Tanja Silvestrini
(they/them)
(1995)
Oslo-born, Helsinki-based
EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
Jan 2022- Dec 2023 MFA Time & Space Arts, Art Academy of Helsinki (KuvA), Uniarts (FI)
Jan-June 2019 Exchange, Art Academy of Helsinki (KuvA), Uniarts (FI)
2017-2020 Bachelor, Bergen Academy of Art, dept. of contemporary art, Bergen (NO)
Jan-May 2017 Artist assistant for Antti Laitinen, Somero (FI)
2014-2016 Strykejernet Art School, Oslo (NO)
2011-2014 Elvebakken Secondary School, general studies with arts, Oslo (NO)
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020 Katter jeg har møtt, Vestland kunsthall, Bergen (NO)
2019 Predators, Galleri Fisk, Bergen (NO)
2018 The Bachelor of Fine Arts (In New Order), Galleri Bokboden, Bergen (NO)
EXHIBITIONS / PERFORMANCES / APPEARANCES
2024
March: Kuva/Tila, Helsinki (FI)
2023
Postcards for Palestine, Claire De Rouen Books, London (UK)
Postcards for Palestine, Berlinskej Model, Prague (CZ)
Hakkuu, Suojellaan Stansvik, Stansvik Old Forest, Helsinki (FI)
Buduaari & Little Bed Pieces II, ARS Longa Galleria, Helsinki (FI)
Skattejagt, Sydhavn Station, Copenhagen (DK)
Visuals for a performance by drag queen Emma Fended, Oslo Drag Festival
Together Elsewhere - Online Performance with Brigitte Dätwyler, organized by PAB - Performance
Art Bergen and PANCH - Performance Art Network Switzerland
Performer in Pedro Riva's Third Farewell Association
Kuvan Kevät 2023 - Master's Degree Show, Fine Arts Academy of Helsinki (FI)
UÄÄÄH! Performance Festival, Fylkingen, Stockholm (SE)
Performance Festival of March 9, Galerii Metropol, Tallinn (EE)
Time and Space Exhibition 2023 vol. 1, Kuva/Tila, Helsinki (FI)
2022
Performance with drag queen Emma Fended, Open Stage Club, Korjaamo, Helsinki (FI)
Open Home Performance Festival, Helsinki (FI)
Performer in Pedro Riva's Second Farewell Association
UniArts Fest, Helsinki (FI)
EKKO EKKO, Festspillene i Nord-Norge, Harstad (NO)
SWEATING, Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki (FI)
Performance and unveiling of commissioned work for the nursing home Roan sykeheim, Åfjord (NO)
Performance with drag queen Emma Fended, Opening of the Queer Cultural Year Bergen and the exhibition The Queer Gaze, KODE Museum, Bergen (NO)
Performance Festival of March 9th, Galerii Metropol, Tallinn (EE)
2021
After School Special, Landmark, Bergen (NO)
B-Open, Bergen (NO)
RESPONSE, Abeerance online performancefestival
Performance, Klimafestivalen §112, Bergen (NO)
Out of This Place, Galleri Fi4e, Bergen (NO)
Parties in Public Spaces (PiPP), Bergen (NO)
2020
PAB OS: Equinox, Festplassen, Bergen (NO)
Yhdessä on enemmän, Villa Arttu, Hyvinkää (FI)
I det koboltblå köket står en stekpanna på spisen, täckt av ett centimeter tjockt lager fett, Crum Heavens/Hjorten, Super Local 2020, Stockholm (SE)
Fase, Online exhibition curated by Mørkerommet and Prøverommet
Performance, Galleri Peis, Kristiansand (NO)
Hjorten skulpturpark, Galleri Toll, Stockholm (SE)
Performance, Window Exhibition, Bergen (NO)
Generation 2020, Amos Rex, Helsinki (FI)
Performance, Fraction Inter Action - A 12 Hour Performance, Galleri Christoffer Egelund, Copenhagen (DK)
2019
Circus in Situ, Jinoos, Bergen (NO)
PAB Open 2019, Grand Hotel Terminus, Bergen (NO)
Performer, Erick Beltrán's The Image of Power: Bergen Parade, Bergen (NO)
Performer, Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen's Tow With the Flow, Palazzo Mora, Venezia (IT)
