An immersive art installation by Sami artist Maret Anne Sara has opened at Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, offering visitors a unique perspective on the challenges faced by Sami reindeer herders in Norway. The exhibition, titled Goavve-Geabbil, uses sound, scent, and physical structures to highlight the impact of government policies and climate change on this indigenous community's traditional way of life.
Key Takeaways
- Maret Anne Sara's Hyundai Commission is now on display at Tate Modern.
- The installation focuses on the struggles of Sami reindeer herders.
- It features a soundscape, reindeer hides, and a sapling maze.
- The artwork addresses threats from government policy and climate change.
- Visitors experience the 'smell of fear' from stressed reindeer hides.
Exploring Sami Culture and Challenges
Maret Anne Sara, an artist from a reindeer herding family, created Goavve-Geabbil to bring the Sami experience to a global audience. The Sami are indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, a region spanning northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia's Kola Peninsula. Their traditional livelihood, particularly reindeer herding, is under significant threat.
Upon entering the Turbine Hall, visitors are enveloped by a rich soundscape. This audio journey combines recordings from the Sápmi landscape with traditional Sami joik, a vocal practice that evokes the essence of people, animals, or places. The sounds create an atmospheric and deeply personal introduction to the exhibition.
Sami People Facts
- The Sami are the only indigenous people in Europe recognized under international conventions.
- Their population is estimated to be between 80,000 and 100,000.
- Reindeer herding is a central part of Sami culture and economy for many families.
The Tower of Hides: A Symbol of Stress
One of the first striking elements visitors encounter is the sculpture Goavve-. This piece features 27 reindeer hides, which are by-products of food production, bound together with electrical power cables. The tower extends dramatically towards the ceiling of the Turbine Hall, creating a powerful visual statement.
As visitors approach the hides, a distinct and unsettling scent fills the air. This unique, metallic, and cold odor is described as the smell reindeer emit when under extreme stress. It serves as a direct, visceral representation of the fear and pressure experienced by these animals and, by extension, the herding community.
"If art exists to help us to see the world from another perspective, then the Sami artist Maret Anne Sara’s Hyundai Commission at Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall is doing its job," states art critic Nancy Durrant.
The Turbine Hall Commissions
The Turbine Hall at Tate Modern is known for hosting large-scale, site-specific installations. The Hyundai Commission, a partnership with Hyundai Motor, has brought major international artists to create new works for this iconic space since 2015. These commissions often explore significant social and environmental themes.
Goavve-Geabbil: A Maze of Hope and Information
The central element of the installation is Goavve-Geabbil, a large maze constructed from cut saplings. This structure is inspired by the intricate internal anatomy of a reindeer's nose. The reindeer nose is a highly efficient organ, capable of heating incoming air by 80 degrees Celsius in just one second, which is crucial for survival in extremely cold conditions.
Inside the elegant coils of the sapling maze, visitors can find seating areas covered in soft, warm reindeer hides. These hides are scented with native plants, a smell Sara describes as "hope." Here, headphones provide an audio documentary detailing the realities of Sami reindeer herding and the various factors impacting it.
Challenges to Reindeer Herding
- Climate Change: Earlier snowfalls lead to freezing ground, making it difficult for reindeer to dig through ice and find food. Thinner lake ice also poses significant risks during migration, as evidenced by a tragic incident last summer where 200 reindeer drowned from a single herd.
- Government Regulations: Policies often mandate the slaughter of the strongest bulls in a herd. This practice weakens the herd's ability to survive harsh winters, as females and calves struggle to break through ice for food without the larger bulls.
- Land Use Conflicts: Increased industrial development and infrastructure projects encroach on traditional grazing lands, further limiting resources for the reindeer.
Maret Anne Sara's brother previously engaged in a legal battle with the Norwegian government over his right to maintain his small herd using traditional methods. Despite fighting all the way to the Supreme Court, he ultimately lost the case. This personal experience deeply informs Sara's artistic practice.
Sara explains that she turned to art as a means of advocacy because other avenues for change were not proving effective. While the direct impact of the exhibition remains to be seen, it undeniably serves to raise awareness and offer a profound insight into the Sami people's struggles.
The Goavve-Geabbil installation is more than just an art piece; it is an urgent appeal to understand and address the complex challenges threatening a unique indigenous culture and its deep connection to the natural world. The exhibition runs until April 6, 2026, at Tate Modern.