Interdisciplinary artist, composer, forager/farmer and land defender Elin Már Øyen Vister presents the performance lecture When nature becomes silent – listening to the loss of biodiversity and climate change in the Røst archipelago.

For this special collaboration between Borealis and Varmere Våtere Villere, Elin Már brings together their research and artistic practice with a focus on Vedøya bird mountain which lost their Guillemot population in the 2000´s and later the Kittiwakes in 2020. What is the story of Vedøya? What happened, and what can we do about it? How do we grieve a bird mountain - and loss of nature? In this performative lecture combining deep listening, dialogue, a musical performance and visuals, Elin Már’s ongoing artistic practice and longtime engagement addresses these topics and what it means for Northern Norway / Sábme and beyond. 

Elin Már is a genderqueer Norwegian artist based in the Røst archipelago, the westernmost part of the Lofot/Lofuohhta islands in Sábme/The north of Norway. Their artistic research practice is slow-moving, curious, and site-specific, inspired by Deep Listening, intersectional and eco feminist perspectives, social justice movements and Indigenous philosophy and methodologies.

Elin Már has spent the past 15 years listening to and getting to know the seabird mountains of the Røst Archipelago. Elin Már began recording the soundscapes of Røst and interviewing locals in 2010 and eventually moved to Røst, to be present and be a dedicated earwitness in early 2015. Elin Már also founded Røst AiR – an artist residency on Skomvær Lighthouse and Røstlandet in 2012.

Presented in collaboration with Borealis - en festival for eksperimentell musikk.

Supported by the Fritt Ord Foundation.

Entrance: free and open to all.