Britta Marakatt-Labba

Historjá

Bodø

30.04.26 — 16.08.26

Britta Marakatt-Labba, Historjá (detalj). Photo: Nasjonalmuseet

About the exhibition

For half a century, Britta Marakatt-Labba (b. 1951 in Idivuoma, Sápmi) has been one of Sápmi’s most prominent artists. Using needle and thread, she creates a rich and varied visual universe. Through countless small stitches, Marakatt-Labba depicts motifs from Sámi history, religion and everyday life, seen from an Indigenous perspective and inspired by her upbringing in a reindeer-herding family.

As an artist and environmental activist, she uses her sharp stitches to open people’s eyes.

Historjá, a 24‑metre-long embroidery is one of the key works in Marakatt-Labba’s artistic practice. It contributed to her major international breakthrough in 2017 when it was exhibited in Kassel and Athens at documenta 14, one of the most significant contemporary art exhibitions in the world. The Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum presented the work in New York and Alaska in 2014, as part of the exhibition Sámi Stories marking the Norwegian Constitution’s (Grunnloven) 200th anniversary.

Historjá is normally displayed in Solhallen at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Romsa/Tromsø, where it was originally commissioned for UiT by KORO (Public Art Norway).

Since spring 2024, Historjá has been on tour as part of Britta Marakatt-Labba’s major retrospective Bastilis sákkaldagat / Sylkvasse sting. This has been the most comprehensive presentation of her artistic career to date, shown at the National Museum in Oslove/Oslo, the Kin Museum in Giron/Kiruna, and Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Also, it was the National Museum’s first solo exhibition dedicated to a female artist with Sámi heritage.

Before Historjá returns “home” to the University of Tromsø, the Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum now has the opportunity to present the work in Bådåddjo/Bodø – the first time the embroidery is shown in town. This gives audiences in Bodø a unique chance to experience the iconic work before it travels back to Romsa/Tromsø to once again be on display on UiT campus.

Facts about Britta Marakatt-Labba (Márge Biete Joza Britta)
Born in 1951 in Idivuoma, on the Swedish side of Sápmi.
Currently lives in Badje Sohppar/Övre Soppero in Giron/Kiruna municipality. Her family are reindeer herders.
She helped to establish the artist group Mázejoavku (the Masi Group) in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino in 1978.
Achieved wide international recognition after exhibiting at documenta 14 in Germany and Greece in 2017.
Exhibited in the main exhibition of the Venice Biennale in 2022.
Was portrayed the same year in the feature documentary Historjá – Broderi for Sápmi (Historjá – Embroidery for Sápmi).