Røst AiR

About

Røst AiR is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary, artist-in-residence, and artist-run association. We are based on the mainland of Røst, 67°North, all year. During the summer season, we move out to Skomvær Lighthouse, half an hour’s boat ride from the mainland of Røst. Røst and Skomvær are situated more than one hundred kilometres out into the Atlantic Ocean from the city of Bodø/Bådåddjo, and due to their remote placement, it has a special Atlantic climate. The average temperature is plus twelve in the summer and plus four in the winter. Røst is part of the Lofot-Láfot mountain range and is within the county of Nordland: simultaneously Sábme and Northern Norway. Røst is ancient Sea Sámi land, which Røst AiR honours, recognizes, and works in solidarity with.

The Røst archipelago has more than 356 islands, islets, and skerries, and among them is Nykan nature reserve, the sea bird mountains, home to one of Northern Europe’s largest pelagic seabird colonies, which has been experiencing heavy declines due to climate change and heating oceans, pollution, historical overfishing and bycatch since the mid-’60s.

We self-organize Røst AIR and run the residency voluntarily with AIR support from Nordland County Council. We are not a “typical” artist-in-residence. We consider ourselves more of an artist collective/community in which everyone on the island takes responsibility for making it a good experience and living environment for all.

Our focus and interests include but are not limited to: Ecological transition, geopolitics, diversity, self-sufficiency, race, gender and intersections between ecology, de-colonial thought and action, post-colonial feminism and queer theory. Site-specific projects, process-based work and interdisciplinary meetings are encouraged. Having said this, we would like to underline that we are open to an infinite number of singular or communal expressions of artistic practices.

Røst AiR is working on alternative ways of navigating, creating and being in this world, exploring, for instance, the post-fossil fuel potential. We are inspired by the coastal Sámi and Northern Norwegian fisherman-farmer tradition and are slowly restoring the old lighthouse vegetable and herb gardens.

Røst AiR still exists thanks to a collective volunteer effort of all the working group members and interns who have contributed since our beginning in 2013. Visiting artists have also contributed greatly to Røst AiRs development; with care, ideas and labour.

2022-2023: Elin Már Øyen Vister & Magdaléna Manderlová, and summer -interns/artists Leon Billerbeck (DE) & Harald Bredholt (DK)
2021-2022: Elin Már Øyen Vister & Magdaléna Manderlová, and summer -interns/artists Amalie Holthen (NO) & Anna Näumann (NO)
2020-2021: Elin Már Øyen Vister and summer -intern/artist Magdaléna Manderlová (CZ)
2019-2020: Elin Már Øyen Vister and summer -intern/artist Kaisa Lempinen (FI)
2015-2018: Røst AiR working group: Elin Már Øyen Vister, Jason Rosenberg, Marie Kaada Hovden and interns.
2014-2015: Røst AiR working group: Elin Már Øyen Vister, Jason Rosenberg, Marie Kaada Hovden, Margrethe Pettersen, Mathias Hatleskog Tjønn and interns.
2013-2014: Røst AiR working group: Elin Már Øyen Vister, Marie Kaada Hovden, Margrethe Pettersen and interns.
2012-2013: Elin Már Øyen Vister with summer help from Ragnhild Nelvik Bruseth, Margrethe Pettersen, Marie Kaada Hovden and more.

Press

Images from Røst AiR season # 5 2017
Images from Røst AiR season # 6
Girls Like Us Issue 10 2017 – Island Life, a diary by Queer Ecologies Network
SeKunstMagasin 04-2016 Drømmen Om Øylivet
Grønn Livslyst i Nordland- 2016- Kunstnerkollektivet Klassekampen – 17.6.2016- Stemmen fra Havgapet
Klassekampen – 17.6.2016 – Stemmen fra Havgapet

Røst AiR is a registered Norwegian non-profit organization Org number : 913 708938
Røst AiR is supported by: