Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears. - Pauline Oliveros
Ina Otzko (*1972, Sandnessjøen, NO) works time-based in various media. Through a deep listening and observing approach to nature, landscape and the human being, she explores questions of heritage, memory and consciousness, connections and communication - visible and invisible, longing and belonging. Otzko is concerned with how our individual and collective energy-exchange affects our choices, brings and creates changes in how we perceive and relate to ourselves, others, our surroundings and life on Earth.
Ina Otzko holds an MA Image & Communication (2004) and MFA Fine Art (2007) from Goldsmiths College, University of London, and an MA Sound Studies (2012) from Universität der Künste, Berlin. She is Certified Deep Listening® Teacher since 2022 from The Center for Deep Listening at Rensselaer NY and is certified Yoga Teacher from Ashiyana Yoga School in Goa since 2012. In 2018 she was awarded the Art Award Twendeprisen, was invited festival artist for Petter dass dagene in 2010 and for Festspillene i Helgeland in 2022.
Ina Otzko works internationally and her works have been presented in Norway, Italy, UK, USA, Canada, China, France, Sweden, Iceland, Russia and Germany and is represented in public and private collections. Her nomadic way of life takes her to various places and spaces. She has participated in a number of residencies in Norway and abroad including The Artist Cabin in Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, Arkhangelsk International Cultural Center, Pushkinskaya-10, St. Petersburg, NCCA / National Centre for Contemporary Arts in Kronstadt, St.Petersburg, Vasulka Chamber Residency, National Gallery of Iceland, The Mothership, New York, Finnmark County Council AiR, Vadsø, Obrestad Fyr, Hå Gamle Prestegård, Rogaland and Kola Residency Roadtrip Russia / Pikene på Broen. The next one up is a three weeks residency at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia in May 2024.
As an extension of Otzko's practice she works as an independent curator, advisor and art consultant for the private and public sector and is registered in KORO's public art register. Selected curatorial projects of public art that's completed in Norway: Grønnåsen skole, Tromsø, Community landscape / Narvik Brannstasjon / Sortland ungdomsskole. Active projects are Straumsbukta skole, Tromsø / Harstad Helsehus.
One of her curatorial projects is the well received tome, 100 Norwegian Photographers, published by Hatje Cantz, which was launched at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt and exhibited at the Norwegian Pavilion The dream we carry at the Frankfurt Book fair in October 2019.
Ina Otzko is the initiator, co-founder and director of the artist collective ArtBase Helgeland 66N / ABH (2005), which was awarded the Alstahaug municipality's cultural prize 2021 for having completed particularly significant work for and within the arts and culture of the municipality in October 2022.
ABH is a non-profit artist initiative organising and producing site-specific exhibitions and projects. ABH is promoting projects, which challenges boundaries and critical discussion concerning development of rural places and spaces in the north and how it may affect the local environment in a long-term perspective. ABH aspire cross boarder projects that explore new ways of active participation aiming to connect people, places and spaces for artistic, cultural and critical exchange and expansion beyond what is already known.
Ina Otzko has been involved in art politics since 2008 through various positions of trust. Current board positions:
North Norwegian Art Centre / Nordnorsk kunstnersenter 2023-2027, chairman
North Norwegian Art Centre is Northern Norway's regional center for contemporary art. Our aim is to create interest for art and arts and crafts in the region through a regional and international orientation. In Svolvær, North Norwegian Art Centre works with an ongoing exhibition program and sales of arts and crafts from the region. The Centre runs Kunstnerhuset Svolvær, a residency house for artists located on the island of Svinøya. Every other year North Norwegian Art Centre organises Lofoten International Art Festival - LIAF. North Norwegian Art Centre, founded by the region's artist associations, is a key player in North Norwegian art life and a professional resource for artists, our audiences, public and private organisations. North Norwegian Art Centre is part of the Northern Norwegian Cultural Agreement.
The Norwegian Photographic Fund (Nofofo) 2023-2026, board member
The Norwegian Photographic fund is a fund for allocating collective assets to artists who live and work in Norway and whom uses photography and other camera-based forms of expression. Nofofo assess funds from Biblioteksvederlaget, Visningsvederlaget, Kopinor and Norwaco and the assets are managed by a board of four people with one deputy member. The board is elected by the General Assembly of Forbundet Frie Fotografer (The Norwegian Association of Fine Art Photographers - FFF). The fund's secretary is the administration at FFF.