Performer, Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė's Sun & Sea (Marina), Lithuanian pavillion, La Biennale di Venezia (IT)
Feel Helsinki, Musiikkitalo, Helsinki (FI)
Minstoll Sculpture Park, Galleri Toll, Stockholm (SE)
Nuori Taide 2019, Jyväskylä City Theatre, Jyväskylä (FI)
The Champagne Breakfast, ExClub, Helsinki (FI)
How to Survive Kaamos, Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki (FI)
2018
Självhjälpsbiblioteket, Joy Forum, Bergen (NO)
Performer in Frans Jacobi and Gitte Sætre's Krigsteater Trident Juncture, Den Nationale Scene, Bergen (NO)
Performer in Alwynne Pritchard's Dawn with Arms of Roses, KMD, Bergen (NO)
Jinoos Performance Night Opening, Jinoos, Bergen (NO)
Fletta Art Magazine Launching Party, Godalsparken, Oslo (NO)
Døgnfluer 10 - a festival made in 24 hours, Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo (NO)
Bokboden Sculpture Park, Galleri Bokboden, Bergen (NO)
Collective Banality (One Year of Sameness), Studentsenteret, Bergen (NO)
Performance, MAD Arkitekter, Bergen (NO)
Performer, Alwynne Pritchard's «Stamp Club Report 1980», Lydgalleriet, Bergen (NO)
Performance Night 2, Prosjektrum Vera, Copenhagen (DK)
«Everybody is welcome», Rom 8, Bergen (NO)
«Mask & Manifesto», performance night, Fincken, Bergen (NO)
Performer, «avGardEns: Identity», Borealis Festival, Bergen (NO)
Toilet Installations, Borealis Opening Evening, KMD, Bergen (NO)
Prøverommet, Tag Team Studio, Bergen (NO)
Åpen scene / åpent rom, Det Akademiske Kvarter, Bergen (NO)
«Express Yourself», performance, Loftfæsthivalen, Bergen (NO)
2017
«Unfinished Business», book release and coloring event, Hendrix Ibsen, Oslo (NO)
«Material as Site», group exhibition, KMD, Bergen (NO)
Performance w/ Alwynne Pritchard for the opening ceremony of the faculty of Art and Design, KMD, Bergen (NO)
Performance w/ Green Hijab Movement, Skansedammen, Bergen (NO)
2016
TRAFO minifestival, Galleri PODIUM, Oslo (NO)
Ljanskollen Light Festival, Oslo (NO)
Durational performance with Lotte Wallace, Sommerøya Elektronikafestival, Oslo (NO)
Strykejernet’s summer exhibition, Strykejernet kunstskole, Oslo (NO)
«En hel uke og en halv måned» with Jeanette Olsen, GalleriNeuf, Oslo (NO)
2015
Strykejernet’s christmas exhibition, Strykejernet kunstskole, Oslo (NO)
Performance with Lotte Wallace, Grünerhagen, Oslo (NO)
«Affekt» with Triva Shahin og Ina Vang, Galleri Brenneriet, Oslo (NO)
Ljanskollen Light Festival, Oslo (NO)
Strykejernet’s summer exhibition, Strykejernet kunstskole, Oslo (NO)
2014
Strykejernet’s christmas exhibition, Strykejernet kunstskole, Oslo (NO)
Performance w/ Dr. Kay and his Interstellar Tone Scientists, Elvelangs, Oslo (NO)
«Metamorfose» w/ Galleri E, Gallery Point, Oslo (NO)
2013
«170 frø», Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DogA), Oslo (NO)
CURATING / ORGANIZING
Dec 2023 PAU!'s Open Home Performance Festival, collective in Laajasalo, Helsinki (FI)
Dec 2022 PAU! & Kino Club's Open Home Performance Festival, my apartment in Helsinki, (FI)
Nov 2022 PAB Local: The Queer Edition, co-curated with Nayara Leite, Fincken, Bergen (NO)
Jun 2021 PAB Local: Breaking Habits, co-curated with Madihe Gharibi, Bergen (NO)
Oct 2019 PAB Local x Bergen Assembly, collab with Anette Friedrich Johannessen, Bergen (NO)
ARTIST TALKS
Jun 2022 Pecha-Kucha vol. 54, DogA, Oslo (NO)
Oct 2020 Bodø Kunstforening, Bodø (NO)
Sept 2020 Søndre Nordstrand Kunstforening, Oslo (NO)
Nov 2016 TRAFO mini festival, Galleri PODIUM, Oslo (NO)
RESIDENCIES
Aug 2023 KuvA's Berlin Residency, Berlin (DE)
