SEMINAR
Greenland — What Now?
20 February, 16:00–18:30
The Trump administration’s threats to “take” Greenland sent shockwaves through the international community and placed the country under intense global attention. Although Trump later stated, following strong criticism, that he would not seize Greenland by force, the situation revealed just how fragile the geopolitical world order truly is.
So what now?
On the occasion of the opening of the timely exhibition Memory in Motion, presenting contemporary art from Greenland, Kunsthall 3,14 invited audiences to an interdisciplinary seminar addressing the country’s situation and future. Moving beyond the headlines, the seminar asked: What do recent weeks of great-power maneuvering mean for Greenland’s room for action, self-governance, and prospects?
The seminar opened with Iver B. Neumann, Director of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and a central commentator on Trump’s Greenland proposal. Neumann has described the situation as an echo of the imperial world order of the nineteenth century. What does this tell us about our own time—and about Greenland’s place within it?
This was followed by a presentation by Svend Hardenberg, a prominent Greenlandic politician, former senior civil servant, and business leader. Hardenberg previously served as Chief of Staff to Greenland’s Prime Minister Aleqa Hammond and became known to international audiences through his appearance in the Danish TV series Borgen, which addresses climate and power politics in the Arctic. Drawing on experience from politics, public administration, and public debate, Hardenberg offered a unique insider perspective on Greenland’s present and future.
Neumann and Hardenberg then met in conversation moderated by Endre Tvinnereim, Professor at the Department of Government, University of Bergen.
After a short break, the programme continued with artist presentations by Asmund Havsteen-Mikkelsen and Julie Edel Hardenberg, both participating in the exhibition Memory in Motion. They were joined in conversation by Kristin Strømsnes (Professor, Department of Comparative Politics, University of Bergen) and Sigrid Lien (Professor, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies, University of Bergen) to discuss art, history, and contemporary realities.
The seminar concluded with a wine reception and the official opening of the exhibition Memory in Motion at 18:30.