ATELIER POPULAIRE OSLO 

An artist initiative for a new refugee policy. A collective platform for production, research and activism related to the situation for 'paperless' and refugees.

 Photo: Tine Poppe

Atelier Populaire Oslo / Palestinerleir

Kunsthall Oslo, 6th – 27th of April 2012

Atelier Populaire Oslo/ Palestinerleir was organized as a public workshop. During 21 days more than 80 artists, writers, undocumented refugees, specialists and activists contributed. 22 lectures and arrangements where held, and in addition there were daily open meetings.

Palestinerleiren, the Palestinian asylum seekers' protest camp in Oslo, operated as a co-host for the project. Palestinerleiren was, with it's one and a half year of existence, the longest peaceful political demonstration of its kind in Norway.

The workshop was organized with the aims to raise the level of awareness of the current asylum policy and to work to present an alternative. Artistic and political measures were discussed, and strategies towards practical change explored. The project was done in dialogue with the members of Palestinerleiren in Oslo (the Palestinian Camp) and other refugees and 'paperless', in recognition of the fundamental importance of their hard-won expertise. Our aim was to strengthen the fight of Palestinerleiren and of other 'paperless' groups in Norway.

The workshop was inspired by the Atelier Populaire des Beaux-Arts, the occupied art academy in Paris in May-June 1968. As an Atelier Populaire of today, the workshop offered an open meeting space for everyone who wants to work for a change in the Norwegian refugee policy.

 


Atelier Populaire Oslo was developed during Langes “artist residency” in the Palestinian Camp, starting December 2011. The workshop Atelier Populaire Oslo/ Palestinerleir was made in collaboration with Marius von der Fehr, Johanna Zwaig and the members of Palestinerleiren in Oslo, and produced in collaboration with Kunsthall Oslo. 

Participators and contributors

Extensive documentation, such as filmed lectures, productions and press releases are published on www.atelierpopulaire.no

 

Related: 

Beit Aza, a performance spanning three days at The Annual Autum Exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus, September 2012 was created by Atelier Populaire Oslo in collaboration with Palestinerleir.

Beit Aza