Reykjavík Grapevine - 19.06.2015, Side 46

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No bra, no shame
Created by Icelandic artists and friends
Harpa Rún Ólafsdóttir and Elín Anna
Þórisdóttir, the candles are more than just
a quirky way of representing women. The
idea for the candles stemmed from a dis-
cussion Harpa and Elín had about many
women’s shame or hesitation in going
braless in public, and they wanted to cre-
ate a piece of art that celebrated feminine
pride. Harpa focused more on the concep-
tual side of the project, while Elín came
up with the idea of using actual breasts for
moulds.
But just whose boobs will they be set-
ting aflame? The artists recruited women
to make casts of their breasts via a Face-
book group, which included an instruc-
tional video on how to make casts of one's
breasts at home. Harpa and Elín went all
around Reykjavík dropping off casting
materials, and in no time at all, they had
moulds from 100 Icelandic women. The
artists aimed to be as inclusive as pos-
sible in their casting. “We decided that if
you are living as a woman and share the
same experiences of inequality that we
face as women, you were free to send us
your breasts, non-breasts or whatever
form they take,” Harpa explained. “The
moulds of course come in all shapes and
sizes, from all types of women spanning a
wide range of social class, status and pro-
fessions.”
The candles have been likened by
others to the #FreeTheNipple campaign,
which involves women revealing their
nipples on social media and, increasingly,
in public in a push for equality and shift-
ing gender norms regarding body censor-
ship. Harpa and Elín, though they support
#FreeTheNipple, wanted to do something
separate and slightly more conceptual,
and they say they have already received a
lot of support for their project so far. “And
then,” Harpa added, “there are some peo-
ple that think we’re weird!”
Burning breasts
For the June 19 performance, 'Igniting the
flame in our fellow women', Harpa and
Elín received a grant from the Committee
of the 100-Year Anniversary of Women’s
Suffrage (Framkvæmdanefnd um 100
ára afmæli kosningaréttar kvenna). The
candles will be standing on a table in City
Hall—one hundred, of course, to represent
the hundred years women have been able
to vote in Iceland. The candles come in an
array of colours, “to reflect the individual-
ity and diversity of each woman,” Harpa
explained. “They stand close together and
form a beautiful unity.”
For the ceremony, the Katla Women’s
Choir will walk in and light the candles
while singing “Brennið þið vitar.” “The
flame symbolises the feminist flame we
wish to ignite in the hearts of our fellow
women. It also symbolises a warning that
this flame can never die out.” The song,
whose title translates as “Burn, You Light-
houses,” also centres on light and unity, as
it portrays an epic tale of Icelandic sail-
ors returning to land together, guided by
lighthouses. “The lighthouse is the guid-
ing light, leading the way to equality,”
Harpa elaborated. “Women are strong
together and we can never give up.”
The candles will be left to burn, even-
tually melting together as a single wax
sculpture and a powerful image of multi-
coloured solidarity.
Past works and future
flames
While Harpa and Elín intend to use the
candles they currently have purely for the
anniversary ceremony, they are consider-
ing selling the candles in the future. “Peo-
ple can then light a breast-flame if they
feel particularly inspired by something,
like an empowering pat on the shoulder,”
Harpa said. “For instance, lighting one af-
ter doing something amazing like giving
birth or getting a new job.” The artists are
also considering doing recreations of the
ceremony in other countries.
Elín, in the past, has focused on por-
traying feminism in video performances,
sculptures and painting, while Harpa has
experimented conceptually with illustra-
tions and sculptures of skulls. They both
anticipate future collaborations given all
the positive attention these candles have
received so far.
But no matter what they decide to do,
we can expect to see more peculiar pieces
coming from both Harpa and Elín. Harpa
says: “Our future is, artistically speaking,
looking fun.”
The ceremony will be held on
June 19, 17:00 at Reykjavík City
Hall.
ART
PERFORMANCE
Colourful Breast-Shaped Candles To Celebrate
100th Anniversary Of Women’s Suffrage
Reykjavik Municipal Archives
EXHIBITION
Photographs & documents from women in Iceland 1910-1920
Grófarhús, Tryggvagata 15, 1st floor
Open Mon-Thu 10-19, Fri 11-18, Sat-Sun 13-17. Free entry
VISIONS OF WOMEN
at the beginning of their right to vote 1915
June 19, 17:00 Reykjavík City Hall'Igniting the flame in our fellow women'
June 19 is sure to have a number of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s suf-
frage in Iceland, but perhaps one of the most unique ceremonies will be the burning of 100
candles in the shape of women’s breasts.
Words & Photos Katie Steen
6
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 8 — 2015