English

Do you think that things easily grow too big; that different phenomena in your life consume too much time, energy and resources; that constant expansion and acceleration are uncomfortable concepts?

Then you are most welcome to a practical exercise in shrinking, at Skogen in Gothenburg. As a participant, you will be guided through a small-scale ritual that does not require any prior knowledge.

The drive to constantly expand seem to be deeply embedded in our culture, as a form of fundamental edict that a positive movement forward always goes hand in hand with an increase in size. Not only economies need to grow, but cities and municipalities have to become constantly bigger, reach and impact must increase, working hours and years must increase. And while these larger movements are in play, we are also expected to grow as individuals.

Maybe we should therefore practice shrinking?

The event is in Swedish, free of charge, about 45 minutes long, and afterward soup is served.

> Book a spot here

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RITE is a research platform that, in practice and theory, is dedicated to transition and sustainable social cultivation.

RITE is trying to respond to the societal transformation we are all now experiencing and the great transformation we have ahead of us, based on our conviction that this process involves very profound changes in our cultural fabric, our beliefs and social institutions.

RITE therefore approaches – in practice and theory – the underlying thought systems and invisible ritual behaviors that have governed our institutions and our social fabric through modernity: Thought models and practices that are also often the very root of the problems we are now asking the same institutions to solve.

This happens in interaction with what we call the ritual spaces of society: the space of learning, of law, urban planning, economics, politics, etc. Ritual spaces that are all interconnected, but at the same time also carry their own rites and stories. In our work, we seek out these different social spaces in order – together with those who work there – to uncover and make visible the underlying operating systems of these spaces and explore how these can be changed, opened up or put into play.

The Rite Development Group is part of RITE and focuses on the ability of rites and rituals to affect us and create tangibility. We also test how new rites can be introduced in different contexts in society, in ways that can open up other realms of thought, interruptions, ways out and possibilities for action.

The group is Lars Noväng, Johan Forsman, Sara Granér, Ludvig Lindelöf and John Huntington.

More info at: www.rite.agency

This year the Swedish Public Freedom Service is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and also has the pleasure of inaugurating Sweden’s first permanent Freedom office.

Together with freedom seekers, Frihetsförmedlingen is celebrating this in the brand new self-service office, housed in Havremagasinet konsthall, Boden!

On site are Lars Novang and John Huntington, the Freedom Service initiators, to describe the agency’s activities and discuss how important the art of abstaining is for general freedom development.

At the self-service office Boden, it is free for everyone to issue their own freedom permit, or give such permission to others; to apply for new start-up freedom via the digital workstation, and of course to take part of the agency’s forms and other information that can be helpful for anyone trying to expand his or her freedom. The office can also be used for structured inactivity and other forms of non-doing.

A warm welcome to the opening on Thursday 5 September at 17.00-18.00 at Havremagasinet in Boden!

Opening speech and official inauguration at 17:30.

For more info, see
> Havremagasinet website

April-December 2024 I’m participating in “Medan vi faller”, produced by Virserums konsthall in collaboration with the research program Mistra Sustainable Consumption.

I’m exhibiting two installations. Den första vilan/the Original Rest share title with the Ars Moriendi campain 2024, and suggests that we, if we want to remain human, have to resist constant demands on us to be productive around the clock; at work, as customers and online. Rest is simply the perfect way to take a timeout from consumer society.

The other installation, Ars Moriendi self service bureau, invites the public to learn more about the Farewell Bureau, write and submit farewell letters, etc.

The artists Finn Ahlgren and Hillevi Cecilia Högström are also participating in the exhibition, and during the exhibition period, several events will be held where the artists, as well as researchers from Mistra Sustainable Consumption, will participate.

> Virserums konsthall

August 16-18, I will participate in the conference ClimateExistence 2023 at the Sigtuna Foundation. As part of the conference programme on the 17th, the Farewell Bureau Ars Moriendi will host a dignified last Farewell of the Climate Goals in the Olaus Petri Chapel at the Foundation.

More info about the conference and the full program can be found at www.cemus.uu.se/climateexistence/

Update:
Parts of the program the 17th was livestreamed and then published on Youtube:
Dougald Hine “Making Good Ruins: The Work of Living at the End of a World”
Anita Goldman & Stephen Jenkinson in conversation on death, dying and the climate crisis.

