PARALLEL ORGANISMS - exhibition and an interdisciplinary collaboration between Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Department of Property Management at UiT with BA1 and BA2 students from the department of Fine Art, at the Academy of Arts in Tromsø. (14/3-15/12 2025)
Course coordinator: Lisa Torell, Professor and Head of Academy of Fine Arts at the Academy of Art, UiT
PARALL ORGANISMS
What is biology, and what is art? What does it mean to work in parallel on the same concept? And what does it truly mean to work site-specifically?
This course on exhibition and public art commissions is being held for the first time at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology in collaboration with the Department of Fine Art, Academy of Fine Arts and the Department of Property Management at UiT. However, it began as a pilot project in 2017 and was carried out several times until 2023, previously involving the School of Business and Economics, the Academy of Fine Arts, and the Department of Property Management. The project highlights the potential benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration at UiT and how different fields can easily learn from and support one another.
The works presented is created by BA1 and BA2 students from theDepartment of Fine Art, Academy of Fine Arts in Tromsø, with the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology—both its physical space and its academic focus— serving as a central starting point in the artistic process.
This project provides students with a valuable opportunity to en- gage in the processes that professional artists navigate when developing public art commissions. At the same time, the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology receives site-specific artworks that enrich its surroundings, bridging research and art. Public art is more than just accessibility—it contributes to a broad- er dialogue about the role of culture in society. By integrating art into public spaces, we open new ways of understanding ourselves, each other, and our history.
From March to December, you are invited to explore this diverse spectrum of works and emerging artists. Some pieces may speak to you immediately, while others will evolve and take shape over time.
What becomes what is not for me to decide—it is up to you. Welcome!
Lisa Torell
Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts and course coordinator