, a curator at the Museum of Danish America in Iowa. “He wrote that it was the quality, rather than the quantity, that defined good art, and he devoted as much effort to designing wrapping paper as he did to costumes for the Royal Ballet.” In addition to the many one-of-a-kind works of fine art Wiinblad crafted, he also created jigsaw puzzles, biscuit tin designs, and countless posters for theaters and organizations, such as Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens, the Copenhagen Boys Choir and UNICEF. In 1947, he revisited his initial fascination with the Arabian Nights stories, and created the covers—24 volumes in total—for the first Danish translation of the book. Wiinblad’s wealth of accessible art rendered him a well-loved household name in Denmark and beyond. By the 1960s, his work was known worldwide, and his use of saturated, psychedelic colors and idyllic nature scenes suddenly fit in with the aesthetics

Opening pages: Anders Sune Berg; clockwise from far left: playing card: Anders Sune Berg; studio: Walter Daran; Wiinblad: courtesy Rosenthal-Bilderdiens; Aladdin: Anders Sune Berg; loom: courtesy the Arken exhibition

Opening pages: detail of a sketch for Wiinblad’s tapestry, Fifth Theme, created for The Dallas Apparel Mart

dreams of creating art inside the pages of his first assignment. In the midst of WWII, the same year Nazi Germany occupied Denmark, Wiinblad graduated from the Academy and set out to make himself an artist. Most Danish institutions continued to function (unlike other occupied states), but despair and fear darkened the national mood. The sense of gloom lingered in the years after WWII ended. Through it all, Wiinblad, stubbornly apolitical and uninterested in being subversive, continued creating his fanciful works. As Christian Gether, director of the Arken Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen, says, “It is not the postwar zeitgeist he depicts, but a timeless dream world where the human body is the central motif that encapsulates the notion of harmony. . . . In his art we find a definite yearning for a different, more enchanted, magical culture.” The characters he depicts seem to hail from faraway, magical lands—sloe-eyed men and women with oversize round heads and perfectly triangular noses, dressed in Bohemian garb and often wreathed in flowers. The adornments seem to multiply with each new viewing. Countless curlicues swirl in the background, along with multihued abstract patterns, twisting vines, and trees fit for a fairy tale. From his earliest show, people were enchanted. Wiinblad held his first exhibition in 1945 in Copenhagen, where he showed several of his ceramic works (he did not throw pots, but decorated them extensively), plus the original Aladdin paintings and a few earlier works. Critics found it a refreshing escape from the state of the world. The Danish newspaper Socialdemokraten pronounced, “Here we have the man in all his luster and splendor, bold in the use of technique, exuberant in his ornamental imagination, and cheerful in his choice of subjects.” The show led to connections and commissions that would direct his career from that point forward. But while some appreciated Wiinblad’s whimsical hand, his artistic contemporaries were less enamored by it. His style stood in stark contrast to the sleek, minimalist approach (think Danish modern furniture) of adherents to the modernist mantra “Form

Clockwise from upper left: Wiinblad’s drawing office in The Blue House; Wiinblad with the service he created for the Shah of Iran in 1971; the early illustrations he drew for an unpublished edition of “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp” Opposite: Wiinblad’s green sketch for the back of playing card; a group of weavers in Portugal creating his massive tapestries on a custom-built loom

of the Age of Aquarius. He began earning international commissions, including from the shah of Iran to create a set of dishware commemorating the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. Empress Farah Diba had seen the “Magic Flute” pattern Wiinblad had created for Rosenthal in 1968 and desired something similarly intricate. In 1973, the high-fashion Dallas International Apparel Mart hired Wiinblad to design several enormous tapestries (produced in a textile factory in Portugal), which hung from the upper floors and remained in place until the complex closed in 2004. The works depicted Scheherazade, the storyteller in Arabian Nights. Wiinblad established a home base just north of Copenhagen in a converted barn he called “The Blue House.” He lived and worked there from 1966 until his death in 2006, and invited many artists to join him—both to create work and to attend his famously lavish dinner parties. The home itself (unaltered since his death, it can be toured by appointment) is like stepping inside the artist’s brain. Far from the stark, simple décor of the Danish modern home, Wiinblad’s house is awash in richly colored walls and tile, lavish woven carpets, posters hung floor to ceiling, stacks of books, and statuary, pottery, and antiques from all over the world. In short: an Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Thanks to the current enthusiasm for all things Danish retro, Wiinblad is experiencing a revival of sorts— evidenced in part by the fact that

