May 11 STHLM DANS: Labour & Movement / Linda Blomqvist & Anna Johansson
A participative dance manifestation for all to join at Sergels torg!
Labour & Movement utilizes dance as a capacity for protest and political mobilization. It views dance as a powerful expression for political struggle that can emulate and communicate our concerns, ideological values, demands and enforce change. The performance will take place at Sergels torg – a public space with a strong history of collective organization and gathering, in the city center, the very heart of Stockholm.
The performance examines the various strategies and expressions of the labour movement such as strikes, boycotts, demonstrations, manifestations and protests both from a cultural, social, political and choreographic perspective. It explores the potential of mobilization and collective organization. Examines both the labor aspect and movement aspect of dance as an artistic practice and affirms movement literally and figuratively.
The Swedish art scene is in a state of emergency. With huge budget cuts, rules and policies of the unemployment fund, which reflects poorly the reality of the field and the labor market at large in a gig economy. Censorship, instrumentalization and regulations, are stifling artistic freedom and the art scene at large. Labour & Movement strives towards artistic freedom and resists the marketization and commercialisation of art. A strong culture and art scene is imperative for a free, diverse and democratic society.
Free admission
May 11 at 1pm
Sergels torg
Do you as a cultural worker want to contribute to Labour & Movement
It is more urgent than ever that we join forces, unite, mobilize and request change. Together!
Labour & Movement is one initiative to do so.
We call on all cultural workers to join forces at Sergels torg May 11th! We invite all culture workers and culture institutions in any field to participate with your own voice. We’d like to hear your thoughts about the state of art in our current cultural political climate.
– Are you, as a cultural worker, affected by political cutbacks within the cultural sector?
– Does it affect you economically, psychosocially, or environmentally?
– Do you, as a cultural worker, feel like you have artistic freedom or do you feel pressure to create in line with political guidelines and art market trends?
Send us your contributions in any form: a manifest, a love letter to art, questions, statements and concerns to: labourandmovement@gmail.com
Your voice will be part of Labour & Movement at Sergels torg on May 11 as part of the festival STHLM Dans. The contributions will be distributed through flyers at Sergels torg on the day of the manifestation and will later on be published in a fanzine anthology that will be shared with the cultural minister.
Your voice and presence are important to us, the field and the whole culture sector. Hope to hear from you and see you on May 11th!
Linda Blomqvist & Anna Johansson in collaboration with Weld, STHLM DANS and SKH
Don´t miss the talk Protesting for Dance på Dansmuseet
LINDA BLOMQVIST
is based in Stockholm. Her practice oscillates between dance, choreography, performance, curation, text production, publication and teaching. The work aims to expand the notion of choreography with a focus on alternative modes of production, process and practice from a speculative viewpoint taking various forms and expressions. Linda studied dance at The Royal Swedish Ballet School 1995-2004 and at P.A.R.T.S 2008-2010. She’s been working with artists such as Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Mårten Spångberg, Florentina Holtzinger and Philip Berlin to name a few. Linda initiated and ran Indigo Dance – a platform for dance practitioners together with Emma Daniel, Anna Gaiotti and Adriano Wilfert Jensen between 2013-2016.
ANNA JOHANSSON
is a visual artist based in Stockholm. She received an MA from the Umeå Academy of Fine Arts 2014. The public space and nature is often represented in her performance and filmmaking. Themes such as rituals, repetitive behavior and questions are recurrent in her practice. She looks at the concept of repetitive behavior from different angles, her religious childhood history, the digital and the military. Anna both directs and takes parts in her performances. She has, among other things, participated in exhibitions as Manifesta 10 on Board from Helsinki to St Petersburg, PS2 Gallery i Belfast, Charlottenborg spring exhibition, Performance på Zoom by Riksförbundet av Sveriges Konstföreningar, performancefestivalen, 13festivalen, Mörby Gård Konst and Bonniers Konsthall. Together with Daniel Torarp she runs the art association Defib Art.
Labour & Movement is a part of STHLM DANS, an international contemporary dance festival taking place in Stockholm region 2-12 May 2024. STHLM DANS places dance in new contexts, creating new opportunities for diverse dance artists to present creative formats and bold ideas. https://sthlmdans.se
Weld is supported by Stockholms stad, the Swedish Arts Council and Region Stockholm