Konsthallen Kulturens Hus

This exhibition includes works by Architecture of Aroha – Berit Kristine Guvsám, Gunvor Guttorm, Inga Ravna Eira, Jasmine Te Hira, Tanya Reihana White & Zoe Black, Daniel de Paula, Eveliina Sarapää, Grandeza Studio, Jenni Laiti & Outi Pieski, PhosFATE – Mohamed Sleiman Labat & Pekka Niskanen and Umeå School of Architecture.

Local, national, and global processes continually shape Norrbotten’s landscapes and the lives within it. Despite their tangible manifestations in the region, these processes remain somewhat elusive, suspended at the 1:1 scale – the threshold between representation and reality, between projects and their real impacts. Conversely, changes in Norrbotten resonate beyond its borders, affecting communities also experiencing radical shifts. In places undergoing transformation, it becomes clear that space is not a passive outcome of socio-political, economic, and environmental factors; rather, it actively shapes them. While changes in space can originate segregation and exploitation, they can also incite civic communion, equitable processes, and more. What emancipatory forces lie On the threshold of 1:1?

This exhibition weaves real and speculative tales, showcasing resilient practices emerging from context of profound transitions, championing values such as care, love, survival, socio-political re-imagination, and environmental stewardship. The exhibition spaces become bridges, connecting Norrbotten to other places in Sápmi, the Western Sahara desert, the Australian Pilbara, and more, while interweaving narratives from the Sámi, Māori, Sahrawi, and other communities. From the delicate architecture of baby sleeping vessels to the territorial scale of geoengineered extraction, these narratives blend ancestral wisdom with the imagination of current and future generations. The exhibition spaces are reshaped and re-signified at 1:1, nurturing different ways of being at "one to one," either within a communal tent, an Architectural Association, or a displaced office-space. The showcased practices point to fruitful global alliances, allowing us to glimpse our entanglement with one-another and with wider world-shaping processes, in both their challenges and possibilities.

This exhibition is correlated with others in various spaces in Luleå, such as Galleri Syster, the Ice Road, and the city centre, as well as in Boden and Kiruna. We invite you to visit them, read our curatorial text, and explore more about Luleåbiennalen on our website.

Aude Christel Mgba and Bruno Alves de Almeida
Artistic Directors, The Luleå Biennial 2024: On the Threshold of 1:1

Opening hours & accessibility

See further information about opening hours and accessibility on Luleå Konsthall's website.

Many thanks to all the partners and collaborators.