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Published: 2024-11-18 Updated: 2024-11-19, 13:47

Unacceptable vandalization of students' artwork

NEWS Several artworks, created by students at the Academy of Fine Arts, and which are a part of the ongoing exhibition Höstljus (Autumn Lights) in Umeå, have been vandalized. “I believe in an open society with both academic and artistic freedom, and I hope that the students at the Academy will continue to exhibit works of art as part of their education”, says Christer Nordlund, Dean at The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Umeå University.

Text: Per Melander

There are fourteen students from the Academy of Fine Arts who have contributed with artworks to this year's Autumn Light arrangement. Six of those works have been vandalized and the school, together with the students, has reported the vandalism to the police.  

The damaged works were all placed in The Garden of the Seasons. No other artwork in the park appears to have been affected during these days, so the vandalism appears to be directed at the artworks originating from the Academy.

Per Nilsson, head of the Academy, says that in his more than 20 years at the Academy of Fine Arts, he has not witnessed anything like this, except for this spring when a graduation work by a bachelor's student was burned outside the school.

“I want to give her a compliment considering that she built up her work again and had time before the examination”, says Per Nilsson and continues:

“The fact that vandalism and theft of art college students' work is happening again, just months later, is extremely serious. For me, it is a threat to democracy, and primarily the role of art in society, to freedom of speech and expression”.

“This does not only apply to the works themselves, but I see these actions as attempts to silence future artists.

“The students affected are in the second year of the bachelor’s program and have a long way to go until their master's degree, if they choose to attend that level. It would also be sad if The Academy of Fine Arts cannot participate in collaborations, such as Höstljus and exhibit publicly”.

Per Nilsson emphasizes that as head of department he naturally wants collaborations like these to continue, but that ultimately it is of course up to the students.

Christer Nordlund, Dean at The Faculty of Arts and Humanities, says that when the artistic freedom is attacked in this way it cannot be underestimated. And that what happened with sabotage and theft, is very serious and completely unacceptable.

“None of our students should have their work destroyed. That this happens in a cultural city like Umeå is remarkable, and the matter has naturally been reported to the police”, says Christer Nordlund.

Per Nilsson says that of course the current class has been gathered for a discussion about what happened. That their course teacher, Malin Arnell, has met them several times. It has been necessary as several works have been vandalized more than once.

“The students have admirably restored the works that were vandalized, but several have finally chosen to bring back their artwork to the Academy. Of course, police reports have been made, but it has resulted in nothing, and what could the police do? Several of us have also spoken out in the press on several occasions”, says Per Nilsson.

When asked if there is anything that can be done to prevent this from happening again, Christer Nordlund says:

“I believe in an open society with both academic and artistic freedom and hope that the students at The Academy of Arts will continue to exhibit artworks as part of their education”.

Per Nilsson agrees and adds on:

“In my opinion, what happened should lead to an increased debate about democracy, freedom of speech and expression, about the freedom and role of art in society. I want to emphasize here that the works in question are not provocative in any way, except, apparently, that they were exhibited”.

“Collaboration with the university's hired security company is also needed. It is sad that the latter is needed, but what to do? As for a debate, about the role of art in society, about democracy and freedom of expression, that is something I would welcome regardless of these events”.

“And if such a debate is the result of what happened, these events have, after all, brought something important with them”.