Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide

Black-legged Kittiwake. Performance by Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide during the second edition in 2018. Photo: Laimonas Puisys
Black-legged Kittiwake. Performance by Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide during the second edition in 2018. Photo: Laimonas Puisys

HANAN BENAMMAR & ESPEN SOMMER EIDE
Black-legged Kittiwake (Nusfjord 4/09/2018)

Sound performance
October 21, at 8PM / Svolvær, Lofoten / Free

The voice of the black-legged seagull is a characteristic, mewing “kitti-wake”, from which its English name is derived. During a field-recording journey in Lofoten in September 2018, artists Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide recorded the remaining small population of black-legged kittiwakes living in Nusfjord. Due to environmental changes, the population is in rapid decline, and is estimated to be extinct within the next decade. For their live sound performance, the artists play field-recordings while attempting to echo the birds’ sounds on various acoustic instruments.

Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide behind the scenes
Hanan Benammar and Espen Sommer Eide behind the scenes


Espen Sommer Eide (b. 1972) is a Norwegian composer, musician and artist based in Bergen. His work investigates themes ranging from linguistic to sensory biology, including the invention of new scientific and musical instruments for performative fieldwork.

Performace Location
Performance Location


Hanan Benammar (b. 1989) is a French and Algerian artist based in Oslo. Most of her works are durational processes that unfold on a life-time scale. Benammar explores information that spans from botanical, geopolitical to anthropological or sociological studies of landscapes.
Kenneth Varpe head of digital presentation serving up hot drinks pre-performance.
Kenneth Varpe head of digital presentation serving up hot drinks pre-performance.

Black legged kittiwake (nusfjord 4 09 2018). hanan benammar and espen sommer eide
Black-legged Kitti Wakee