Copenhagen-based housewares company Rosendahl purchased the rights to several of his designs and began selling dinnerware featuring his illustrations in 2014. It would seem a move that Wiinblad would applaud. Reflecting on his body of work

in 1981, he said, “I have chosen to create things that can make people’s everyday life richer and more beautiful.” By Brangien Davis, with contributions by Sarah Olivo

Wiinblad in Seattle: Exhibit Details The Whimsical World of Bjørn Wiinblad will be on view at Nordic Heritage Museum, July 28– November 5. This retrospective highlights the artist’s substantial body of work, and includes graphic art, ceramics, theater sets and costumes, ceramics, tapestries, jigsaw puzzles, tiles, and textiles gathered from the Museum of Danish America, The Blue House in Denmark, and private collectors. More than 90 works of art offer a thorough sense of Wiinblad’s diverse interests and mastery of art forms, from one-of-a-kind commissions to mass-produced pop culture pieces. The original exhibition was developed by

the Arken Modern Art Museum in Ishøj, Denmark. The American tour has been coordinated by the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, Iowa.

FLIGHT OF FANC Y

POP CULTURE

MOOMIN STRUCK! The roly-poly stars of Moominvalley are

HEY LOOK LIKE HIPPOS but they’re called “trolls.” They live a charmed life in a narrow blue house in an idyllic valley, but their days often are thrown off course by magic top hats, giant comets, and time machines. They are the Moomins, of course, the genial, caring creations of Finnish writer, artist, and illustrator Tove Jansson. Together with the other inhabitants of Moominvalley, they have captivated generations since the 1940s through more than a dozen children’s books (translated into more than forty languages), globally syndicated comics, animated television series, and films. They even have their own theme park in Naantali, Finland. While the Moomins may have been a little quiet lately (the last movie, Moomins on the Riviera, came out in 2014), that won’t last long. In May, the world’s first Moomin Museum debuts in Tampere, Finland, as part of the country’s centennial celebrations. In October, Macmillan Children’s Books will publish The World of Moominvalley, promoted as the definitive guide to the series and characters. And sometime in 2018, Japan—which harbors a huge Moomin fan base—is scheduled to open the first Moomin theme park outside Finland. Curious Moomintroll, loving Moominmamma, adventurous Moominpappa, wise Too-Ticky, fearless Little My—these and other beloved Moomin characters

Moomin Mania Complete your Moomin education this summer when Nordic Heritage Museum celebrates all things Moomin, with crafts, stories, cartoons, and more. August 3, 1–2:30pm 36

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are about to recapture the public’s eye. Are you ready? Pick up a book, check out a movie, or brush up with this trivia guide, which will have you sounding like a true Moomin maniac, just in time for the crew to float back into the zeitgeist on puffy pink clouds. IT ALL STARTED IN AN OUTHOUSE. According to Sheila Heti, writing a remembrance in The Paris Review in 2015, “Jansson’s first drawing of Moomin was an attempt to draw ‘the ugliest creature imaginable’ after a fight with her brother about Immanuel Kant.” During their philosophy debate, which was scrawled on the walls of an outhouse near the family’s island home, words failed the young artist. She responded with a sketch of the “proto-Moomin.” That creature softened and expanded over time to become the

good-hearted center of the Moomin universe. THE MOOMINS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAMILY AFFAIR. Born in 1914 in Helsinki, Jansson grew up in a family that nurtured her gift and inspired her creations. Her father was a sculptor; her mother, a graphic designer; brother Per Olov, a photographer; and brother Lars, an author and cartoonist. In interviews, she claimed that Moominmamma and Moominpappa were similar to her own parents—open-minded, artistic, and gentle.

Moominpappa Moomintroll

popping back up. Are you ready for Moomin mania?

