SOUTHNORD ARTFEST: CENTERING AFRO-NORDIC NARRATIVES IN A TRIENNIAL SHOWCASE
Southnord Artfest 2023, held in Stockholm between 7 September 2023 and 14 January 2024, marked the first edition of a new triennial. The critically acclaimed main exhibition The Threshold is a Prism brought together 20 contemporary artists. Over 80 cultural practitioners contributed to the extensive programme. Curated by Marcia Harvey Isaksson, the festival aimed to explore and amplify the diverse voices within the African diaspora in the Nordics, examining what it means to be a complex and multifaceted human being.
The artfest kicked off in September by launching the artspace with a solo exhibition by Alexandra das Neves Lehmann, winner of the UP NEXT open call. A presentation of the design collaboration with Svenskt Tenn, Her(e)itage, featuring four talented artists and designers followed. October welcomed a solo exhibition by textile artist Ismaila Fatty during Stockholm Craft Week; a performance lecture by John-Paul Zaccarini, in partnership with GIBCA; as well as collaborations with På Sergs torg and Hobo Hotel during the Stockholm Jazz Festival, highlighting the histories of jazz artists Pete Brown and Lefifi Tladi. The month culminated in the opening of the critically acclaimed exhibition The Threshold is a Prism at Kulturhuset.
The festival's rich programme spanned three thematic weekends: Sharing (26-29 October) focused on storytelling, included a powerful performance by Diana Agunbiade-Kolawole, followed by visual poetry evenings, storytimes for children, workshops for youth, film screenings, and engaging talks. Digging (23-26 November) explored archives through film screenings, discussions, deep listening sessions, zine workshops, readings from the Assata activist library, a mini seminar in collaboration with the Museum of Ethnography and a community gathering organised by Black Archives Sweden. The final weekend, Caring (11-14 January), focused on self-care, caring for others and for nature. It featured short-film screenings, performances by Future Brown Space and Ayesha Jordan, workshops with Good Hair Day Helsinki and in collaboration with MDT, artist talks and more.
"Southnord Artfest 2023 was a resounding success, as it not only made space for an abundance of creative output from the African diaspora in the Nordics, but it also provided rare opportunities for cross-border exchange and intergenerational communion. We are already looking forward to 2026!” says curator Marcia Harvey Isaksson
For questions and high-resolution images, please contact:
Georgètte Dwomoh-Appiah
Project Coordinator
georgette@southnord.com
+46 72 833 94 33
Or: hello@southnord.com