Nordic Women in the Arts ZINE
Being a ZINE enthusiast myself I felt strongly that Nú Ninja should make one. I just love the raw, relaxed and personal aspects of the format. Now, the first issue is published, and I couldn’t be happier about the results. It has definitely sparked my interest in making more ZINES in the future. It’s called Nordic Women in the Arts and features seven artists from the Nordic countries that I think are doing amazing work and are worth following. Click here to find it in our webshop.
What is a ZINE? ZINES are a diy self-published medium which have served various subcultures by being a kind of tool of expression, a way of communicating and showcasing one’s niche. They take many forms, some are handwritten and crafted, others are reproduced in a copy machine etc. Always emphasizing a personal connection between creator and reader.
The idea of the theme “Nordic women in the arts” came from Nú Ninja’s participation in The International Women’s Day 2021 #8M. We wanted to extend our celebration of womanhood and share with you some of the brilliant artists we know.
I want to give big thanks to our Canadian intern Benji Raskin who designed this ZINE, we sure hope you enjoy it.
Helga Mjöll Oddsdóttir
Founder and artistic manager of Nú Ninja
Artists featured in this zine
Freyja Reynisdóttir
Freyja is a visual artist from Iceland, more precisely my own hometown of Akureyri. It is there, where I came to know her work. She has since then lived in Berlin and other places and her art continues to fascinate me. The colours, forms and figures…I’m in awe. I feel like she has something special going on.
Freyja works in many mediums; Paintings, performances, videos, installations to name a few. She is very experimental and says that her work is inspired by the things she doesn’t know. Her search for a subjective truth drives her.
Damselfrau
Magnhild Kennedy is a Norwegian artist, based in London, who goes by the name Damselfrau. Her creations are mostly masks and other wearable art pieces. Her work process is very organic and intuitive, nothing is planned ahead. Which is remarkable because each piece is absolutely stunning and coherent.
She uses a variety of materials to sew together each unique mask by herself. The primary focus is on the materials she uses and the history that each piece brings with it. Some examples of materials commonly used are pearls, old tea towels, gold confetti, and more.
Damselfrau’s Instagram and Website
More about Damselfrau in the article 10 Nordic Women artists to follow.
Elisabeth Thorsen
Elisabeth Thorsen is a Norwegian shoemaker and artist. She does not make functional footwear but rather pieces of art. She finds inspiration in fairy tales, nature, art and movies from the 70s.
Instead of using material commonly used for shoemaking, Thorsen crafts her shoes experimenting with recycled material such as furniture, pencils, carpets, drapes, ice, sugar and sports tape to name a few.
You can find her on Instagram and her Website
More about Elizabeth Thorsen in the article 10 Nordic Women artists to follow
Eivör
The unique voice and music style of the Faroese Eivør Pálsdóttir has captured the attention of many people around the world. It is hard to describe her style because it is so diverse and shows the broad spectrum of Eivør’s talents.
She is very true to her Faroese roots, which gives her music a Nordic folk sound. On the other hand, it is also modern electronic music. Pushing musical boundaries is her trademark and superpower.
Laura Itkonen
Helsinki based designer and artist, Laura Itkonen, worked for a visual designer for years before she opened her own studio. Her creations are very much a combination of art and design. Most of what she does are ceramic pieces, jars and tiles. Usable for practical matters but are really sculptures or even installations.
I am drawn to her work because of her eye for stunning colour combinations and the playful contrasts in both shape and surface within each piece. Gives me a sense of youth and vitality.
DJ Flugvél og Geimskip
If you ever get the chance to see the Icelandic musician and visual artist DJ Flugvél og Geimskip live, you should! Her shows are a multi-sense experience that is like a ride through space. Her name translates to DJ Airplane and Spaceship, after all.
Her music is original and experimental, and the light shows are spacey and playful. She says that in her mind visuals and music work together as one. She sings when she paints and visualizes when she sings.
Mie Olise
Mie Olise Kjærgaard is a Danish artist who currently lives and works in Copenhagen. Mie Olise’s work focuses on paintings of women seen through a woman’s eye. She uses her art to change functions and appearances of the traditional women roles.
What draws me to her work is her unique style of depicting her subjects and her beautiful colour combinations. Currently, her work is showcased in different museums and art shows.
More about Mie Olise in the article 10 Nordic Women artists to follow