Other, shorter clips from the conference are also available here

The Farewell Bureau moves into Växjö Konsthall on March 21 – 25, as part of Växjö municipality’s Earth Week 2023.

During an intensive week, we offer space for reflection on the art of parting, farewell planning and grief talks, as well as a public last farewell celebration.

Contemplarium

In the art gallery, you can enter our Contemplarium to quietly contemplate the farewells that you feel are necessary. Open Tuesday-Friday from 12-18 and Saturday from 12-16, in the Norra rummet at Växjö art gallery.

Farewell Planning

During the week, we also offer supervised farewell planning for groups and individuals. See this event on Facebook for information on how to get a chance at a potentially game-changing meeting, or visit right now.

Please note that in order to book a private conversation, a Farewell letter must first be written

Farewell Ceremony

On Wednesday 22 March at 18:00 we are arranging a dignified final farewell to Overconsumtion, in the konsthall. This public ceremony is followed by a farewell reception, where we together in relaxed ways honor the memory of what we have parted from and talk freely about the art of taking a dignified farewell and its potential in our time.

Link to Växjö konsthall website

Welcome to celebrate a last farewell of Growth in Carl Johan’s church in Majorna, Gothenburg, 24 November, at 18:00 in the presence of relatives, other mourners and anyone concerned. The ceremony is open to the public and all are welcome to attend without advance notice.

After the farewell ceremony, a memorial service is held in Carl Johan’s parish home. The memorial service is also open to anyone interested, but requires advance registration in the form of RSVP at Skogen.pm

A last farewell of Growth is arranged by Ars Moriendi in collaboration with the Church of Sweden and Skogen.

More info (in Swedish):
> skogen.pm
> arsmoriendi.se

Sweden’s first Agency for Farewell Services and Ceremonies is now opening its first temporary office in Gothenburg.

Ars Moriendi specializes in helping people and organizations emancipate themselves from dysfunctional cultural artifacts in society, e.g. belief systems, mindsets, systems and structures. During our stay at Skogen in Gothenburg, we will be open for business, starting Monday 21 November. During three afternoons, anyone who wants to meet with a parting advisor and plan a farewell ceremony, or get more information about the parting agency’s operations and role in society, is then welcomed.

Monday 21/11 and Wednesday 23/11 between 15:00 and 18:00 Ars Moriendi accepts visits by appointment for 1-5 people.

Tuesday 22/11 the agency is open for drop-in visits between 15 and 19.

More info (in Swedish):
> skogen.pm
> arsmoriendi.se

The Swedish Public Freedom Service presents the workshop “Together we can quit!” at Havremagasinet in Boden, a guide in the art of quitting under the guidance of the agency’s newly started department for quitting management.

Our times’ demands to constantly start new, accelerate, consume and in various ways increase growth and speed are presently creating a climate collapse. At the same time, it prevents society from developing in the direction of greater care, empathy and thoughtfulness.

Learning to quit is for this reason necessary. Together we need to unhinge ourselves from constant employment, activity and consumption.

The workshop utilizes a carefully structured and playful method where we discuss ways to stop everything from small-scale everyday habits to institutionalized behavior patterns.

The workshop will take place November 11th,  is about 90 minutes long, and everyone is welcome to participate after pre-registration.

Photo: Havremagasinet

More info:
> Frihetsformedlingen.se
> Havremagasinet.se

As part of the campaign “Together we can quit!”, The Swedish Public Freedom Service is holding a workshop with the same title in Jönköping, where the Freedom Service’s new Unit for Discontinuation Management will present a practical guide for the art of quitting.

Today, we are all obliged to constantly start anew, accelerate, consume and in various ways increase growth, as well as speed. This behavior is rapidly creating a climate collapse, while simultaneously preventing society from developing in a direction of greater care, empathy and thoughtfulness.

Learning to quit is therefore reason necessary. Together we need to rid ourselves of mandatory employment, compulsive activity and mindless consumption.

The workshop follows a carefully structured and playful method where we explore methods to stop everything from small-scale habits to institutionalized behavioral patterns. The workshop is held September 3rd, is about 90 minutes long and relates to permaculture principle number six “Create no waste”. No pre-registration or preparation is needed. The workshop is part of the project “Jorddyrkare” at Österängen konsthall.

For more information visit
> Jordyrkare at Österängen Konsthall