Carl Linneaus: Life and Achievements
A lecture by Professor Gunnar Broberg
Monday, November 12, 6:30 pm

The father of the modern classification of plants and animals, Carl Linnaeus is the most well known Swedish scientist in the world. He has left traces in many ways: he is depicted on Swedish banknotes, “Linnea” is a popular first name for Swedish girls, and many places have been named after him—even parts of the moon! Linnaeus is probably best known as a botanist and for his sexual classification system, which divided the plant kingdom into classes, orders, genera and species. His scientific achievements, however, also extend into the mineral world and zoology. He was curious about the complete natural world and wanted to map the whole of nature. Humans in his system, for example, are known as Homo sapiens, and they are primates in the class of mammals, Mammalia—all of these are names and concepts that Linnaeus coined. Gunnar Broberg is Professor in the Department of History of Science and Ideas at Lund University, Sweden. Supported by the Consulate General of Sweden in New York.

Tickets: $10 ($8 ASF members). For reservations call (212) 847-9740.

Gudjon Bjarnason in Conversation with Art Critics Richard Vine and Jón Proppé
Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 pm. FREE

Icelandic artist Gudjon Bjarnason will discuss his work with Richard Vine, managing editor of Art in America, and Icelandic critic and curator Jón Proppé. Mr. Bjarnason’s steel sculptures exploded with dynamite—accompanied by paintings, various texts, photographs, and video projections—and recently-made architectural projects have attracted attention on both sides of the Atlantic and have been exhibited recently in several solo museum shows in New York as well as in more than 50 exhibitions worldwide. Mr. Bjarnason continues as ever to work on an uncompromisingly large scale with his innovative new series of complex and multi-layered paintings and with steel, dynamite, and various installations that engage natural sites as well as gallery spaces in an extremely complicated yet forceful dialogue with the audience. His work will be shown this fall in New York at The HP Garcia Gallery (see “Nordic in New York” below). Organized in collaboration with CIA.IS – Center for Icelandic Art.

For reservations call (212) 847-9740.

Nordic Shorts: New Short Films from Sweden
Thursday, November 15, 6:30 pm

For years, Nordic short films have been presented at major film festivals around the world, regularly winning top international prizes. This fall Scandinavia House presents the Nordic Shorts series, a wide-ranging survey spanning many styles and genres that introduces some of the finest new shorts by the next generation of Nordic filmmakers. The series began with seven short films by Finnish directors on October 18 and continues with films by Swedish directors on Thursday, November 15 at 6:30 pm, and shorts from Denmark and Norway in the spring of 2008 (dates TBA). The Swedish shorts will be followed by a Q&A with several of the directors. Organized in collaboration with Package Deals.

Followed by a reception sponsored by Svedka Vodka.

Film Tickets: $8 ($6 ASF members & students)
ASF members only may reserve film tickets by calling (212) 847-9746.

The Blue Shoe (Den blå skon) Directed by Magnus Fredriksson (2005) In this animated film a man, fishing in his boat, catches a blue lady’s shoe floating along the river. Did it belong to Andrea? In this clever allegory about the plight of migrant workers, we meet the Polish berry picker, who fled from the tyranny of the Blueberry King and is supported by the Blueberry King’s own son, the poetic weakling Stig… 5 min.
For Memories Directed by Wing-Yee Wu (2006) Jack, a troubled New York teenager, meets Brigit, ten years older and a single mother to Julie. The trio embarks on a relationship that proves to be as frail as the moment in time that brings them together. 16 min. The director will be present.
I'm Your Man Written & directed by Sarah Gyllenstierna (2003) A summer day on a quiet, secluded block. A stranger arrives. I'm Your Man is a film about hidden desires, old grudges, con games, and lingerie. No one is safe. Sarah Gyllenstierna's second short has screened at over a dozen film festivals in the United States, Sweden, Italy, and Spain, winning Best Short Comedy at the Women of Color Film Festival, and screening at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. The film aired on national Swedish television in 2004. 27 min. The director will be present.
Linerboard Written and directed by Jens Jonsson (2006) Linerboard is a film about the thin paper in between cardboard ... and relationships, love, and passion. How fragile items need to be properly protected. Linerboard won the The Canal + Prize at the 2006 Nordic Panarama in Århus and Special Mention, Cork 2006. 18 min.
MTV Nordic Channel ID 2006 This package of short animated films aired on the Nordic MTV channels during 2006 and 2007. The films were directed and animated by Adam Marko-Nord and Måns Swanberg with the idea of creating hand-made animations tracing back to the tradition of experimental animation done for MTV in the 1980´s. The spots have received much international attention and were awarded the Swedish Society for Illustrators Gold Award at the Kolla! Festival in 2006. 3.5 min.
Radicalized (Tillväxtsjukan) Written & directed by Klara Swantesson (2006) Radicalized is a short animated documentary. In 2001, after 30 years as a teacher, Ulla-Britt got sick and was classified as “burned out.” She hasn't been able to work since then and has many reflections on why. The film won the Synchro Film & Video Award in Tricky Woman 2007 and was nominated for the Guldbaggen 2007 for Best Short Film.
When Elvis Came to Visit (När Elvis kom på besök) Directed by Andreas Tibblin (2006) When Elvis Came to Visit is an intimate film about a small yet momentous meeting in a suburb of Stockholm between Lukas and a young boy named Elvis, whose parents are from Iran. Lukas, not an immigrant-friendly person, tries to keep his distance, but the young boy's innocence gradually affects him. The film has won the Unicef UK Award and awards at the Showcomotion Young People's Film Festival (UK, 2007), the Austin Film Festival (2006), the Short Film Festival of Los Angeles (2007), the Nashville Film Festival (2007), and the New York Short Film Festival (2007). 10 min.
Woman and Gramophone (Kvinna vid grammofon) Written & directed by Ola Simonsson & Johannes Stjärne Nilsson (2006) A woman is sitting by a grammophone, listening. She is eating a piece of cake. A record is turning under the pick up. When the record ends, she decides to play something different. Selected for the International Critic's Week Cannes 2006 and Karlovy Vary FF 2006. 4 min.

