Throwback Saturday

Aska
Artist residency Ricklundgården, Saxnäs (Sweden), 2017

Performance exploring the significance of the birch tree in northern Sweden. The ash from the fireplace fires we burned during our residency was collected and used performatively on the final day. Birch ash holds an important place in healing traditions and extracts of birch ash are still used for medicinal purposes today.

#art #conceptualart #contemporaryart #artistresidency #ricklundgarden #saxnäs #västerbotten #sweden #kunst #konzeptkunst #zeitgenössischekunst #performance #intervention #birch #birke #asche #scheibeundguentzel #künstlerresidenz #birken #aska

Throwback Thursday

Since our last project in Finland has now been completed, I will be sharing images from past events that took place as part of our project series PRESERVED at irregular intervals from now on.

Lämpöpaikka

We created this intervention in the frame of a residency grant at platform Vaasa in Finland in 2013 and presented it during a Performance Festival in Seinäjoki in public space. A small stove was connected to an electrical outlet that is normally used in winter to keep car engines warm (Lämpöpaikka/värmeplats) in order to cook jam. The berries used for preserving were provided to us by visitors to the event. During the whole stay in Vaasa we dealt with the berry culture in northern Europe.

#art #conceptualart #contemporaryart #kunst #konzeptkunst #zeitgenössischekunst #performance #intervention #artistresidency #artistinresidence #platform #platformvaasa #vasa #vaasa #finland #finnland #österbotten #ostrobothnia #beeren #marmelade #berries #jam #seinäjoki #performancefestival #sonnenschirm #einkochen #preserving #preserved #scheibeundgüntzel #lämpöpaikka #värmeplats

OPEN CALL
Nordic-Baltic Sound Residence Network invites established composers and sound artists to fulfill their creative ideas, applying for double residence programs. This project connects four residence centres: NOTAM - Norwegian centre for Technology Art and Music, (Oslo, Norway), DAR - Druskininkai Artists’ Residence (Druskininkai / Vilnius, Lithuania), Inkonst (Malmö, Sweden), Sound Art Lab (Struer, Denmark). The artists selected for the program will visit 2 different residencies and spend 2-3 weeks in each of them, working on their projects with professional technical support.

The selected artists will receive a fee of 2 711 eur, travel allowance up to 300 eur for each residence visit (600 eur in total), additional green travel allowance (350 eur), free accommodation and studio space, as well as administrative and tutorial assistance.

Application must include:
1. CV, contact info and portfolio (max. 3 pages) with 2-3 most relevant audiolinks;

2. Short description of the project with the estimated results at the end of the project period (up to 1000 characters);

3. Priority list of the residencies and dates preferred;

4. Motivational letter explaining why the particular residencies are chosen, as well as expectations from the visits (up to 1000 characters).

The application form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHc5qWE9XH8IaegmXwEdZZYLasKjYRpaB7UtDEzKEJ6xQtDg/viewform

More info:
https://www.artdruskininkai.lt/en/news/2026/03/17/sound-based-residencies-open-call/






#opencall #residence #artistresidency #NordicBalticSoundResidencyNetwork #NOTAM #Oslo #norway #Inkonst #malmö #sweden #artist #residency #DruskininkaiArtistsResidence #vilnius #lithuania #SoundArtLab #Struer #Denmark #NordicCulturePoint

Throwback Tuesday

Since our last project in Finland has now been completed, I will be sharing images from past events that took place as part of our project series PRESERVED at irregular intervals from now on.

Apfelblüte / Apple Blossom

This intervention also took place during our Artist Residency in the city of Monheim am Rhein (Germany). PRESERVED // Schwemmland / Monheim am Rhein was realized in 2021 and explored how the land on which the city of Monheim was founded had developed over centuries of interaction with human activity. It investigated which plants grew and have been cultivated, which species have shaped the cultural identity of the region, and what traces of them could still be found today. The focus lied on creating a bridge between the past and present.

In the intervention "Apple Blossom" we hand pollination apple trees in the meadow orchards of Haus Bürgel, Monheim am Rhein. After the use of pesticides led to massive insect die-off in parts of China, many fruit orchards there now have to be pollinated by hand. In Germany, this practice still plays a minor role; however, with the ongoing decline of bee populations, it could become a reality here as well.

The project was realized within the frame of Kunst-Camp at Kunstwerkstatt Turmstrasse in Monheim am Rhein.

