Wenche Sandra Disington

“Lavvu”.  Northern Sami: lávvu. Norwegian: lavvo or sametelt, is a temporary dwelling used by the Sami people of the northern extremes of Northern Europe. It has a design similar to Native Americans’. It enables the indigenous cultures of the treeless plains of northern Scandinavia and the high arctic of Eurasia to follow their reindeer herds.  I have looked at artists installation work that has built constructions around the idea of home/spirituality, like Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948) “Merzbau. The “Merzbau” gave an understanding of Schwitter’s home that he built into an architect form, but also an installation of elements from his life. Louise Bourgeois  (1911-2010) “The Cell”. Bourgeois built her cells, like rooms of history from her life. They had different shapes and forms, lice caves, prisoners and spiders. She said it was her fight for inner demons. Vladimir Tatlin (1885-1953) “Tatler`s Monument” Symbolism of spirituality. Anselm Kiefer (born Germany 1945) His Installation ”The seven heavenly palaces 2004-2014. Milan. Reinhard Mucha (born 1950 Germany) “Art-Sheep Features”. Edward Kienholz (1927-1994) American installation Artist. “Sculptural tableaux by Ed and Nancy Kienholz(wife ) Installations by Alex Lewis.

A self-portrait represents what you feel or see at the moment it is taken, my material is photography. From the punk movement. I feel it has some similarities to the Sami culture. The need to be what you are, and fight against conventions.

Thanks to Tim O`Carroll, Staff UCA Farnham for help with the construction of the woodwork of my “Lavvo”.

It is hard to say exactly when an artwork is finished (perhaps it never is) I present my final work as two separated images. First the “Lavvo” project and then the Self-portrait “I will never see you again. ever.” At first, I am building a home, but like every bittersweet goodbye, the nomad moves on. The Sami people lived like nomads, putting up their tent/Lavvo for every season, following their reindeers and hunted for food. The black story of the Sami people is their fight for their language, culture and identity. For decades they have been suffering from oppression. The black plates are bending and waving around the room, and it is made of thick cardboard, but if you are very careful, they bend without breaking. The symbol of every human, you can bend, but not break.

My sculpture “The Lavvo” has been a long process, from building a room in a room, with many elements and objects that is related to my life, first as symbols, next the rhythm of the Installation. The surroundings/ studio I have worked in has influenced my prosses and work, like the high ceiling with a pitched roof, and a lot of light coming in from the top of the ceiling. My “Lavvo” is a battle about balance, the static energy. I have not used any material to put them together. The black cardboards find their own rhythm and balance in the wood construction. “The Lavvo” is a metaphor for balance and construction. The material`s own strength in itself. The power of materiality/identity. The nomad moves on.