Reorientations is a series of performances by artist duo aghili/karlsson. In dialogue with the queer and postcolonial philosopher Sara Ahmed’s ideas about points of orientation, situations and spatial commonalities are created that orient us away from prevailing hierarchical (and violent) interactions. In collaboration with the American urban planner Jess Myers, conditions are formulated for conversation and artistic work around the concept of “regional solidarity” which stands in opposition to the city-country dichotomy. Reorientations has its starting point in the public space in the countryside of Södertälje municipality and is the start of a thematic artist-driven residency program. Four artists from Sweden, Sápmi, Lebanon and Mexico who are interested in issues such as decoloniality, cultivation and ritual performative practices are invited to a residency in aghili/karlsson’s garden and studio. During the residency, the artists meet, among other things, growers, artists, botanists and residents of Södertälje municipality and work with a healing ritual that starts from the place. The ritual is then brought to a table, created by aghili/karlsson and placed in the public space, where a performative conversation takes place between the artist-in-residence and invited guests. During the spring of 2023, the conversations can be followed IRL and online, but also later in the year as part of a public installation at various locations in Södertälje and the surrounding area.

The invited artists are:

Cecilia Germain
Dima Mabsout
Timimie Märak
Vreni Michelini Castillo

aghili/karlsson (Nasim Aghili and Björn Karlsson are an artist duo who work with various forms of participatory practices and public works. Their work is often based on experiences and manifestations of exile and marginalization and therefore focuses on art’s potential to create mourning and healing, not infrequently through collective rituals Reorientations is a continuation of the duo’s work Safar – a performance series that revolves around utopian realities and which takes invited guests and participants on a journey from central Stockholm to the duo’s studio in the countryside outside Södertälje.

https://www.aghili-karlsson.se/

Reorientation are made with the support of the Cultural Council, the Artists’ Committee and Region Stockholm and in collaboration with Södertälje konsthall.