I Want to Sing My Song
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Date
2015-05-17
Authors
Journal Title
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Abstract
Description
I
was
invited
by
artist
Nicolas
W.
Hughes
–
at
the
time
curator
in
residency
at
Galleri
WendA
–
to
create
an
artwork
with
context-‐
responsive
towards
the
city
of
Halden,
Østfold,
Norway
–
initiating
part
of
his
curatorial
programme
in
the
gallery.
Coming
from
a
patriotic
culture
like
Brazil
–
where
one
used
to
be
brought
up
singing
Brazil’s
national
anthem
at
school,
or
at
home
when
watching
Brazil’s
national
football
team
playing
on
the
television
–
I
am
specially
intrigued
by
what
singing
one’s
national
anthem
or
song,
might
constitute
in
the
formation
of
one’s
identity
and
(mis)conceptions
on
patriotism
and
nationalism.
Following
this
idea
–
in
one
of
the
project’s
initial
moment
–
I
was
looking
for
people
who
had
migrated
to
Halden
and
would
possibly
like
to
sing
their
national
anthem
or
song
during
Norway’s
national
day
(17
May)
while
they
would
have
their
portrait
taken.
Could
there
be
room
for
the
singing
of
another
song
or
anthem
during
such
patriotic
day?
Could
practices
of
assimilation
be
paused
while
one
is
encouraged
to
dwell
on
his/her
pluriversality?
Could
difference
be
accepted?
And
documented?
These
were
some
of
the
questions
adjoining
and
informing
the
concept.
Unfortunately
this
situation
was
not
fulfilled
since
there
were
no
participants
on
Sunday
17
May
2015,
at
gallery
and
no
booked
spots
either
through
my
website
and
other
proposed
channels.
The
small
center
of
Halden
was
crowded
with
Norwegians
and
new-‐Norwegians
singing
and
dancing
to
Nordic
songs
while
proudly
wearing
traditional
costumes.
Meanwhile,
as
a
conceptual
gesture
I
decided
to
step
in
front
of
the
camera
and
document
myself
singing
the
Brazilian
national
anthem.
Only
then
to
realise
a
great
part
of
it
had
already
gone
from
memory,
exposing
through
practice
truer
notions
on
transformation
on
one’s
own
identity
through
assimilation.
Keywords
Identity, Nationalism, Pluriversality, Assimilation, Migrant knowledge, Decoloniality, Occupancy