The change to DAB began in Nordland fylke in January, and in Bergen in June. FM signals will be finally silenced in the region of Oslo September 2017. Nora Adwan and Kjersti Sundland travelled to Lofoten for this particular time, experiencing first hand the disruption this created in the local neighbourhoods. They sat in queues on dark icy roads, watching lorries being winched out from ditches; the vital weather stations silenced, leaving people stranded. They heard the fears of the fishing communities who are completely dependant on radio signals. Despite access to other technologies, the radio silence triggered fear of isolation in an area traditionally so weather dependent.
 
This exhibition explores histories of radio communication and technology, free speech and community, and how disruptions from nature can take on different forms in human experience. Sounds and voices seem to come from the ether; a vehicle for stories giving rise to speculations and superstitions, fantasies and fear, and how we are trying to define these phenomena through science and psychology.
 
Human chain acting as a radio antenna is made up of a sound installation and a performance. The sound installation consists of a radio broadcast where analogue radio signals and conductivity of material are explored, together with fragments of stories. There have been stories about voices in the aurora borealis for centuries; the artists recorded the aurora sound on their trip to Lofoten. The performance explores this natural phenomenon, and how the human body interacts with radio signals; performed by dancer Liv Basberg every Sunday during the exhibition period, as well as on the opening night of the exhibition.
 
The collaboration between Adwan and Sundland began at the former art academy in Bergen. Discussions about their artistic processes revealed a conceptual and material connection in their practises; a mutual interest in how both historical and scientific discoveries generate important but marginalised narratives beyond the rational. 

Performance times:

Friday 1. September: 8.30pm
Sunday 3rd 10th and 17th September: 2pm


Kjersti Sundland has a BA in Fine Art from Conventry University, and an MA in Fine Art from Royal College of Art, London, National Academy of Fine Art, Oslo. Her work has been exhibited at Museum of Modern Art, Bologna, TICA Center for Contemporary Art, Tiran, PunktØ, Oslo kunstforening, UKS, Trøndelag senter for samtidskunst, Galleri Brandstrup, Hå gamle Prestegård and Artopia Gallery, Milano. Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium.

Nora Adwan has a BA from Kingston University, London, and an MA from Bergen Academy of Art and Design. Adwan's work has been exhibited at GRAD, Belgrade, Galerie Im Turm, Berlin, Greylight Projects, Hoensbroek, Kunstnerforbundet, Oslo, Waterman Arts Center, London, SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin, In Akt Cultural Centre, Serbia, Stanica, Zilina, and Mora Gallery, Bucharest.