On the 17th of June 2022, we held a Peaceapainting workshop in Alta Museum, World Heritage Rock Art Centre, led by Peacepainting instructor Laila Kolostyák and Ali Badri. A day of sharing stories and experiences at the Alta Museum. A mixed group of 12 participants took part in the workshop. Locals who had experienced the burning of Finnmark and the evacuation during the second world war painted together with people from other countries who recently had moved to Alta.
The workshop was created in collaboration with Bodø2024 and the 57 paintings created were exhibited in Peacepainting’s summer exhibition “Peace and Equality in the North”, Monday 20th of June, which was also the celebration of World Refugee Day.
Thanks to the Alta Museum and Kristin Nicolaysen for hosting such a beautiful meeting.
Paintings Created
The Peace
I was taking care of my little cousins. Then I saw the flag being raised.
That is when I realized that there had been peace.
My brother and I took the stroller and ran home, three kilometers through the forest. The joy was indescribable. It had become peace.
- By Lillian Heitmann, Alta, Norway
Lathari
It is Lathari in Alta.
It's summer with the family.
My wife and my seven children
The children are playing, playing volleyball
And we are barbequing.
- By Lazar Juma, Alta, Norway
Laleh - Two Sons
Laleh means tulips
I have two sons.
One in Antalya and one in the USA.
I miss them.
- By Birsen Kaya, Alta, Norway
Peace Came In The Spring
Peace came in the spring, is what my parents told me. Spring symbolizes starting anew. I tell my grandchildren that I have my brother to thank for my life, because since my parents were expecting children, my father didn't have to go to war. Had my father left to the war he could have been killed, and I would have never been born.
- By Gudrun Paulsen, Alta, Norway
Everything Is Possible
In Norway, flowers bloom in the snow. In Cuba, the sky is always blue.
- By Junelis Vázquez, Alta, Norway
My Tree Of Life
I came to think of a song about the tree of life. My mother, my father, my children and my life beyond.
- By Ann-Magritt Rypdal Sveen, Alta, Norway
GOMAMILA
Gomamila means flower.
In the Philippines, I like to plant flowers. In Norway, my husband does not like flowers.
- By Jeniffer Ando Opgård, Alta, Norway
This Is Not About Art
It's very nice expensive colors.
- By Rolf «Joffa» Østlyngen, Alta, Norway
Summer Is Coming
In the summer, everything is green.
I like to be out fishing.
The day is varied, but in the winter I sit at home for months.
- By Abdullah Alsad, Alta, Norway
Congo
I live in Norway, but I cannot forget my homeland. We can never forget where we come from.
- By Divine Rizki, Alta
Two Seasons
When we came north (after evacuation) we lived in a tent in Aronnes. We had a good oven and good bed linen.
There were so many mice crawling everywhere, including in the bed.
One morning my sister woke up with a sleeping mouse in her hand.
- By Kirsti Knudsen, Alta, Norway
The Thai Flag
I think it's a nice flag and
they are the same colors as in the Norwegian flag.
- By Nichanan Opgaard, Alta, Norway