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• Haunted House – Ingri Fiksdal/Helle Siljeholm

Haunted House – Ingri Fiksdal/Helle Siljeholm

What happens when an art house becomes haunted by its own history? In Haunted House, the voices, conflicts and ideas of the past will emerge – through choreography, scenography, sound and light.

The word "Hjemsøkt" (haunted) actually means "to seek home" and it comes from the Old Norse heimsǿkja or sǿkja heim . One can seek home with both good or bad intentions. 

In the choreographic installation Haunted House, Ingri Fiksdal and Helle Siljeholm have delved into the archives of Kunstnernes Hus , which is soon to be 100 years old. Kunstnernes Hus has always been owned and run by the artists themselves, and is an important place for art in Norway. Fiksdal and Siljeholm have searched for the stories that shape this place – about how the house and art influence each other, and how this is connected to power and politics.

They investigate how everything from management and politicians to critics and artists themselves may have left their mark on the building itself. What remains in the walls after almost a century of art, debate and decisions? What happens when an art house becomes a kind of living being – with memories, conflicts and secrets? Through choreography, sound, light and scenography, both the building and its history are haunted by the voices that have filled it: artists, directors, critics and politicians.

In Haunted House, these forces and relationships are made visible – as if the institution itself is haunted by the voices, conflicts and ideas of the past.

Language: Norwegian
Target group: from 16 years old
Duration : 30 minutes (Invited school classes participate in a 45-minute workshop following the performance)
Venue: Artists' House
NB! Tickets on sale to delegates only.

Cast: 

by Ingri Fiksdal and Helle Siljeholm
Concept, direction, choreography and script: Ingri Fiksdal and Helle Siljeholm
Composition and sound design: Therese Næss Diesen and Liv Kristin Holmberg
Scenography: Signe Becker
Co-creative performers in performance: Sunniva Vikør Egenes, Pernille Holden and Louis Schou-Hansen 

Cynthia (3 masks): Cynthia is Signe Becker's alter ego, a prehistoric ghost who floats in and out of both Becker's and others' projects. In Haunted House, she is staged by Fiksdal and Siljeholm in collaboration with the performers.
Special effect/mask: Fanney Antonsdóttir
Lighting: Martin Myrvold
Voices in sound installation: Gisken Armand, Nils Johnson, Birgitte Larsen, Tobias Santelmann and Oddgeir Thune
Audio recording: Therese Næss Diesen, Marit Kamsvåg and Carl Svensson
Choir: Majorstua Children's and Youth Choir
Conductor: Sindre Beitohaugen
Arrangement for choir, folk tune: Linn Andrea Fuglseth
Live organ playing in performance: The life of Kristin Holmberg
Translation of archive texts into English: Margrethe Stenberg Solem
Photo: Fred Arne Wergeland
Distribution: Nicole Schuchardt
Supported by the Arts Council of Norway, Kunstners Hus, the Norwegian Film School and the University of Inland Norway
Produced by Fiksdal Dance Foundation
Co-produced by Kloden theater
Curated by Ida Kierulf and Sarah Lookofsky

Thanks to Kristine Jærn Pilgaard, Anne Hilde Neset, Alexander Quale Gilje, Marit Paasche, Synne Vedvik Jørgensen, Mari Meen Halsøy and Showbox

The script was developed based on texts found in the Kunstnernes Hus archive at Kunstnernes Hus and the National Museum's library.