Special thanks to the Swedish Film Institute, the Consulate General of Sweden in New York, Package Deals, Zig Zag Animation & Uzi Geffenblad, Sarah Gyllenstierna, Adam Mark-Nord, and Wing-Yee Wu.

Films are in Swedish with English subtitles unless otherwise noted and are screened on video and 35mm. The program is approximately 100 min. long.

A Celebration of Danish Cinema: Nordisk Film at 100
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm and Saturdays at 3 pm
Through December 15, 2007

Waltzing Regitze (Dansen med Regitze)
Wednesday, November 14, 6:30 pm & Saturday, November 17, 3 pm

Directed by Kaspar Rostrup (1989). Set during an aging couple’s final garden party, this portrait of the joys and challenges of a five-decade-long marriage is recalled through the quiet, emotionally reserved husband’s flashbacks. Concentrating its intimate scale on the ordinariness of these private lives, the film celebrates the youthful rebellion that began the couple’s love affair but is grounded in the impending tragedy of the wife’s terminal illness. The acting is another triumph for frequent collaborators Frits Helmuth and Ghita Nørby, who deliver performances of depth and detail as their characters confront the twilight of their relationship. 90 min.

Film tickets: $8 ($6 ASF members). ASF members only may reserve film tickets by calling (212) 847-9746.

The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
Saturday, November 17, 1 pm. Ages 5 to 10

Meet Pippi Longstocking, the strongest girl in the world! Few characters in children’s literature are as internationally famous as Swedish author Astrid Lindgren’s bold and independent-minded heroine. Immediately recognizable by generations of children with her bright red braids and mismatched stockings, the nine-year-old Pippi lives in the colorful Villa Villekulla with her monkey Mr. Nilsson and her horse Little Man, next door to her more timid friends Tommy and Annika. She is both cheeky and kind, and can carry a horse and outlift the strongest man in the world, Mighty Adolph. Assertive, unconventional, and occasionally outrageous, she accepts no authority and is quick to mock the silly pretensions of condescending adults. Actor Tuomas Hiltunen reads from a new translation of the first Pippi book, Pippi Longstocking. The reading is in English.

Tickets: $6 ($4 ASF members). For reservations call (212) 847-9740.

The Myths & Magic of Iceland: A Voyage through Icelandic Children’s Literature
Through March 29, 2008

Travel to an enchanted landscape of glaciers, volcanoes, magical creatures, and spellbinding stories! This fall Scandinavia House’s annual celebration of Nordic children’s literature spotlights Iceland, an island nation with a unique culture and a rich trove of vibrant folk traditions and fairy tales. From the ancient sagas chronicling exciting Viking adventures, to folk tales passed from generation to generation, to brand new stories by contemporary authors, The Myths & Magic of Iceland presents a broad range of children’s literature in a fun, colorful play space. Created by the artist Sarah Edkins.

For toddlers through 7 years. Open to ASF members only Tuesday–Friday, 12–5 pm. FREE
Open to the public Saturday, 12-5 pm. $5 per child (FREE to ASF members) includes admission to both the Heimbold Family Children's Center and The Myths & Magic of Iceland.

The Holiday Shop @ Scandinavia House opens on November 17!

The Shop @ Scandinavia House expands into the third floor for the holiday season and is transformed into a modern Jul market. You’ll find unique Scandinavian holiday decorations, traditional sweets and toys, tableware, blankets, clothing, and clogs as well as products from leading Scandinavian design houses.

Visit www.scandinaviahouse.org/shop.html for details!

Gudjon Bjarnason – SquARE zERo
November 14, 2007 - January 19, 2008 at the HP Garcia Gallery

Opening reception: Wednesday, November 14, 6-8 pm
HP Garcia Gallery is pleased to announce the solo exhibition SquARE zERo featuring a major body of new paintings and sculpture installations by the Iceland-born and internationally recognized sculptor, visual artist and architect Gudjon Bjarnason.

HP Garcia Gallery
580 8th Ave. at 38th St., NYC
(212) 354-8327
info@hpgarciagallery.com
www.hpgarciagallery.com

58 Park Ave. (between 37th and 38th Streets)
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 879-9779

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