Korpilombolo kulturförening

The Luleå Biennial hosts a series of collaborations with Korpilombolo kulturförening which will contribute to the programme for the 18th edition of the European Festival of the Night. Korpilombolo kulturförening contributes to the development of the area through their many activities, which include efforts to further public education by providing opportunities to participate in a variety of crafts, materialising the Meänkieli culture and history native to the region, and organising Swedish lessons. The association also maintains a collection of ranas, a selection of which will be shown at Galleri Syster during the exhibition period of the Luleå Biennial. A ranais a woven fabric that has strong local ties to Norrbotten. The tradition originated in the North of Norway, where the Sea Sami wove their ranas out of coarse wool, and used them to make their goahti, or huts. In other contexts, ranas came to be used as bedcovers, although this style was thinner, and woven in a loom with a horizontal warp. Today, these fabrics are most commonly used as wall decorations, with stripy designs woven from wool. A bread bin that usually spends its days in the restaurant in the Korpilombolo arts centre is shown alongside the ranas. It was made by the woodcarver Tekeste Solomon Gebremariam. The bread bin and its many languages serves as a beautiful symbol of the diversity and humility of the association itself.

Tekeste Solomon Gebremariam has studied architecture, archeology and restoration of art and museum objects as well as worked at the National Museum of Eritrea. He currently lives and works in Korpilombolo where his wood carvings are part of the local visual culture.