2022
Land of Prey – Witch-hunting in the 21st century
The sixth edition.
Edition six focused on the ongoing witch-hunts in the world today, with a glance at the persecutions of the past combined with contemporary artistic practices.
Land of Prey was curated by Tanja Sæter and the Gambaga and Ghanian part of the program was co-curated with Larry Ibrahim Mohammed.
The presentation of Marita Isobel Solberg and Henrik Sørlid was co-curated with Kurant9000.
Locations: Tromsø and Bergen
Dates: 26.09.-02.10. 2022.
Witch hunting and witches is frequently addressed as a romanticized phenomenon of the past.
A ghost. A myth.
Yet we should remind ourselves that there is nothing past, immaterial or mythical about the thousands of women that bear the accusation of being witches to this day; who are tortured and murdered. The realities of witch-hunts are still very much with us.
Why is this important matter not on the worlds agenda?
We wanted to draw attention to the fact that women are brutally hunted as witches in 2022. With the use of activism, the law, poetry, internet, personal stories and discussions we tried to shed light on the situation in various ways, and link todays situation with historical witch-hunts. Hopefully we contributed to some new thoughts and more attention to the fact that we co-exist in a time where women are still slaughtered as “witches” in ways just as cruel as in the 16th century. According to the United Nations witch-hunts and attacks are ongoing in 38 countires and increasing on a global scale.
At the same time we presented a part of the vibrant, spiritual, eco-critical and interesting local art scene in Tromsø, Sápmi and in Bergen intertwined in the program.
As a preparation for edition six we recommend reading the thesis by co-curator Larry Ibrahim Mohammed about the “witch” camps in Northern Ghana.
BETWEEN ALIENATION AND BELONGING IN NORTHERN GHANA: The voices of the women in the Gambaga 'witchcamp'. Thesis Larry Ibrahim Mohammed, UIT.
We continue the ficht against witch-hunting and if you are interested in more information or would like to bring attention to this increasing problem please get in touch on office@coastcontemporary.no
Edition six was supported by The Arts Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassies in France and London and the Consulate General in New York, Music Norway, Tromsø Municipality, Bergen Municipality and Stiftelsen Fritt Ord.
Artists and Speakers 2022

Silvia Federici / Witch-hunting in the 21st Century
Silvia Federici is a feminist activist, writer, and a teacher. In 1972 she was one of the cofounders of the International Feminist Collective, the organization that launched the Wages For Housework campaign internationally. Her books include Witches, Witch-Hunting, and Women, Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation, Re-enchanting the World: Feminism and the Politics of the Commons among others.

Suuk Laari & Samson Laar / Life in the Gambaga "witch" camp

Bendik Giske / Performance at Prostneset, Tromsø

Larry Ibrahim Mohammed / Ending witch-hunts in Ghana – Historical lessons for contemporary challenges

Nora Adwan / Mouth of Ashes (kinetic sculpture at Tromsø kunstforening)

Marianne Derrien / On the Use of Occult, Magical and Alchemical Forces : the Counter-Worlds of Contemporary Art

Lill Tove Fredriksen / The Unwritten Story (conversation)

Viktor Pedersen / To see without man (screening)

Synnøve Persen / Poetry reading and The Unwritten Story (conversation)

Marita Isobel Solberg / WOOLWALKER performance at Alfheim, Tromsø

Ánde Somby / Joik and lecture performance

Henrik Sørlid / Cartesian Nightmare (screening at Tromsø kunstforening)

Silje Figenshou Thoresen / A stick is never to short/too long

Lesia Vasylchenko / Witch-hunt, technocapitalism and visual culture

Liv Helene Willumsen / The Witchcraft trials in Finnmark

Kurant9000 / ‘We are untamed, we live in the ecotones’

BAR DÛ NORD / Performance at Kysten

Marsil Andjelov Al-Mahamid STUDIO

Ruth & Alexander (Ruth Aitken) STUDIO

Trond Ansten STUDIO

Liv Bangsund / KVÄÄNIBIENNAALI STUDIO

Tanya Busse STUDIO

Markus Garvin STUDIO

Kåre Aleksander Grundvåg STUDIO

Robert Julian Hvistendahl STUDIO MBKP

Hilde Hauan Johnsen STUDIO

Edvine Larssen STUDIO

Joar Nango STUDIO

Kristin Tårnes STUDIO
