In this talk, Dr. Thomas DuBois, University of Wisconsin-Madison, introduces some of the basic considerations of form, substance, and use that characterize traditional Sámi objects. He shows how in Sámi art, aesthetic values are inseparable from other considerations such as usefulness, belief, and skill.

A sense of beauty arises from practical concerns, but this pragmatic approach means that beauty comes to pervade all aspects of life, even the performance of ordinary, mundane activities. The talk will be illustrated through abundant images, some of which are paralleled by elements seen in Sámi Stories.

About Dr. Thomas DuBois

Thomas DuBois is a professor of Scandinavian Studies and Folklore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He researches and writes particularly on Finnish and Sámi cultures, past and present. Along with numerous books and articles, DuBois has translated important works of Sámi literature, including Johan Turi’s An Account of the Sámi, the first book ever written in Sámi language, which appeared in 1910.

Exhibition-related educational programs have been supported in part by Scandinavian Seminar and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York.

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Photo by the American-Scandinavian Foundation

TUE – 6-24-14 – 6:30 PM
free