Short Bio,
Elly Vadseth NO/USA is an interdisciplinary artist, dancer and choreographer currently based beetween Oslo, Norway and Trondheim working with movement, time based media, nonlinear multi channel installation and art in public space. In embodied and ontological dialogue with discourses in environmental humanities and eco feminism her durational, place-sensitive work and research circulate around sense-making and interspecies way-finding in unstable, shifting land and water ecologies. She holds a transmedial MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University (2018)
Her work has been presented internationally in exhibitions, performances, screenings, publications, large-scale outdoor and indoor public works. Recently at Fulcrum Festival (LA), the National Museum of Science and technology (NO), Henie Onstad contemporary art center (NO), The Museum of Fine Arts (USA) and Mountain time arts (USA). In 2022 she completed two major permanent public commissions: the durational and shapeshifting video sculpture Syklus Memoria and photo installation Ocean Constellations Stardust. In 2023 she performed live at ABUNDANCE, THE 45TH TENDENCIES BIENNALE FOR NORDIC CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS, in the research program Con/CRIT/ Tech, In the Barents Sea in the Arctic and at Open Out Festival in Tromsø.
Artistic Research
Vadseth is currently at PHD fellow in artistic research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology continuing her research practice on hydro-choreography. In 2024 her work will be published in the book Interspecies Performance edited by Florence Fitzgerald and Laura Cull.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Large scale projects in Public Space
2024 Migratory Bodys, Gelatinous Time, Virtual innstallation, Oslofjord Trienale (With Boris Kourtoukov)
2023 Arctic Gestures, Sensate Drifters, Solo exhibition, Finnmark, NO
2022 SYKLUS MEMORIA, Permanent public commission, Asker, NO
2022 SEA CONSTELLATIONS STARDUST, Permanent Public Commission, Asker, NO
2021 Lure of Slowness, Hydrological Rhythms, collaboration with Boris Kourtoukov, Transnational installation
Solo Exhibitions/ Innstallation
2021 SENSATE BODY(S), multichannel installation, DELTA AN OCEAN CALL, Skåne kunstforening, SE
2020 SENSATE BODY(S): Past, present, future, Asker Kunstforening*, NO
2018 EMPHATIC SHAPESHIFTING AND THE IMAGINARY, Tufts University, USA
Duo/ Trio projects/ Exhibitions
2022 Frozen Horizon with Ulla Schilt and Stein Henningsen, Tenthaus, NO
2019 Environmental Tensions, trio Isabel Beavers and William Wan Beccum, Adelson Gallery, USA
Live Performance/ dance
2023 CURRENTS, Live Performance/ hydrochoreography, Open Out Festival, Tromsø, NO
2023 ABUNDANCE, THE 45TH TENDENCIES BIENNALE FOR NORDIC CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS, Hydro-choreography with Florence Fitzgerald Alsopp, curated by Ki Nurmenniemi and Norwegian Crafts, NO
2023 Cosmotechnics, collective performance, Center for Art, Design and Social Research, BR
2018 Cherry River, Where the Rivers Mix by Shane Doyle and Mary Ellen Strom, (dancer), USA
2018 The Symphonic Body Water by Ann Carlson (assistant choreographer and dancer), USA
GROUP (Selected exhibitions)
2022 FEELERS, Towards Reciprocal Sensing/ Deep Ocean: Space Deep, Fulcrum Festival, Curated by Supercollider, LA, USA
2022 Oslo Negativ (Gamle Biblioteket), ‘RIKDOM - Makt, Mangfold og Kontraster’ (w/ TENTHAUS), Oslo
2022 Cities of the Future, Living Together, Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, Venice, curated by Silvia Casini, Camilla Salvanechi, IT
2022 Ungreen/ FELT futures of Living Technologies, curated by Jens Hauser and Kristin Bergaust
2022 Everyware, Cosmic Rays Digital, Cosmic Rays Film Festival, USA
2021 Delta – An Ocean Call, Skåne kunstforening, curated by Izabel Borzeca, Malmø, SE
2021 Mattering Oil - Waterflux Icegut(s), Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology, NO
2021 The Lure of Slowness, Hydrological Rhythms, Kunstrom Skogen, curated by Marie Sjøvold & Jannik Abel, NO
2020 Submerged Portal, Kunstplass Contemporary Art Oslo, curated by Vibeke Hermanrud, NO
2019 DIFRAZIONI,Firenze Multimedia Festival, IT
2019 Blizzard Act(s), Henie Onstad Contemporary Art Center, NO
2018 River Rites, screening, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
2018 An Ecology of Fallen Leaves, Media Arts Annual, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, USA
2018 An Ecology of Fallen Leaves, Open Out Festival, Tromsø, NO
2018 Hay Shifing, Media Lounge, LA, USA
2018 River Rite(s), Inhale/ Exhale, Mission Hill Gallery, Boston, MA, USA
2018 Sanctuary, Gallery 263, curated by Maria Molteni, MA, USA
2017 Enmeshed, Group Exhibition, Laconia gallery, Boston, MA, USA
2017 Betwixt/ Between, Piano Craft Gallery, Boston, MA, USA
COLLECTIONS
Public: Asker kommune (NO), 2019, 2021/2022
Private: Seattle, WA, / Boston, MA, / New York, NY (USA)/ Asker, Norway
RESIDENCIES/ AWARDED FELLOWSHIPS/ GRANTS (selection)
