Using conversations with witnesses of history as her starting point, she pieces together fragments of a culture that has been on the verge of extinction. At the same time, she experiments and adds her own expression – thus helping the culture not only to breathe but also to be important, relevant and to continue to grow. At the juncture between traditional crafting techniques and creativity, Åsne Kummeneje Mellem explores the nuances of Käsityö – what it has been and what it can be in the context of contemporary art.
In the exhibition Menossa, Kummeneje Mellem presents textile works whose point of origin is käsityö. By using traditional techniques and materials in her own way, she seeks to create a space for discussing Kven culture. Natural and recycled materials are important aspects of käsityö, and in the textile works, she has also, among other things, experimented with lichen-dyed wool and woven bark.
Åsne Kummeneje Mellem (b. 1995) has studied at Tromsø Art Academy/the Arctic University of Norway (MFA 2021), Oslo National Academy of the Arts, and Oslo Fotokunstskole (school for photographic art). She has participated in several group exhibitions, among others, at Gallery Napa – Rovaniemi and at Tromsø Art Society, and recently held solo shows at Vadsø Museum and Kvitnesgården in Tromsø. She is one of the initiators of the recently-established Kvääni Taiteilijat (Kven artist society) and is active in several arenas in the Kven milieu. Kummeneje Mellem is the first Kven artist to have works purchased by Northern Norway Art Museum.