Moomin creator Tove Jansson (here, in 1967) is a Finnish national treasure

THE DELIGHTFUL CREATION HAD A DARK DEBUT. “Tove Jansson turned Finland into a magical, improbable land,” writes English children’s book author Frank Cottrell-Boyce, a contributor to The World of Moominvalley. But that magic is a far cry from the Moomins’ first appearance in print. Jansson used an early version of a Moomin to sign an anti-Hitler cartoon in a satirical Finnish magazine in 1938. “What I liked best,” she once wrote, “was being beastly to Hitler and Stalin.”

1945 WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR FOR NORDIC CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. Not only did Jansson publish the first Moomin novel, The Moomins and the Great Flood, but Swede Astrid Lindgren introduced Pippi Longstocking to the world during that auspicious year. Both were written in Swedish, since Jansson was part of a Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. SWEDISH UNIVERSITIES ONCE OFFERED MOOMIN STUDIES, which is not entirely surprising since the rich fairy tale world sprang from and shed light on the horrors of World War II. More surprising was how Jansson was criticized for

featuring “superficially gendered roles,” such as Moominmamma with her purse and apron. It’s ironic because the author/ artist was an avowed feminist, chose never to marry, spent decades with a female life partner (the graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä), and sometimes was asked to explain Moomin androgyny. BJÖRK IS A BIG MOOMIN FAN. The avant-garde Icelandic pop singer created an original song for the 3-D animated movie Moomins and the Comet Chase (2010). Called “The Comet Song,” its lyrics trace the Moomins’ attempt to escape a comet hurtling toward the planet. The songstress also has been photographed wearing clothing decorated with Moomin imagery. DON’T EXPECT A MICKEY MOUSE– MEETS-MOOMIN MOVIE. When Walt Disney offered to buy the rights to the characters in the 1950s, Jansson refused. She wanted to maintain control. So she started the company Moomin Characters with her brother Lars. Today, the highly profitable Moomin Characters company is run by her niece, Sophia Jansson, who surely must be thrilled by the new Moomin movement. With contributions by Alison Church

Snorkmaiden Moominmamma

MOOMIN S TRUCK !

Year-round kids’ programs at Nordic Heritage Museum 38

Nordic Stories FIRST THURSDAYS

Monthly gathering for preschool-aged children and their grown-ups. Featuring stories from the Nordic countries paired with a craft project.

Children’s Christmas in Scandinavia NOVEMBER Nordic fun for the entire family including: Santa Lucia Pageant, Christmas crafts, music, and dancing.

Breakfast at Pippi’s SPRING

Dress up as your favorite character from the Pippi stories and join us for a delicious Swedish pancake breakfast, movie, crafts, live music, and dancing.

LEGO Workshop SUMMER Annual LEGO-building extravaganza!

Summer Heritage Camp SUMMER

Themed, weeklong camp filled with crafts and activities.

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SEE WHAT’S NEW AT THE MUSEUM STORE If you’re looking for something uniquely Nordic, stop in the Museum Store on your next visit! Members enjoy a 10% discount on all purchases and 20% off twice a year during Member Appreciation Weeks.

Open during regular Museum hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm and Sundays, noon–4pm

FILM

What Is Faroese Film?

HEN YOU LOCATE THE Faroe Islands on a map— about halfway between Iceland and Norway, clustered tightly together, as if for warmth—you might wonder, “Do people really live out there?” They do, as they have since about the sixth century, when Gaelic hermits and monks deemed the Faroe Islands the perfect place to get away from it all. The Gaels were followed by Norsemen, in the early 9th century, and the remote Scandinavian-Celtic culture survived and grew. The population across this self-governing territory of Denmark now hovers at about 50,000 people, all living amid scenery the likes of which most of us have only seen in the movies. Massive cliffs plunge into the sea, quaint villages huddle at the water’s edge, vast and vivid fields of green stretch in all directions, unmarred by modern industrial

blight. It’s like something out of The Lord of the Rings. A landscape this stunning seems destined for cinema, and indeed, prominent filmmakers have begun to realize the potential of this 18-island archipelago. Award-winning German director Wim Wenders recently completed shooting scenes in the Faroe Islands for his romantic thriller Submergence, starring Swedish actress Alicia Vikander (due to be released this year). Wenders praised the Faroe Islands as “green and lovely and protected and peaceful,” and called it an ideal “counterpart to the troubled world.” But the Faroese community has begun to see itself as more than just a stunning backdrop for outsiders’ stories. Its members believe that they, too, have important stories— and that the world wants to hear them. Klippfisk, a Faroese film workshop (named after dried and salted cod),

