Take a walk at night. Walk so silently that the bottoms of your feet become ears.- Pauline Oliveros

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Ina Otzko is an interdisciplinary artist with roots from an island in Northern Norway. Growing up by the sea, surrounded by nature and living with the seasons affects how she encounters life. She pursues a nomadic studio based practice national and international, and has participated in numerous residency programs and exhibitions. Through photography, video, sound, performance, text, and sculpture, she engages with significant ecological and societal concerns. Her work delves into temporality and the intricate web connecting individuals, humanity, and the environment. Otzko's projects explore the multifaceted nature of human connection – to ourselves, our history, our emotions, and the wider web of life. She draws inspiration from historical artistic traditions, philosophy and contemporary issues and her personal experiences. Her work is profoundly shaped by silence, deep listening, chaos, and movement. Her ongoing quest for truth and a holistic understanding of what it means to be human and coexist with nature on a changing Earth, leads her mission to create art that invites connection, dialogue, reflection and contemplation, while also seeking to provoke thought and offer new perspectives for the viewer. 

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Otzko's extensive academic background includes dual Masters degrees from Goldsmiths College, University of London – an MA in Image & Communication (2004) and an MFA in Fine Art (2007) – alongside a further MA in Sound Studies (2012) from Universität der Künste, Berlin. She is also a certified Deep Listening® Teacher, from The Center for Deep Listening at Rensselaer, NY (2022).

 

Extending beyond her individual artistic creations, Otzko actively works as an independent curator, advisor, and art consultant for both private and public sectors. A notable curatorial achievement is the highly acclaimed publication, 100 Norwegian Photographers, published by Hatje Cantz. This significant work was launched at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt and subsequently exhibited at the Norwegian Pavilion, titled "The dream we carry," during the Frankfurt Book Fair in October 2019.

 

Ina Otzko is the initiator, co-founder, and director of the artist collective ArtBase Helgeland 66N / ABH (established in 2005). ABH's significant contributions to the arts and culture of the Alstahaug municipality were recognized with the municipality's cultural prize in October 2022. ABH is a non-profit artist initiative organizing 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.

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Ina Otzko has been actively involved in art politics since 2008, serving in various positions of trust within the art community. 

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​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.

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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.

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nyMusikk Nordland 2023-2027, 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.

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Previous positions includes amongst others:

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North Norwegian Art Centre / Nordnorsk kunstnersenter 2023-2025, 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.​

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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.

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BKV / Billedkunstnernes Vederlagsfond 2023-2025, board member deputy

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National Jury 2023-2025 - Statens Kunstutstilling / Norwegian State Autumn Exhibition, jury member deputy

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Norsk Yogalærerforbund 2023-2024, 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.

 

The Association of North Norwegian Visual Artists (NNBK) board member 2008-2010 / chairman 2015-2022 (four periods)

​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

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During the period as chair she arranged the production of 3 catalogues for NNBK / NKNN - LOOK NORTH, edited and produced 2 of them. For the 50 year jubilee in 2021 she arranged together with the board a series of exhibitions for promoting the members of NNBK at Bodø kunstforening, Tromsø kunstforening, Galleri Nord-Norge, Terminal B, Samisk senter for samtidskunst, Galleri 2, Vadsø kunstforening, Atelier Nord / Oslo.

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LOOK NORTH - What are we talking about 2017

LOOK NORTH - A Horizontal state of mind 2019

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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.

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The Artistic Advisory Board 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.

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