Gaada i Norge
Zine making outside the Bergen self-publishing workshop Pamflett during Fanzinekveld (Image Credit: Entrée Gallery)
Since 2020, Gaada has been collaborating with Pamflett, a self-publishing workshop and organisers of the Bergen Art Book Fair.
In August this year, we travelled to Bergen for the first of a series of organisational exchanges which aim to create a shared experience and understanding of our neighbouring landscapes.
Using this time together, it is our shared aim to establish an exciting new channel for ongoing creative exchange between artists in Shetland and Norway.
Below is a brief summary of some of the many, different artist spaces Gaada connected with during our first time in Norway.
New additions to the Zine Library!
Lush letterpress Norwegian words!
If you are in Shetland check out the new Norwegian category in the Island Zine Library!
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If you are in Shetland check out the new Norwegian category in the Island Zine Library! 〰️
Fanzinekveld
Pamflett’s “Fanzine evenings” have provided an informal, social, setting to discover the possibilities of print and self-publishing for well over a decade now. These popular evenings extend an open invite to anyone to, not only explore the huge wealth of zines in Pamflett’s library, but also share their own zines, and even try their hand at making some!
A whole spread of Gaada editions were present and heavily thumbed through, following a talk by Daniel about the growing zine making community in Shetland.
It was super inspiring to see so many different people turning up, eager to find out how they can start making their own prints and publications!
Møt Gaada fra Shetland!
Gaada editions @ Pamflett
Enthusiastic street zine swapping
Bergen Atelier Gruppe
Gaada was warmly invited to our first (ever) artist breakfast at BAG, an artist-led studio complex sited in the very busy commercial docks of Bergen.
Alongside meeting many interesting and talented creative practitioners, we were incredibly inspired by the communities’ collective DIY ethic and fostering of mutual support.
We even got to sample hand-picked Bergen blueberries - which almost rivalled Shetland’s elusive but delicious haederberry!
Trykket
B.A.G. studio member Imi Maufe then whisked us away to a very special workshop tucked away in the sprawling former Tram Depot of the Bergen Technical Museum.
Trykket (“Imprint” or “pressure”) is a volunteer-run letterpress workshop containing an incredible wealth of historic, rare but importantly funtional, letterpress machinery. It was incredible to see many examples of historic and new print work coming to alive in this magical space.
Safe to say, Aall of our collective cogs were whirring on ways to make use of this wonderful resource in the future.
Trykieriet
Workshop Director Asbjørn Hollerud showed us around Trykkeriet (“The Printing House”), Bergen’s leading non-profit art center for contemporary printmaking.
This fantastic fit-for-purpose workshop opened in 2010 and repurposes former empty industrial space with ambitious and large scale printing facilities. Much like Gaada, these resources are made readily available to local and international visiting artists. There is even a project space for artists to test out and exhibit new work made onsite!
Asbjørn with very large silkscreens
Trykieriet’s monster etching press
Claudia Hausfeld’s sublime screen prints Under A Glisten of Mud
Om Fakultet for kunst, musikk og design - KMD UiB
Last but by no means least, Gaada was kindly invited to the University of Bergen’s Faculty of Art, Music and Design by their new professor of printmaking, renowned artist Ciara Phillips.
It was great to reconnect with Ciara, who we first met in Glasgow back in 2019. After a tour of this ultra-contemporary facility including many of its workshops and the libraries special collection of artist books, we sat down to discuss ways of linking up organisations in the future.
Exterior of the Art, Music & Design (KMD) building, University of Bergen
Ciara Phillips, artist and professor at KMD, UiB exploring the University library collection of artist books
Lithographic stone in the KMD Printmaking Workshop
Takk…
… to all of the artists and organisations who supported this trip with generosity and kindness, and to Kulturrådet for funding this project.
Tusen takk to Pamflett for such a warm welcome, for all the hard work they put into organising this trip, for introducing Gaada to their lovely Norwegian network, but most of all for looking after us!
We look forward to sharing the next installment soon.
Tusen takk Pamflett <3