Arctica Svalbard 2021-2025, board member
Artica Svalbard was founded Nov. 8th, 2016. Founders and key partners are Ministry of Culture and Fritt Ord (The Freedom of Expression Foundation). Artica Svalbard has the world’s northernmost residency program for artists and writers. In house projects includes Artica Listens, Artica Writings and several other collaborations in and outside of Longyearbyen. The purpose of the foundation is to facilitate and strengthen artistic and cultural activities on Svalbard, and to support the development of Norwegian and international art and culture as well as increasing the interest in Svalbard as a travel destination.
nyMusikk Nordland 2023-2025, board member
nyMusikk Nordland works to promote contemporary music and sound art through a number of projects such as concerts, workshops, lectures, artist meetings, film screenings, performances and exhibitions. We want to build up an interdisciplinary network that spans the entire region and increase interest in an exciting field of art. Our most important area of focus is children and young people. We arrange, among other things, workshops and various educational projects where we want to engage and contribute to cultivating an interest and curiosity for experimental forms of music. An important factor in achieving this is cooperation with local and regional actors, where we seek interaction with different types of schools such as cultural schools, primary and secondary schools, but also actors within the voluntary and professional cultural life. The department was started in the early 80s and for most of this time the board has been located in Vesterålen and Lofoten.
Interdisciplinary art committee for Tromsø Municipality 2023-2025, member of the committee
Tromsø municipality has created a joint scheme, where 1% of the overall investment budget is set aside for art in public buildings and urban spaces. Allocating grants to projects and contribute to the planning of buildings and outdoor space projects so that art can be integrated into architecture and the design of outdoor spaces.
Norsk Yogalærerforbund 2023-2025, chairman
The purpose of the Norwegian Yoga Teachers' Association is to promote knowledge about and spread of yoga in Norway, gather yoga teachers and disciplines and promote and develop the professional interests of the members, as well as work to increase the professional competence of yoga teachers.
Previous positions includes amongst others:
The Association of North Norwegian Visual Artists (NNBK), board member 2008-2010 / chairman 2015-2022.
The Association of North Norwegian Visual Artists (NNBK) is a regional organisation for professional visual artists in Northern Norway under the national organisation Norske Billedkunstnere (NBK). NNBKs long-term commitment is to promote and secure the professional, social, economic and non-profit interest of the visual artist from the two northernmost counties Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. NNBK was founded 05-06.06.1971 and registered with The Brønnøysund Register Centre 20.02.1975
The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK), board member / deputy chairman 2019-2023.
The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists (NBK) is a membership organisation committed to promote and enhance the intellectual, social, legislative and economic interests of professional visual artists. As a parent organisation with 14 regional organisations and five discipline-specific, nationwide artists’ organisations, in addition to the Young Artists’ Society (UKS), our 3000 members represent a large percentage of artists within the visual field. Organisational roots date back to 1882 and the first ever national state exhibition Høstutstillingen.
The Artistic Council of Lofoten International Art Festival (LIAF), member 2010-2020.
Lofoten International Art Festival – LIAF is a biennial for contemporary art with a history spanning over 30 years. LIAF is a festival for Northern Norway, an important event in Norwegian art life and an international meeting place. Lofoten International Art Festival has a history dating back to 1991. LIAF began as a festival with a regional and national focus, and gradually developed into the international biennial it is today. Since 2009, LIAF has been under the auspices of North Norwegian Art Centre. It has an artistic council with six members. The festival has no fixed venue, but is created anew each time by infiltrating and exploring Lofoten’s local surroundings. LIAF has exhibited art in a park, a garage, a library, a shed, a bunker, a fishing hut, a private house, a shop, an old warehouse, etc. Developing and discovering new understandings and knowledge through art lie at the core of the festival.
Member of
The Association of Norwegian Visual Artists / NBK + NNBK + NBK-R
The Norwegian Association for Fine Art Photographers / FFF
Norske Kunsthåndverkere / NK
Performance Art Bergen / PAB
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