Hans Ragnar Mathisen

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The artistic practice of Elle-Hánsa / Keviselie / Hans Ragnar Mathisen encompasses expressions ranging from printing, painting and drawing to text, artist books and bookbinding. A project he has worked with since the 1970s concerns Sámi place names; these he studies and elucidates through meticulously hand-drawn and richly-illustrated maps of Sápmi and other regions devoid of local and national boundaries.

With over five decades in the artworld, Mathisen has developed a signature expression rooted in his concern to preserve Sámi stories, symbols, identity and culture and to make all this available to others. His political work and involvement has resulted in him becoming an important voice in the struggle for indigenous rights, both in Sápmi and in a wider international context.

Amongst the works in the exhibition, there is a series of prints juxtaposed with works carefully cut out of hide. The work entitled Nordnorskrullegardin (North-Norwegian Roller Blind) was originally created as a book illustration. Here, Sámi identity and culture can be glimpsed as fragments through rips and tears in a pulled-down roller blind that blocks the view and the total picture outside the window. Positioned on the table in front of the window blind is a radio.

In 2017 Elle-Hánsa donated much of his art, books and archival material to Árran Lule Sámi Centre, located in Drag, Hamarøy Municipality. This institution is an important actor in preserving and conveying Sámi culture, language and history, known in particular for their work with Lule Sámi culture. It is through loans from Árran and collaboration with the museum’s director Sissel Ann Mikkelsen that the presentation at LIAF has been made possible.

Elle-Hánsa / Keviselie / Hans Ragnar Mathisen (b. 1945) lives and works in Tromsdalen. His artistic practice involves numerous art media and techniques, examples being watercolour and other types of painting, drawing, printing, photography, animal hide and bookbinding. For more than 50 years Mathisen has been an important voice in the struggle for indigenous rights, both nationally and internationally. In the last years he has exhibited at Hwa Kang Museum (Taipei 2023), Alta Art Society (2023) and Oslo Kunstforening (Oslo Art Society) (2022). Recent group-show participation includes Kristiansand Kunsthall (2023), DOCUMENTA 14 (Kassel, Germany and Athen, Greece 2017) and Gallery F15 (Moss 2005). Mathisen was also involved in the exhibition at the Nordic Pavilion, Venice Biennial in 2022. His works are found in several collections, among others, the National Museum in Oslo, the Sámi Collections in Karasjok, the Nordic Council of Ministers in Copenhagen, North Norwegian Art Museum in Tromsø and the Sámi Parliament. In 2024 Mathisen received Rune Brynestad’s Memorial Grant.