Foto: Sandy Craus

#art #participatoryart #artistresidency #artistsinresidence #preserved #schwemmland #monheimamrhein #kunstwerkstatt #apfelbaum #äpfel #apfelblüte #intervention #performance #scheibeundgüntzel #apple #appletree #appleblossom #hausbürgel #obstanbau #handbestäubung #bees #bienen #china #handpollination #sandycraus #reddress #roteskleid #kunstcamp

Throwback Thursday

Since our last project in Finland has now been completed, I will be sharing images from past events that took place as part of our project series PRESERVED at irregular intervals from now on.

Today is about an intervention we presented while being Artists in Residence in the city of Monheim am Rhein (Germany). PRESERVED // Schwemmland / Monheim am Rhein was realized in 2021 and explored how the land on which the city of Monheim was founded had developed over centuries of interaction with human activity. It investigated which plants grew and have been cultivated, which species have shaped the cultural identity of the region, and what traces of them could still be found today. The focus lied on creating a bridge between the past and present.

We visited Monheim in spring, summer and autumn. In our „harvest“ chapter we presented an intervention to honour the Rhenish German coldblood, a horse which has played an elementary role in the development of the Rhineland region. The Reuter family which still breeds Rhenish German horses at Haus Bürgel provided us with Eberhard, a back then 11-year old chestnut. We took a ride with him in the "Berliner Viertel", the former "Neue Heimat", right through the pedestrian zone. We recalled that until recently the area was used for agriculture.

The project was realized within the frame of Kunst-Camp at Kunstwerkstatt Turmstrasse in Monheim am Rhein.

#art #contemporaryart #zeitgenössischekunst #performance #performanceart #monheimamrhein #kunstwerkstattturmstrasse #hausbuergel #rheinischeskaltblut #pferd #berlinerviertel #scheibeundgüntzel #preserved #participartoryart #partizipativekunst #künstlerresidenz #artistresidency #turmstrasse #pferde #horses #kaltblut #eberhard #reddress #roteskleid #reiten #horsebackriding #artinpublicspace #kunstimöffentlichenraum

ARCTIC MEAL
Course 5 // Ice cream made of spruce with cloudberry sauce and grated angelica chocolate

The Arctic and its reception
This final course of the conceptual dinner Arctic Meal refers not only to the forest, but also to a force increasingly shaping life in the North: social media. To reflect this, I chose a gin promoted as “handcrafted by the world’s northernmost distillery under the Northern Lights, using purified glacier water and local botanicals.”

The #gin illustrates how global trends—such as Arctic tourism or the desire for exceptionally pure glacier water—reshape perceptions of the #Arctic. These desires turn the region into a symbol of untouched purity, even as it rapidly changes. The image created in this way reproduces outdated stereotypes and overlooks complex present-day realities.

The climate crisis is transforming ecosystems in northern Sweden and across the Arctic. Rising temperatures and longer growing seasons push SPRUCE forests beyond their limits, increasing vulnerability to drought, pests, and bark beetle outbreaks. Warmer winters and unstable snow cover weaken roots and reduce growth. CLOUDBERRIES, a key Arctic plant, are also affected: disrupted flowering and pollination, extreme weather, and shifting permafrost reduce yields. These changes threaten biodiversity, traditional livelihoods, and food security.

#ANGELICA and other northern herbs are increasingly at risk due to warming, earlier snowmelt, and changing moisture patterns. JUNIPER is similarly affected: competing vegetation, drought, reduced snow cover, and rising pest pressure weaken slow-growing populations and limit regeneration.

The course was accompanied by juniper tea and Arctic gin, with a non-alcoholic alternative of juniper tea.

[Created during my residency at #Ricklundgården in #Saxnäs, #Sweden, in collaboration with local chef Jonathan Johansson.]

#art #conceptualart #artistresidency #jonathanjohansson #climatecrisis #north #västerbotten

ARCTIC MEAL
Course 3 // Palate cleanser: spheres made of birchsap and spruce tea (chaga)

Palate cleansers and spheres
Until this project, I must admit I had no idea what a palate cleanser was and had never eaten “spheres” in my life. Now I know that a palate cleanser is something that you eat or drink between dishes to refresh your taste buds and remove lingering flavours to prepare for the next course. And "spheres" are small, round "bubbles" created by "spherification" (liquid is formed into a gel-like ball, often with a liquid center).

The third course we served during the conceptual dinner "Arctic Meal" at Ricklundgården focused on the #FOREST. The spheres were served on snow.