Oct 2021 AiR Stokkøya, Åfjord (NO)
Sept-Oct 2020 AiR Kjerringøy, Bodø (NO)
Nov 2019 Villa Arttu, Hyvinkää (FI)
Oct 2019 For the Sake of Being(s) / Olo Centre, Enonkoski (FI)
Jun 2019 Telegrafen, Utö (FI)
GRANTS
2021 TRAFO, project support
2019 Bergen Art Academy, travel grant
2019 Föreningen Konstsamfundet, project support
2019 Art Academy of Helsinki, material support
2018 TRAFO, project support
2017 TRAFO, project support
FILMING
Dec 2020 «Who is Waaktaar?» introduction film for Waaktaar forlag, Bergen Art Book Fair
Oct 2016 Promo video for Ulysses Day, ULTIMA Oslo Contemporary Music Festival
Jun 2016 Plot/TV: artist talk w/ Alex Israel, Astrup Fearnley Museet
Apr 2016 Plot/TV: interveiw w/ Matthew Barney, Astrup Fearnley Museet
Dec 2015 Plot/TV: interview w/ Mats Stjernstedt about Gustav Metzger, Kunstnernes Hus/ Kunsthall Oslo
Jun 2015 Started up Plot/TV with Plot/Oslo
May-aug 2013 Reportage with Syvert Kråkenes and Marina Salimi, Horisont and Melafestivalen
ILLUSTRATION
2017-2018 Illustrator for the student paper Studvest, University of Bergen
2016 Illustrator for Natur og Ungdom’s magazine PUTSJ
2016-2018 Illustrator for the student paper Universitas, University of Oslo
INTERVIEWS
Verbal Art with Xenia Ramm: https://shows.acast.com/verbal-art/episodes/07-tanja-victoria
Dagbladet, jun. 2020: https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/tanja-25-skal-leve-som-katt/72546254
Bergensavisen, jun. 2020: https://www.ba.no/onsker-a-leve-som-katt/s/5-8-1309471?access=granted
Studvest, mai 2020: https://www.studvest.no/bruker-sitt-eget-kollektiv-som-kunstlokale/
TV Vest, mar. 2020: https://video.tvvest.no/meget-spesiell-katt-til-adopsjon
NRK radio, Mellom himmel og jord, mar. 2020: https://radio.nrk.no/serie/mellom-himmel-og-jord/DMTL04001120/15-03-2020?fbclid=IwAR27mN8sp1Fuz-w-rYOBnuxMY8sW60eKxVHNmCWQONsGwAJMyL5pi6-W5ss
TRAFO, aug. 2017: http://www.trafo.no/nyheter/3513-TrafoProfil-Tanja-Silvestrini
NRK radio, Jacobsen, 16. mai 2017:
https://radio.nrk.no/serie/jacobsen/DMTO20009717/16-05-2017#t=30m0s
PUBLICATIONS
(Upcoming) «Waaktaar på ville veier», Silje Waaktaar Åsheim, Kim Hankyul & Tanja Silvestrini, Waaktaar forlag
2022 «Tangtrollet», self published newpaper, 50 editions
2020 «Who is Waaktaar?», Silje Waaktaar Åsheim, Kim Hankyul & Tanja Silvestrini, Waaktaar forlag, 10 editions
2020 «Blue Chocolate Finger Club», Silje Waaktaar Åsheim & Tanja Silvestrini, Waaktaar forlag, 50 editions
2018 «Nærest er du når du ringer meg på Facetime», self published, 2 editions
2017 «Unfinished Business», collaboration with Kaja Josefine Larsen, Fletta forlag, 200 editions
Other experience
Aug 2022 Founder of Performance Artists Unite!, support group for performance artists at KuvA and beyond. Organizers of Open Home Performance Festival in Helsinki.
Feb 2020 Co-founder of the writing group and indie publishers Waaktaar forlag
April 2018-today Member of the performance group Ninjas of Bergen
May 2020 - 2022 Board member, Performance Art Bergen (PAB)
May 2019-May 2020 Vara board member, Performance Art Bergen (PAB)
Jan 2018-Aug 2019 Leader of the freshers week at the Faculty of Fine art, Music & Design, University of Bergen (NO)
Dec 2017-Dec 2018 Board member, Galleri Fisk, Bergen (NO)
May 2014-aug 2017 Marketing assistant and receptionist, Astrup Fearnley Museet, Oslo (NO)
Jan 2014-jun 2017 Council member for the art club Plot/Oslo, Oslo (NO)
2011-2014 Working with Elvebakken’s student gallery (Galleri E)