started about ten years ago with the aim of assisting young local filmmakers. In 2012, the Faroe Islands established their first film award, the Geytin, named after a local who, in the 1960s and ’70s, before the islands had TV or cinema, traveled around and showed classic films with his projector. In 2014, the Faroese government established its first filmmaking grants, and last year contributed 1 million kroner (about US $150,000) to open an educational film center in spring 2017. This past winter, two filmmakers riding the new wave of Faroese filmmaking attended the 2017 Nordic Lights Film Festival in Seattle, where several of their short films were screened. Sakaris Stórá, 30, grew up in a tiny Faroese town and worked in a fish factory before attending film school in Norway. In 2012, he won the first Geytin award, for his short film Summarnátt (Summer Night), and in 2014, won a Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival for Vetrarmorgun (Winter Morning). Although Stórá is shy and unassuming in person, his themes are bold, delving into identity, homosexuality, and psychology. Heidrik á Heygum, 34, grew up in the Faroese capital city of Tórshavn and as a kid was inspired to make movies after watching Björk’s music videos. Outgoing and insatiably creative, Heygum is also a musician and painter. After graduating from Denmark’s Super16 film school in 2014, he won a Geytin award for his psychological thriller, Skuld (Guilt), set in the Faroe Islands in the 1960s. Both filmmakers joined Kultur in a conversation about making films in a faraway land.

How did you start making films? Sakaris Stórá: I didn’t have much access to film growing up, but it was always an interest. The first short films that I 40

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Facing page: Devon Kelley. Clockwise from top: Erik Christensen; Heiðrik á Heygum; Heidrik á Heygum; Stig Nygaard; Heiðrik á Heygum; Sakaris Stórá

A conversation with two stars of the remote archipelago’s emerging film scene

Clockwise from top: Viðareiði showcases the scenic beauty of the Faroe Islands; a still from Heygum’s short, Skuld (Guilt); Torshavn (meaning “Thor’s Town”), the largest city in the Faroe Islands; a still from Heygum’s short film, Waves—A Portrait of Maria á Heygum; a still from Stora’s short, Vetrarmorgun (Winter Morning) Opposite: Filmmakers Sakaris Stórá (left) and Heidrik á Heygum at the Nordic Lights Film Festival in January

made were in film school in Norway. I had made some small things before that, just to get into school, but the first film I made was in 2008 [Ikaros].

to it. For me, it was all the genres in one: stories, music, film. I thought it was wonderful. The first movie I made was in 2009 [Mítt Rúm/My Room].

Heidrik á Heygum: I started early, just for fun. I used to borrow my father’s camera and made James Bond movies with friends. I made a Lord of the Rings movie in school, and I remember editing that and thinking, it’s such an amazing thing that you can take pictures and make them into a story . . . and put music

How has growing up in one of the most remote areas of the world affected your filmmaking? HH: Coming from a very small place and community means that the people who have different lives and different stories live right next to you. It’s kind of a gold

mine in that way. One of my short films, Dalur (The Valley), is based on a woman I met who had experienced this horrible childhood abuse. You can find all aspects of life in a small society. I think that helps the filmmaking process as well. You can call up someone and say, “Don’t you own a red truck that is kind of weird looking?” “No, but my cousin does. I’ll ask him.” SS: Some people find it claustrophobic, and it can be. You become very close to people. I think what it boils down to is that WHAT IS FAROE SE FIL M?

HH: Yes, and although the Faroe Islands are small, it’s very beautiful and has great locations. I brought a camerawoman with me once, and she was amazed at how we could shoot one scene and then just turn around on the spot and find completely different scenery. SS: I remember one day filming Summarnátt, we were very tired and complained that we had to drive so far to the location. It was almost a fifteen-minute drive!

