Museum for Contemporary Circumpolar Art

The MCCA's journey through contemporary circumpolar art spans several decades, showcasing contemporary circumpolar artists and Arctic cultural traditions.

While our current portfolio offers a glimpse into our work, it represents only a fraction of our extensive history. We're in the process of gradually integrating our past projects into our online archive.

How to stay connected?

Our archive reflects our longstanding dedication to showcasing contemporary circumpolar art and fostering dialogue about Arctic ecosystem changes and Indigenous rights.

Past Activities

An Evening with Jo & Martha

Description Join Jo Morten Kåven, Sami artist from Karasjok, Norway, and Martha Cerny, curator to experience the Sami culture with the "Polwärts" exhibition as backdrop to the conversation (in English).

Place Kornhausforum, Stadtsaal, 1. OG, Bern

Date Tuesday, 17 September 2024 at 18:00

Project Type Discussion

Partner Schweizerischer Werkbund Bern (SWB)

Link https://kornhausforum.ch/de/agenda/film-talk-mit-jo-morten-kaven-en/

Image Rátkkagárdi ja lávvu / Reindeer Enclosure by Sami artist, Jo Morten Kåven

Exhibition 'Mannerheim'

Description 'Mannerheim - Through the Marshal's Photographic Lens: Documenting Central Asia and China': Between 1906 and 1908, Marshal C. G. E. Mannerheim, disguised explorer, covered a distance of over 14,000 km with his small team. The photo exhibition offers a wealth of information and forms a unique travel report about Central Asia and China, which tells of Peoples and cultures that are now largely extinct or at least greatly changed.

Place Museum Cerny.contemporary circumpolar art, Bern, Switzerland

Date 3 May - 4 August 2024, prolonged until 17 August

Project Type Exhibition

Partner Embassy of Finland to Switzerland and Liechtenstein

Report presentation 'Power to Protect'

Description Presentation on the report 'The Power to Protect': Climate Change, Intersectional Environmentalism and the Leadership of Indigenous Women': Come journey with us as we dive deep into the nexus between gender, climate change and contentious sites of conflict and insecurity beyond traditional armed conflicts. Our epic journey across Turtle Island and into Sápmi over the last year has found us immersed in many waters, making relations and showing up in community to be in a place of learning through ceremony, storytelling, conversation, and sitting together in circle, grounded in many Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Being and Doing. We are honoured to share what has been shared with us by powerful Indigenous and non-Indigenous women and girls who are leading significant changes in their communities. The teachings we have received came through as teachings of the waters. Water has memory. Water connects us. Water is life. Water is confluence.

Place Museum Cerny.contemporary circumpolar art, Bern, Switzerland

Date 9 June 2024

Project Type Presentation

Partners Dr. Julia Palmiano Federer & Ms. Lorelei Higgins Parker

Link https://ottawadialogue.ca/news-events/resource/the-power-to-protect-climate-change-intersectional-environmentalism-and-the-leadership-of-indigenous-women/

Presentation at Arctic Congress 2024

Description The Arctic Congress Bodø 2024 is a unique event that combines the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS) XI, UArctic Congress 2024, and High North Dialogue 2024. The congress includes high-level plenary sessions, several parallel sessions, network activities, and social and cultural events. This brings excellent opportunities for researchers, policymakers, businesses, and students to increase their connectivity and knowledge exchange on Arctic issues.

Place Bodø, Norway

Date 29 May - 3 June 2024

Project Type Congress presentation & participation

Link https://www.arcticcongress.com/

'Sedna. Myth and Change in the Arctic'

Description 20 years ago, the sea goddess Sedna first appeared in NONAM. Now she is back – as the main character of the anniversary exhibition on art, culture and climate change in the Arctic. Together with the Museum Cerny contemporary circumpolar art, NONAM celebrates 20 years in Seefeld and 60 years of the museum.

