Hilde Skancke Pederson

Artist Spotlight: A studio visit with the Sámi sculptor, scenographer, and textile artist.

Climate Land Activism
A close-up of artist Hilde Skancke Pedersen’s hands unrolling a textile artwork depicting a mountain in intricately cut grey fabric.

This film by Norwegian Crafts shows a studio visit with visual artist Hilde Skancke Pedersen in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino in Sápmi. Hilde talks about how she is inspired by nature, working with second-hand textiles, and wanting to tell stories about Sámi heritage in her work. She also talks about the large-scale commissioned work she made for the Sámi Parliament in Norway, and her textile brooches that are inspired by Sámi silver brooches. From May–June 2021, Hilde had a solo exhibition titled Vuoiŋŋastatat (Breath) at Sámi Dáiddaguovddáš (Sámi Center for Contemporary Art) in Kárášjohka/Karasjok.

A close-up of artist Hilde Skancke Pedersen’s hands unrolling a textile artwork depicting a mountain in intricately cut grey fabric.
Hilde Skancke Pedersen shows the work Bassi várri – Sacred mountain (2020–2021) during a visit to her studio. COURTESY NORWEGIAN CRAFTS.
A close-up image shows the artist’s hands sewing. On a desk below the hands are various pieces of piping, rickrack, and embroidered trim.
Hilde Skancke Pedersen at work in her studio (video still). COURTESY NORWEGIAN CRAFTS.

Hilde Skancke Pedersen was born in Hammerfest and currently lives in Guovdageaidnu in the Finnmark region on the Norwegian side of Sápmi. Her primary focus is visual art, including textile, but she also works with playwriting, poetry, scenography, and costume design for both theater and dance productions. In her work, she is influenced by life in Finnmark and in Sápmi. She draws inspiration from culture, politics, nature and her surroundings there and in other regions she has visited.

Credit: This video was first published by Norwegian Crafts on October 21, 2021. COURTESY NORWEGIAN CRAFTS.

Direction, videography and editing: Forest People
Graphic design: Parabol Studio

About the Studio Visit film series: Norwegian Crafts is looking at alternative ways to connect artists, duojárat and makers with curators and institutions both in Norway and beyond. Through this film series we invite you into the studios of Norwegian and Norway-based artists, where they generously share from their practice and talk about current and upcoming projects.

This story is part of the Norway Partner Spotlight. View more content from the Spotlight here