Sissel M Bergh (b. 1974) is a Sámi Norwegian artist, researcher and filmmaker whose interdisciplinary practice explores the need for humanity to renew its relationship with the world, the land, memory, power and magic.
Among her recurring themes is the way social relations and official readings of history have been shaped by an interplay of myth, facts and willful lies.
Through her study of the South Sámi language, Bergh examines the cross-fertilization of South Sámi and Norwegian culture, exposing the political motives behind colonialist attempts to suppress South Sámi influences in Norwegian and Swedish culture. In Bergh’s practice, history and land are archived in language, and linguistic lore serves as a tool for uncovering layers of the past and reconnecting with the land.
Bergh’s installation in Helsinki Biennial consists of an elkskin tent enclosing a heart-shaped light. The drawings and inscriptions on the elkskin illustrate a key narrative of Sámi pre-colonial cosmology.
Artwork location: HAM Helsinki Art Museum
Photo: Jana Pavlova