Where are you living now? SS: I live in my hometown [Skopun] on an island [Sandoy] about thirty minutes from the capital. About 1,200 people live on the island and 400 in my hometown. And, in fact, that is where I shoot all my films. HH: I live in Reykjavik right now. I lived in Copenhagen when I went to film school, but I moved to Iceland because I felt more at home. I needed the nature, which is a big part of us Faroese. In the Faroe Islands, when you open the door, nature is right there. When you are used to being in nature, it’s a weird feeling to be cut off from it. Reykjavik was a good compromise for me. It’s big but not too big.

Can you tell us a little bit about the actors you use in your films? HH: I choose to work with professional actors. For me, on set, it takes too much time to show the craftsmanship of acting. With professionals, you go right to business. But there are not many professional actors in the Faroe Islands. I write my scripts in English and then let the actors translate it themselves so it’s a natural language to them. Our language is very small, but it is great to hear it on the screen. SS: I have only worked with Faroese actors and also only with actors that

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have no previous screen experience. I try to avoid having a script in rehearsals and instead tell the actors what they are supposed to talk about. I then change the screenplay according to what the actors say. It is exciting to be part of developing that film language. It is very much about building something, to create a Faroese film tradition. HH: We are in the moment of creating it right now.

Filmmaking: courtesy of Heiðrik á Heygum

for us who are making films in the Faroe Islands, we are trying to see the small size as an advantage. The small size is part of the process.

What is the focus of recent Faroese films? HH: The movies that are made in the Faroe Islands are reflecting our society today. They are about taboos, things that people don’t want to talk about—for example, homosexuality, child abuse, mental illness. Topics that maybe the older generation has not talked much about. SS: I thought about it recently, that we are now trying to deal with things that our neighboring countries have dealt with for so many years of filmmaking. HH: It is relevant to us. We are the last Nordic country to legalize gay marriage [in April 2016], for example. SS: The Faroese people are the second [most moviegoing] Nordic country, second only to the Icelanders—they beat us in everything! But we haven’t had the opportunity to see our own society on the screen, which is important, so that we don’t only get to identify with American high school kids or Danish pop stars.

What are you working on right now? SS: I am in postproduction of my first feature film. It’s a coming-of-age story about identity and who we are in this world. HH: I am working on a sci-fi script, a film that takes place in the 1600s.

Any potential for a Faroese comedy? SS: I can really see that coming soon. We are very melancholic but have a funny side, too.

Faroese filmmaking in progress on Heygum’s short film, Skuld

HH: Faroese films tend to be depressing and gloomy [laughs]—that’s a general Nordic thing. It’s how we deal with the darkness. It’s not exactly the comedy section of the world. But I’d love to make a Faroese chick flick!

By Brangien Davis, interviews by Stina Cowan

Shining Stars from Nordic Lights For the past three years, Nordic Heritage Museum has presented the Nordic Lights Film Festival in January, offering movie fans the unique chance to view films they likely wouldn’t see anywhere else. Many of the Nordic films screened at the festival have continued to earn acclaim—and wider distribution. If you’re looking to add a little Nordic flavor to your next movie-streaming night, check out a few of our favorite selections from festivals past. A film shoot in progress for the Swedish film Nice People, screened at NLFF 2017

2015 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

2016 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

2017 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

The Optimists / Optimistene Norway | Documentary (2013)

The Fencer / Miekkaliija Finland | Drama (2015) |

Directed by: Gunhild Westhagen Magnor A moving, humorous and absorbing documentary film about a volleyball team in Hamar town consisting of ladies between 66 and 98 years of age. Available on Vimeo.

Directed by: Klaus Härö Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a phys ed teacher at a local school. Nominated for a Golden Globe.

A War / Krigen Denmark | Drama (2016)

Metalhead / Malmhaus Iceland | Drama (2013)

The Hereafter / Efteskalv Sweden | Drama (2015)

Directed by: Ragnar Bragason A grieving girl finds solace in heavy metal music, and dreams of becoming a rock star. Won eight awards at the 2014 Icelandic Film Awards. Available on Amazon Video.

Directed by: Magnus von Horn A young man gets out of prison and discovers the local community his crime is neither forgotten nor forgiven. Nominated for top awards at Chicago and Cannes film festivals.

Turist / Force Majeure Sweden | Drama (2014)

Rams / Hrutar Iceland | Drama (2015)

Directed by: Ruben Östlund A Swedish family is on holiday in the French Alps, when an avalanche throws the family dynamic for a loop. Winner of a Jury Prize at Cannes. Available on Amazon Video.

Directed by: Grímur Hákonarson In a remote Icelandic farming valley, two brothers who haven’t spoken in 40 years have come together in order to save what’s dearest to them—their sheep. Winner of 29 international film awards. Available on Netflix and Amazon Video.

Expedition to the End of the World / Ekspeditionen til verdens ende Denmark | Documentary (2012) Directed by: Daniel Dencik A motley crew of explorers and artists venture into unchartered territory on the northern coastline of Greenland. Available on Amazon Video.

I Am Yours / Jeg er din Norway | Drama (2013) Directed by: Iram Haq A 27-year-old aspiring actress and divorced mom has her world upended when she meets Jesper, a Swedish film director. Available on Amazon Video.

Directed by: Tobias Lindholm A Danish commander caught in heavy crossfire makes a decision with grave consequences. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Available on Amazon Video.

The Commune / Kollektivet Denmark | Drama (2016) Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg A 1970s Copenhagen commune is put to the test by an internal love affair. Nominated for top awards at the Berlin and Chicago film festivals. In select US theaters starting May 19.

Nice People / Trevligt Folk Sweden | Documentary (2015) Directed by: Karin af Klintberg and Anders Helgeson A group of Somali refugees lands in rural Sweden, where an entrepreneur decides to create the first-ever Somali bandy team. Won the audience awards at Budapest and Hamburg film festivals.

The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki / Hymyilevä Mies Finland | Drama (2016) Directed by: Juho Kuosmanen A biopic of a Finnish boxer and his much-hyped 1962 match against an American. Won numerous awards, including at Cannes. In select US theaters in April, 2017.

JANUARY 12–15, 2018

For more information visit nordicmuseum.org

FINNISH THIN FLATBREAD by sasu laukkonen In celebration of the Finnish Centennial, the 2017 Nordic Culinary Conference welcomes world-renowned Finnish chef Sasu Laukkonen, whose Michelin-star rated restaurant, Chef & Sommelier, focuses on the best of organic and wild produce. Located in the Ullanlinna district in Helsinki, the menu highlights a rich variety of local and fair-trade ingredients. Nordic Heritage Museum is excited to host Chef Laukkonen as a featured guest for our second annual conference this May, where he will offer two distinct programs: the first focusing on traditional Finnish baking with recipes from his grandmother, and the second surveying the modern practices of contemporary Nordic chefs.

150 ml lukewarm water (2⁄3 cup lukewarm water, or 4.4 fluid oz) 25g active fresh yeast (1 packet dry yeast) pinch salt and sugar 150 ml rye flour (2⁄3 cup rye flour) 300–350 ml white flour (11⁄4–11⁄2 cups white flour) 2 tbsp neutral oil bit of white flour bit of rye flour salt Mix ingredients together, knead a little bit and rest overnight at room temperature in a bowl covered with tight clingfilm. Next day mix the dough well and divide into 16 bits. Roll these bits into thin-ish rolls. Flour them gently with white flour and press down. Roll through pasta machine once with the biggest setting (usually #1) and then once with setting #7. Lift onto a greased oven tray, brush lightly with oil. Season with salt and then sprinkle with a bit of rye flour. Bake in the oven at 210°c (410°F) for 10–12 minutes for perfectly crispy and toasted brown results.

From top: Sasu Laukkonen; cheese and jam complement Laukkonen’s Finnish flatbread

Laukkonen: Anton Sucksdorff; Flatbread: Sasu Laukkonen

Eat with cheese or cold cuts.

N O RDI C HERITAGE MUSEUM RECEIVES IMPO RTANT FUNDING FROM

Norman Archibald Charitable Foundation

Harmish Khambhaita

AND AD D ITI O NAL SU PP O RT FRO M

D. V. and Ida McEachern Charitable Trust

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO.13008

Nordic Heritage Museum Foundation 3014 NW 67th Street Seattle, WA 98117

Mithun, image by MIR

COMING IN SPRING 2018