Blood Club

Blood Club (est. 2018) A club for everyone who has blood.

Through an unpredictable mix of humour and gravity, Blood Club examines subjects such as belonging, community, cultural heritage and cultural futures. We cast about questions concerning genetics and culture in the North, and about ourselves – Sami, Kven, Finn and Norwegian alike. We attempt to broaden perspectives and create new roles for the time to come. To present possibilities, utopias perhaps.

We are interested in how much everyone relates to genetics as something
definitive that is taking a lead role in many intimate contexts in life.
Relationships in a family is very often explained through genetics; a child’s traits, talent and
attributes are inherited from their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts. At the same time, most people say that genetics as a model of explanation is very problematic in a political and social context. We are interested in exploring this space literally and performatively.

“I am interested in what feels paradoxical about being Sami, that it should relate to an identity and belonging that ultimately is a genetically conditioned collective.”

Sigbjørn Skåden

The Norwegian title, ‘Blodklubb’, is a wordplay on the idea of genetic community and the traditional dish, blodklubb or Gumba (blood cakes), which is often served at parties. Indeed, blood-based dishes are a customary ingredient at club meetings.

In many ways, the founding members of Blood Club represent four northern archetypes:
‘The Sami activist’  Sigbjørn Skåden
‘The victim of Norwegianisation’  Bernt Bjørn
‘The bearer of Norwegian guilt’  Kristin Bjørn
‘The researcher’  Kristina Junttila

Click on the images to get information about the different club meetings