“Many -below and above the arctic circle have an interest in seeing the Arctic just as a big ball of ice-cream: strawberry pink of polar skies and creamy white of snowy forests. This is a phenomenon, known as ‘Arctification’, by which partial and simplistic views and ideas are fabricated, imposed and sustained on the Arctic, to suit political and economical agendas (take, for instance, the winter tourism industry) and/or a widespread naive sentimentality. The peoples living in the region, its rich traditions and culture, get reduced, through this oversimplification, as an exotic other, a barren wintery destination, or a geopolitical periphery -in ways that remind us too much to the postulates that Edward W. Said discussed in his work Orientalism.”
Misha del Val

‘Wiping the Ice-Cream Off your Face’ 
An artistic dialogue on De-Arctification

‘Wiping the Ice-Cream Off your Face’ is an art exhibition involving a dialogue between invited artists from the Nordic countries and a selection of artists from the Artists’ Association of Lapland, on the theme of De-Arctification. The exhibition, held at Galleria Valo, Arktikum, in Rovaniemi from 11th of June to 13th of August 2021, marks 30 years of activity of the Artists’ Association of Lapland.

The project is jointly put together by Kittilä-based artist/curator Misha del Val and Arctic Culture Lab – Greenland, Artistic Director, Andreas Hoffmann, in close collaboration with the Artists’ Association of Lapland. It presents the work of 35 artists: 9 artists from all Nordic countries (including Greenland, Faroe Islands and Åland) plus Russia, alongside 26 artists belonging to the Artists’ Association of Lapland. (Please find full list of artists on the poster/invitation attached)

On the whole, ‘Wiping the Ice-Cream Off your Face’ aims at reconsidering notions about the North and contemporary Arctic culture outside the mainstream, conventional way of thinking, in a process we are calling ‘De-arctification’:

The ‘De-arcticfication’ forces are directed towards promoting perspectives on the multi-layered complexity of the North and broadening any provisional definition about an Arctic identity. Artists in the exhibition reflect on the reality, create up-to-date understandings, and share perspectives on the Nordic Arctic as a place to live, work and raise our children, culturally able and robust.

The exhibition is funded by the Nordic Cultural Fund, The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, Lapland University and the Nordic Institute of Greenland.

Participainting artists:

Amanda Riffo (IS)
Arttu Nieminen (FI)
Eliina Hurtig (FI)
Friday Milk (RU)
Hanna Kanto (FI)
Henri Hagman (FI)
Jaakko Heikkilä (FI)
Jouko Alapartanen (FI)
Julie Edel Hardenberg (GL)
Kaija Kiuru (FI)
Karoliina Paatos (FI)
Konsta Huusko (FI)
Leila Lipiainen (FI)
Mari Oikarinen (FI)
​Maria Huhmarniemi (FI)
Mariane Lyngsø and Pia Möller-Light (DK)
​Mario Pernu (FI)
​Minna Linja (FI)

Outi Pieski (Sapmi/FI)
Panu Johansson (FI)
Peter Winquist (Åland)
Pirkko Mäkelä-Haapalinna (FI)
Raisa Raekallio (FI)
Randi Samsonsen (FO)
Risto Immonen (FI)
Seija Ulkuniemi (FI)
Sanna Haimila (FI)
Satu Kalliokuusi (FI)
Savu Korteniemi (FI)
​Solveig Ovanger (NO)
Timo Jokela (FI)
Tomas Colbengtson (Sapmi/SE)
Tuomas Korkalo (FI)