#BIRCHES & #SPRUCES in the North are increasingly stressed by climate change. Warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons initially promote growth, but also increase drought stress and vulnerability to pests such as the bark beetle (spruce) and moth (birch). Reduced snow cover and more frequent storms weaken root stability (esp. spruces), while shifting climate conditions disrupt forest resilience.

#CHAGA MUSHROOM is indirectly affected by climate change through increasing stress on its host trees, mainly birch (see above).

We served a homemade #Angelica Schnaps and water with spruce ice cubes (non-alcoholic).

[I was an artist in residence at #Ricklundgården in #Saxnäs, Sweden for the last weeks and created a conceptual meal ("Arctic Meal") in cooperation with the local chef Jonathan Johansson illustrating the impacts of the climate crisis on northern #Sweden and the #Arctic. Through the meal, I sought to reflect how environmental transformation reshapes not only landscapes and ecosystems, but also cultural practices, traditions, and identities.

#art #conceptualart #jonathanjohansson #climatecrisis #sweden #västerbotten #artistinresidence #artistresidency #konzeptkunst #klimakrise #food #sphere #moleculargastronomy #molekularküche

ARCTIC MEAL
Course 1 // Kelpsalad, kelp kaviar, coral flan, soya aged egg yolk, smoky wasabi foam

For each course of the dinner, we identified a selection of key ingredients that formed the foundation of the dish. Complementary ingredients were then carefully chosen to complete and refine each course.

In northern and Arctic regions, #ALGAE are strongly affected by climate change. Rising sea temperatures, melting sea ice, and ocean acidification alter light conditions, nutrient cycles, and habitats. Ice-dependent microalgae lose their living space as sea ice retreats, while COLD-WATER #KELP FORESTS are stressed by warming and increased storm activity.

ARCTIC COLD-WATER #CORALS are affected by the climate crisis through a combination of environmental and human-driven changes. Rising ocean temperatures disrupt the narrow thermal tolerance of these corals, negatively affecting their growth and reproduction. At the same time, ocean acidification, which is particularly pronounced in cold waters, hampers the formation of their calcium carbonate skeletons and weakens existing reef structures.

WHEAT farming in northern regions is threatened by the climate crisis mainly through more frequent extreme weather. Warmer winters reduce snow cover, which exposes winter wheat to frost damage. Increased rainfall causes waterlogging and fungal diseases, while heat waves during summer shorten grain filling and lower yields. We used the #wheat to create the coral flans.

We served SWEDISH WHITE WINE with the course. Due to global warming, it is now possible to grow wine in southern Sweden.

[I was an artist in residence at #Ricklundgården in #Saxnäs, Sweden for the last weeks and created a conceptual meal ("Arctic Meal") in cooperation with the local chef Jonathan Johansson illustrating the impacts of the climate crisis on northern Sweden and the Arctic].

#conceptualart #climatecrisis #jonathanjohansson #arctic #art #klimakrise #sweden #arcticmeal #artistresidency #västerbotten

ARCTIC MEAL
A conceptual dinner illustrating the impacts of the climate crisis on northern Sweden and the Arctic (by Swaantje Güntzel & Jonathan Johansson)

For the past six weeks, I have been an artist in residence at Ricklundgården in Saxnäs, Sweden. I had already been there a year earlier to talk to the local people about whether they observe changes in winter, snow and the behaviour of ice, and if so, how these changes affect them personally.

This stay was intended as a kind of artistic research with an open outcome and was still integrated in my research as an art fellow at RIFS Forschungsinstitut für Nachhaltigkeit | am GFZ. The loose ends of these conversations finally came together when I met the chef Jonathan Johansson, who lives in Saxnäs himself. He agreed to my idea of designing a meal together that would reflect how northern Sweden and the Arctic are affected by the climate crisis. The climate reality on a plate. Since my arrival in Saxnäs in December, we have met regularly to decide which ingredients work best, which spheres we want to include (ocean, forest, soil, social media) and how we can realise the project in practical terms.

In the end, we served five courses in the residence's studio, each course representing the ongoing changes caused by climate change for plants, animals, the sea, the lakes, the rivers, farmers and, ultimately, us.

Over the next few days, I will present each course individually.

The dinner "Arctic Meal" took place on Saturday, January 24th, 2026 at Folke´s studio / Ricklundgården. 10 people of the village were invited, including our current artist neighbour from Ukraine.

#art #conceptualart #konzeptkunst #artistresidency #ricklundgarden #saxnäs #sweden #schweden #västerbotten #künstlerresidenz #arcticmeal #jonathanjohansson #climatecrisis #klimakrise #winter #snow #schnee #arktis #arctic #norden #north #klimawandel