Place North American Native Museum (NONAM), Zurich, Switzerland

Date 1 February 2023 - 17 March 2024

Project Type Exhibition

Partner North American Native Museum (NONAM)

Link https://arttv.ch/kunst/die-meeresgoettin-sedna-kehrt-ins-nonam-zurueck/

Exhibition 'Healing'

Description 'Healing the Wounds of the Past': After decades in which conflict has gradually reduced around the world, the tide has turned. Conflict is increasing. This forum focused on a fundamental cause of this trend: the broken relationships caused by unhealed wounds of the past – personal, national and international.

Place Caux Palace, Caux, Switzerland

Dates 17 - 26 July 2023

Project Type Exhibition

Partner Initiatives for Change International

Link https://www.iofc.org/en/caux-forum-2023-hwp

Exhibition 'Playing with the Climate'

Description To kick off the three-year concert series 'Music for the Planet', the Gstaad Menuhin Festival investigates the responsibility of cultural organisers, musicians and the role of the performing arts in the face of climate change. Follow the exciting exchange between top-class artists and representatives from science and climate activism.

Place Greenhouse Blumen Stricker, Saanen, Switzerland

Dates Friday, 14 July 2023, 8am –12am & 1.30pm –6pm & during the opening ceremony Saturday, 15 July 2023, 8am –12am

Project Type Exhibition

Partner Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy

Link https://www.gstaadmenuhinfestival.ch/en/program-and-tickets/music-for-the-planet/sedna

Swiss Polar Class

Description Swiss Polar Class is a free learning program available to teachers, students, and anyone interested in exploring the polar regions. It is aimed at students aged 8 to 12 and older. Based on the scientific activities of the Swiss Polar Institute, the program develops learning content on topics related to the Arctic and Antarctic. Discover content adapted to Swiss curricula (in French and German) and immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the polar regions.

Place Museum Cerny.contemporary circumpolar art, Bern, Switzerland

Date 6 - 7 June 2023

Project Type School activity

Partner Swiss Polar Class

Link https://polar-class.ch/de/german/

Exhibition '50 Shapes of Prey'

Description In the exhibition, the strategic board game, chess, is used to show the complex interrelationships of the changes in the Earth.Opposite Natturalik, the ruler of the air and the land, is Sedna, the ruler of the sea. In order to maintain the balance with nature, every move of the game must be carefully considered, as a change on one side also triggers one on the other. The shaman, Mir-Susne-Hum, is at the centre as a mediator. At the same time, images from the Arctic show this change. In addition, there is the 50th figure, namely the human being.

Place Liechtenstein National Museum, Vaduz, Liechtenstein

Date 19 January - 7 May 2023

Project Type Exhibition

Partner Liechtenstein National Museum

Link https://www.landesmuseum.li/de/veranstaltungen-ausstellungen/50-shapes-of-prey-l6OnLRM

Exhibition 'Qanga. Greenland over Time'

Description Qanga. Greenland over Time. Based on a graphic novel by Greenlandic artist Konrad Nuka Godtfredsen, this exhibition tells the story of Greenland: from the time of the first hunter-gatherers who immigrated from present-day Canada 4,500 years ago to the years of cohabitation with the first Danish missionaries and settlers.

Place Museum of Archaeology and History of the Canton of Vaud, Palais de Rumine, Lausanne, Switzerland

Date 13 May 2022 – 29 January 2023

Project Type Exhibition participation

Partner Museum of Archaeology and History of the Canton of Vaud

Link https://palaisderumine.ch/expositions/expositions-passees/qanga/

Panel 'Games as Cultural Mediators'

Description Play Bern 2022 hosted a vibrant panel discussion that focused on the role of video games in bridging cultures and engaging diverse audiences. Among others, the two video games "INUA" and "Never Alone" about the Arctic were presented. The esteemed panelists, including Inuk artist Billy Gauthier, explored the effectiveness of using video games as tools for cultural mediation and their impact within the cultural context. The event provided valuable insights into the potential of video games in fostering cross-cultural understanding and enhancing cultural interactions.

Place Play Bern, PROGR, Bern, Switzerland

Date 2 - 4 September 2022

Project Type Panel discussion

Partner Play Bern

Link https://playbern.ch/

Circumpolar Art as Icebreaker: Platform for Arctic Voices

Past Activities