Nærsynt


In the summer of 2024, Engeløya in Nordland came alive with a series of events celebrating the intimate and interconnected relationships between nature and culture. Hosted by artist and cultural activist Eva Bakkeslett and artist and filmmaker Astrid Ardagh, Nærsynt brought together art, nature, and agriculture in an eight-day interdisciplinary program.




ENGELØYA FILM FESTIVAL

Artist and filmmaker Astrid Ardagh has launched  Engeløya Film Festival, the first of its kind in Nordland. The festival aims to create an inspiring, rural platform that celebrates quality cinema from the Nordic region and beyond. Films will be shown at various venues on Engeløya from July 23 to August 30, 2024. The program features four Northern Norwegian documentaries and two short film programs, offering a blend of compelling stories and striking visual poetry.

Screening locations include an improvised barn cinema  at Fonn-Holand Farm in Bø, a boathouse at Skagstad, a sauna in Våg, and a continuous screening room at Galleri Sjyhågen in Røtnes—all on Engeløya. A key motivation behind the festival is to find new and innovative ways to make space for art and documentary films in rural areas. Non-commercial films can often be difficult to access especially outside larger cities. We are therefore excited to introduce a new cultural project in the community that appeals to a diverse audience of all ages and backgrounds.






THE EXHIBITION

The exhibition "Nearsighted" is based on the festival's down-to-earth theme and consists of the photo exhibition "The Farmer" with images by photographer Sigrid Erdal, "Found and Refined," a collection of visibly repaired textiles and objects by Inga Lill Fredly, and the piece "Radical Radishes" by Eva Bakkeslett.