July 18, 19, 2009
Special Events
Weightlessness
An exhibition of photographs by Arno Rafael Minkkinen
The Distinguished Scandinavian Speaker for the Scandinavian Folk Festival is Arno Rafael Minkkinen, who was knighted in his Finnish homeland for his artistic achievements and international acclaim. In 2006, he was awarded the Finnish State Art Prize in photography.
He will present at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, in the Robert Lee Scharmann Theatre, which will be followed immediately by a reception and book signing. Wine and light hors d’oeuvres will be served to those who attend Minkkinen’s 3:30 presentation.
The inside jacket on his most recent monograph, Homework: The Finnish Photographs of Arno Rafael Minkkinen, explains, "The secret force behind his vision is the Finnish homeland where he was born and then moved away in early childhood, to be rediscovered…as a source from which his imagination continues to draw creative energy."
The presentation is part of the Weeks Gallery's Weightlessness exhibition that features selections from Minkkinen, thirty-five years of photographs. Visit www.sunyjcc.edu/weeksgallery for more information.
The Weeks Gallery's Weightlessness exhibition will be open for special hours during the Scandinavian Folk Festival - from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on July 18 and noon-5 p.m. on July 19.
Pristine landscapes, architectural interiors, and cityscapes set the stage for Minkkinen's self-portraits that include family and friends. The creation of his classical, mythical, and surreal self-portraits have taken him across the United States and around the world to England, Czechoslovakia, Holland, Mexico, Italy, China, France, Finland, Malta, Switzerland, Spain, and Austria.
The Kalevala, a book and epic poem that Elias Lönnrot compiled from Finnish and Karelian folklore in the nineteenth century and considered one of the most significant works of Finnish literature also inspire Minkkinen. The photographs and writings in Saga and Homework reflect the pain and pleasures of life, provide insights into Minkkinen’s psyche, and above all present the artist’s beautiful representations of the human spirit, the oneness of life, and transcendence.
His career has included curating, writing, and editing and he is currently a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and a docent at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki.
Over 60 museums have added his works to their collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Finnish Museum of Photography in Helsinki, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Galleries in New York, Boston, Atlanta, Paris, and Helsinki represent his work.
The Weightlessness exhibition and Scandinavian Folk Festival lecture are supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
Swedish Folk Dance Mass Worship Service
The Swedish Folk Dance Mass as written by Per Harling will be celebrated on Sunday at 4:30 PM.
(There will not be any gate fee after 4 PM.)
Pastor Alan Anderson from Frewsburg's Zion Lutheran Church will officiate.
Audience singing will be led by the Viking Chorus.
Folk dancing will be performed by the Thule Lodge Adult Swedish Folk Dance Team.
Music will be provided by a group of folk musicians including
the fiddle, bass, accordion, guitar, flute, nyckelharpa.
The Scandinavian Folk Festival is pleased to host the exhibit Colony to Community: The Story of New Sweden. This exhibit describes the journey of Swedes and Finns who came to the Delaware Valley in 1638 to establish the New Sweden Colony, an outpost to give Sweden a foothold in the growing fur and tobacco trades.
From landfall in Wilmington, Delaware in 1638 and cultivating peaceful trade relationships with the Lenape and Susquehannock Indians, to suffering relentless pressure from the Dutch and eventual abandonment by the Homeland, this exhibit explores the countless obstacles that New Sweden colonists endured. Although this small colony ultimately fell to the Dutch in 1655, Swedes and Finns continued to visit and settle in the area. Settlers old and new looked to Sweden to sustain their cultural traditions, especially their religion.
The Story of New Sweden is presented on a series of eight panels. This presentation will also include a video about the New Sweden Colony.
This exhibit has been organized by the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia in conjunction with the Delaware Historical Society and the New Jersey State Museum. Funding for the exhibition has been provided by the Swedish Colonial Society, the New Sweden Center and the Swedish Council of America.
Replica of the Kalmar Nyckel, one of the
ships which brought
the Swedes to the
New Sweden Colony in 1638.
Carl Larsson Art Gallery
Enjoy over 20 framed prints by Carl Larsson in our special exhibit.
In the United States, Carl Larsson is the most famous Swedish painter.
Many of his watercolors depict daily life of his family around their home in Sundborn located in Dalarna in Sweden. Copies of the prints will be available for sale.
