SIMKA, curators, Sweden
SIMKA is the project name for the visual artists Simon Haggblom’s and Karin Lind’s shared artistic activities. Through SIMKA we combine our knowledge and skill from visual art, set design and landscape architecture.
The core of our work is the investigation and formation of different spaces and sites for human interaction. Informed by the tensions between urbanity and nature, as well as the fictional and the habitual world. The pieces are more or less permanent, located in the gaps, the solitary or disintegrated spaces of the public or private sphere.
SIMKA was formed 17 years ago and has produced a number of large public commissions and exhibitions, in the last years; Gallery Noass, Riga LV -S.P.Gallery, Stockholm,SWE -Galerie HilbertRaum, Berlin -Katrineholms konsthall, SWE, -MU gallery Helsinki, -Korsbarsgarden konsthall, Gotland and Luleå konsthall, SWE. Participatory artproject, Floating Trunks, for European Culture cities2014 Umeå, Riga and Pori – Stegen, City of Västervik, SWE, Trollbuller& Trollbollar, Municipality of Härryda, SWE – Pärlanistjärnan, City of Tranås, SWE -Wonderland, at the penitentiary institution Hall in Södertälje (Public art agency Sweden), The song of the forest, Igelstaverket, Södertälje (Söderenergi Kraftvärme AB), Les Trois Mages, outside Notre dame in Reims for the festival Reims Scénes d’Europe, France.
Set Design for Plateau Effect, As It Empties Out and Protagonist for choreograph Jefta van Dinther trough Cullberg, Tanzquartier in Vienna and Staatsballett-Berlin Their current work includes 10 films under the title True Colors. Based on documented performances in nature. Also ongoing 3D textile project with local participants on Björkö, Åland FI Within the organisation Corners of Europe www.cornersofeurope.org
2014-17 SISTER OF ANOTHER MAMA Cornersprojekt -performance.workshops in coop with Mila Pavicevic, Croatia and Joseba Irazoki, Spanien. www.cornersofeurope.org
– 14 San Sebastian, Spain och Puglia, Italy – 15 Haninge kulturhus, SE –
Belfast Festival, Irish arts council, GB – Docufest Prizren, Kosovo
– 16 Belgrad Vranje- REX & 848 Serbien – Rijeka, Drugo more, Croatia
Donostia/San Sebastian – EU capital of culture, SP – 17 Taranto, Italy
Karin Lind has also a career as set designer for theater and dance with over 100 productions the past 20 years. Simon Häggblom also as landscape and garden designer in 40 years.
Project
“FÅFÄNGAN/VANITY” – Performance/ Walking Act
Tidsflanörerna (Time Strollers), Stockholm, 25 October 2020
“We built a wandering wall with Wallrite’s material as a surface layer, in motion, in the interface between new and old. Where the audience can participate by drawing – erasing – telling every now and then – such as the movement between countries, memories, meetings and change.”
“To manifest our ability to overabundance. Malmgårdens owners in the middle of the 18th century wanted to show their greatness by building a park on barren land at the top of the hill. The site of the former defence facility, Skans. In a similar way, we want to create a design based on a white sheet/ whiteboard that is currently produced in Malmgårdens main building. A modern material and concept that offers the opportunity for idea-based communication. In the past, the site Tegelviken was a shipyard environment that created physical opportunities for communication over the sea. Today, the port consists of a terminal for goods and necessary travel between countries but also as a port for giant cruise ships for travels for enjoyment. The ships reach the height of” Fåfängan” and have a similar function of manifestation. Vanity manifested in modern times.
Tucked between these giants, the landscaped Fåfängan with bowers and plantations as well as giant cruise ships, the building of Malmgården is like a relic from the past. It is a hub for culture and communication, and houses activities that are cultural. Studios for actors, the Palestine group, photographers, music, and the production of Wallrite (whiteboards).
We got in touch with Maria Olsson and Staffan Sahlen who run the company Wallrite and they showed great interest in opening up the site for our project. We in Simka also became interested in the material Wallrite which offers the opportunity to be able to tell a story and erase… transform etc.
The house’s history as an old ore farm opened up an interesting connection to the site’s industrial heritage and
Fåfängan Park, which was laid out by the house’s owner Fredrik Lundin in the 18th century, took on a new meaning for us.
This also opened the history of the now completed Tegelviken for us. Tegelviken which in the 16th century was a brickyard and during the 17th century became Tjärhov for Beck production (which was later moved to Beckholmen). After that, the bay was Stockholm’s big shipyard for 200 years. At the beginning of the 20th century, Londonviadukten was built and the shipyard, which had about 1,000 employees, ceased to exist.
We built a wandering wall with Wallrite’s material as a surface layer, in motion, in the interface between new and old. Where the audience can participate by drawing – erasing – telling every now and then – such as the movement between countries, memories, meetings and change.”