Woman Cleaning, 2014- a journey that began in 2014, one that I have pursued for a decade. As a practitioner of the ancient technologies of the ritual act of cleaning, I embarked on a series of performances under the banner of "Woman Cleaning" which traces back to a trip to Jerusalem and waking up in a Jehovah's Witnesses apartment in the old city (dont ask me why?). I woke up with an idea of engaging in geopolitical cleaning, a symbolic new start amidst the weight of centuries of war, shame, and endless violance.
The inaugural performance took place in the vast desert, where I encountered an Israeli tank with a simple white cleaning rag. Since then, I have cleaned diverse locations and situations examining our alienation and our ability to coexist with the knowledge of tragedy. The survival mechanisms we construct, are the defence systems that shield us from the harsh realities of life. Are we unwittingly corrupted by the very act of growing up, navigating through violence and lived experiences?
18 performances is documented with video-stills here
The Civil Defense: ACT 5: PEACECULTURE/FREDSKULTUR A 15-meter-long painting inspired by the frescoes in the Oslo City Hall.The work is to be mounted end of 2024. The peace frieze is part of a broader initiative tied to the increasing despair felt by the global civilian population. The existing systems established by the international community have proven ineffective in preventing or halting destruction. What actions are we taking? Act 5 is a part of Oslo City Jubilee 2024. Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo council and Women's International Peace and Freedom League.
Images above is from a conversation entitled What does Peace Culture Look like? at Nobel Peace Center mai 2024 Panel: Bishop Kari Veiteberg, film director Erik Poppe and former head of the education association Steffen Handal. Moderated by: former UN ambassador Ingeborg Breines and myself.
Who is entitled to talk about security policy? An ongoing, relational, and interdisciplinary project that transcends national and international boundaries to investigate other forms of security politics. Collaborating with different artists, activists, and social commentators. Going into various aspects, an expansion of the security policy paradigm. This extends beyond traditional notions of security, exploring alternatives to addressing conflicts without resorting to war or threats, as well as addressing climate, environmental threats, and the unyielding behaviors of neo-capitalism. These projects, independently organized, converge in a comprehensive dialogue on safeguarding civil society. The term 'Civil Defense' is to be interpreted quite literally—defending the right to co-determination within civil society, even in times of crisis.
As Scenographer, 2023 The Strangers by Albert Camus. Staged at the Theater Oslo Nye and it became a part of Heddadagene, Oslo 2023
Tran´ziSH(ə)n, 2022 (deck of cards) Size 19x 30 cm. By Studio Jacobi & Sætre produced as part of the prosess of woking with the web-tv series AreYouReady?
AreYouReady? /Web-TV Series, 2019-2020 In seven episodes : www.areyouready.tv/. Produced together with my partner Frans Jacobi. My favorite episode is nr 5, The Bullet. If you feel the need to look back on Covid Luck Down I recommend episode 4. Of course, I would like you to see them all, but it demands time and a surtein heartbeat.
Magic of Seven (2016) A seven channel video installation as a gateway to peace ( mounted in a circle with associated speakers) The work shows seven women from each continent on separate screens cut synchronously between them and scenes from various wars. They go against each other and meet in a global network for the provision of conflict resolution without lethal means from the arms industry. Magic of Seven is both poetic and monumental in its form. The work leaves the audience with an aesthetic and physical experience of the banalities and senseless atrocities of war. And substantiates via his own language what it requires of mobilization to dismantle our culture of war. Magic of Seven has only been shown on the occasion of Sætre's solo exhibition at Kunsthall 3.14 in 2016. Some images below and more info here
Soups&Stories 2012-2017 A dialogue based project in collaboration with the artist Katrine Meisfjord and different groups of people in the city of Bergen. The project traveled to Iran, Russia and Palestine. Below some images and aVIDEO , more info please visit the project: www.meisfjord-satre.com/
Green Hijab Movement (2015-2018) Performative collaboration with Frans Jacobi. More infohere
Luftskipet/The Zeppelin (2006-2011) A site specific movable gallery design by MMW- architects. This was the master project at the Art Academy in Bergen for Gitte Sætre