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.

Program for Land of Prey 2022

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.