2024 The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Artistic Research grant, NO
2023 BKH working stipend, The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK)
2023 Technologies of Critical Conscientization (Con/Crit/Tec), residency, São Paulo, Brazil.
2023 Kvitbrakka AIR, Multidiciplanary Art Hub in Arctic Norway, NO
2022 Un-writing Nature, Center for Art, Design and Social Research, IT
2020-21 Climata, Capturing Change at a time of Ecological Crisis, residency, PRAKSIS Oslo, NO
2020-21 Bodys of Water, curated by Vibeke Hermanrud/ Kunstplass Contemporary Art
2021 Artist stipend, Nominated winner, Asker kommune, NO
2021 winner of large-largescale Public commission, Hurum health center, NO
2021 Invited for closed competition for public building, Asker county, NO
2021 Sparebankstiftelsen, New Media - Oslo Fjord, workshops for youth,NO
2021 Viken Filmsenter, Lure of Slowness, Hydrological Rhythms,NO
2021 KORO (Art In public space Norway grant ), Lure of slowness, NO
2020 (NBK), Project Grant, The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK), Sensate Drifter(s),NO
2018 Montague Travel Grant award, SMFA at Tufts, Boston, USA
2018/19 Tufts Institute of the environment Fellowship, USA
2018 Postgraduate teaching fellowship, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, USA
2018-19 Tufts Institute of the Environment Fellowship with Mountain Time Arts, USA
2018-2019 Postgraduate Teaching Fellowship Award, School of the museum of Fine Arts Boston, USA
2016 New York Academy of Art, Residency, New York, USA
2013-16 Norway American foundation Fellowship/ Stipend, NO
SELECTED TEXT
2024 “Interspecies Performance” book, Contribution with Florence Fitzgerald, edited by Florenze Fitzgerald & Prof. Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca, published by Performance Research Books
2021 Kunstrom Skogen publication, Edited by Marie Sjøvold, Jannik Abel, Rita Rhodin, NO
2021 The Hills are alive, Praksis presents issue 3, Climata: Capturing Change at a time of Environmental crisis, Edited by Nicholas Jones NO
2021 DELTA: An Ocean Call, Published at INDEX Center for Contemporary art, The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation, artist publication edited by Pontus Pettersen and Izabella Borzecka, interview by curator Vibeke Hermanrud,
2020 Perspektiv/ Klassekampen Sensate Drifter(s), in Submerged Portal, NO
2020 Submerged Portal, anthology, edited by Vibeke Hermansrud, Kunstplass Contemporary Art, NO
2020 Manetens Leksjoner/ Gelatinous Epistemes, portrait interview in Kunst Pluss 3/2020, written by Eirik Zeiner Henriksen
CURATING
2021 Co-curator/ producer, Mattering Oil Intervention, National Museum of Science and Technology,NO
UNIVERSITY TEACHING/ LECTURES/ INDEPENDENT RESEARCH and LEADERSHIP ROLES
2025 Course designer and lecturer, Interspecies Worldmaking, The Institute of Art and Media Studies, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO
2024 Video contribution, Professional practice for grads, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts taught by Ethan Murrow, USA
2024 Panelist, Embodied Geography, Kunsthall Trondheim, NO
2024 Artist talk, Culture Moves Europe, NO
2024 CO-LEAD/ Mentor, Hyper borealis Residency, Culture Moves Europe, NO
2023 Artistic Research Forum, Kristiania Oslo, NO
2023 Artist talk, Kvitbrakka AIR, NO
2023 Public Art & Engaging a community, panel at School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, USA
2022 Visiting Artist talk, Video Installation, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, USA
2021-22 New Media Oslo Fjord, sensory video and performance sea workshop for youth, NO
2021 Sensate Body(s), Hoch Cunningham Environmental Lecture, Tufts University, USA/online
2021 Artist talk with Meera M. Kaur og Vibeke Hermanrud, Kunstrom skogen
2020 Presentation at SENT ( Site, Ecology, Nature, Technology, Video Presentation, Nesodden, NO
2020 Artist talk Catalyst Conference, Emerging Sea Imaginarys, Artist talk, Factory Light Festival, NO
2019 Post Graduate Teaching Fellow, Course designed and taught: Introduction to Video Art, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, MA, USA
2018 Post Graduate Teaching Fellow, Course designed and taught: Introduction to Video Art, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, MA, USA
2018 Teaching Assistant, Video for Grads taught by Mary Ellen Strom, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, USA
2017 Teaching Assistant, Drawing Now taught by Ethan Murrow, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, USA
2015 Teaching Assistant, Digital Photography, Pasific Lutheran University, USA
MEMBERSHIPS and AFFILIATIONS
UKS: Unge Kunstneres Samfunn, NO & NBK: Norske Billedkunstnere, NO
FFF: Forbundet Frie Fotografer, NO
CREO: Forbundet for kunst og Kultur, NO
Mountain Time Arts, USA
EDUCATION
2023-2026 Doctoral candidate in expanded moving image and choreography, The Norwegian Artistic Research School, University of Science and Technology, NO
2016-18 MFA, concentration in Media Arts and dance/performance studies, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.
2012-2016 BFA Pacific University, Bachelor in Fine Arts with a concentration in painting and digital media, USA