Albert Johnson
a Scandinavian American Artist
Albert Johnson painted romantic landscapes of Sweden and Chautauqua County. One of his most spectacular images is of Celoron Park, Celoron, New York; the vibrant color and luminous sunset atmosphere in this spectacular image have inspired audiences - young and old. We are pleased to announce that three of the Johnson's paintings (including Celeron Park) were purchased by the SFF, Scandinavian Studies, the JCC Foundation/Weeks Gallery, and an anonymous donor.
Johnson, was born in Sweden in 1870, moved to the United States in 1891, and died on January 31, 1931. Pastor Carl G. Girelius presented Johnson's eulogy and said, "His life was unpretentious.......he was not rich, he was poor. Nevertheless, there was in his life a rich soil, out of which grew flowers of exquisite splendor…. In Johnson, I discovered an inherent refinement in taste, an artist's sense, a poet’s vision of life, a deep religious tendency, and an unsatisfied yearning. This life was in truth like mining, where a pure gold vein had still to be discovered."
Traditional Midsummer Celebration
Highlights:
Marching in of Midsummer Pole
Accompanied by the Festival's musicians
Ring dancing around the pole.
The traditional Midsummer celebration will begin at 11:00 AM on Saturday
with the grand parade of the flags of Scandinavia and all of the Festival musicians.
After the pole is raised in the Midsummer court, everyone will have
the opportunity to participate in ring dances around the pole.
Midsummer is a celebration of sunlight and nature.
For Scandinavian people this is especially important because of the many dark days of winter.
This is an opportunity for today's families to celebrate as our ancestors have done for generations.
Loppis
A Loppis is a Scandinavian flea market. At the Festival we will offer a Loppis market
of new and used Scandinavian items. Are you looking for some Swedish glass including Orrefors and Kosta Boda, books, antiques, paintings? Will you find something like grandma used to have?
Who knows what treasures will be sold this year!
Folk Art Chinese Raffle
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A number of items will be raffled during the Festival. One can purchase tickets at the Festival Information Booth and deposit them for a chance to win your selected items.
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Fenton History Center to Provide Genealogy Research
at the Scandinavian Folk Festival
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Swedish genealogy resources are available for use by researchers at the Fenton History Center (FHC) in Jamestown, NY. During the Scandinavian Folk Festival, representatives from the Fenton History Center will be available to answer questions and assist in locating information about Swedish ancestors. The FHC booth can be found in the Festival’s Exhibit Hall. Visitors are encouraged to bring the information that they have such as names, birth dates, death dates and age at death, year of immigration, sibling’s names, parent’s names, place of residence in Sweden and in the United States and any other tidbits of information that may help identify the correct “John Johnson” in Sweden. At the booth, the FHC will have a number of research tools available.
The Center does have access to Genline, an online subscription service which provides the digitized Swedish Church records.
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Share The Culture
The Scandinavian Studies Program sponsors Culture Day at Jamestown Community College. Fifteen to twenty workshops around Scandinavian activities are held the first Saturday morning of each month from October through May. At the Festival, we showcase projects completed the previous year. We also hold workshops in order to "share the culture" and pass on our heritage to younger generations. Traditional handcrafts that will be taught this year include card weaving, chip carving, hardanger embroidery, making a midsummer head wreath. Besides the opportunity to learn these skills, one will be able to observe crafters in action. There will be demonstrations on loom and Swedish weaving as well as Norwegian knitting.
You will be able to make your own unique Scandinavian craft projects. These activities are only available at scheduled times so check the program schedule so as not to miss your opportunity. There is a small fee for these activities in order to cover the cost of the materials.
The Shire of Heronter,
a branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
Viking Village VIII
Members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. will be living as ancient Vikings in the Viking Village. There will be a large pavillion for displays and craft demos. In addition to Viking age displays, there will be thrown weapons and the opportunity to play the Viking game Hnefatafl. The fourth annual Kubb tournament will be held in the Viking village. The Viking Village will have displays of armor and weapons, bone carving, chainmail, Viking clothing, jewelry and accessories. Other activities will include armored combat, thrown weapons, fingerloop braiding, mead tasting, and whipcord making.
Check out the Viking vendors in the Village.
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A type of horse called a Norwegian Fjord will be visiting the Viking Village.
He loves to have children sit on his back.
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