Border-Crossing Exercises III – Pikevannet
02 February 2008, Borderline on the Pikevannet (the Girls Lake)
While Norway and Russia develop new cooperation strategies, we in Sør-Varanger face many barriers hindering everyday cooperation with our close neighbours. According to the newly introduced border regime on the Russian side, one should apply for a special permission in addition to a Russian visa to be able to enter Nikel. Visum and other border regulations make the idea of a cooperation zone sound more like a utopia for the majority of people. Schengen towers are watching over the outer Schengen border towards east by Pikevannet (The Girl´s Lake), by the border station at Storskog. On the Russian side you see typical Russian border towers.
In minus 30, on the ice-covered Girl´s Lake, we invite you to join Border-Crossing Exercises: live music and soundscape by AMUND SJØLIE SVEEN and SVERRE GJØRVAD, the Siberian ethnic singing by STEPANIDA BORISOVA and joiking by KAI SOMBY, AMADEUS choir from Murmansk and CRESCENDO from Kirkenes, Norwegiand and Russian traditional and contemporary dance by NIKOLAI SCHETNEV and SOLVEIG LEINAN-HERMO with STELLARIS DANSTEATER, scenography with frozen clothes by ERIC MUTEL and MARIA HUHMARNIEMI, and others. The performance directed by BENTE S. ANDERSEN.
Cultural traditions from the Norwegian and Russian sides meet innovative art-hybrids developed in cooperation between artists from east and west. This is not meant to be a political protest, but a professional artistic performance manifesting our aspirations for improved border regime between Russia and Norway!
