MISS MARIA NORDVALL

Biography

Nordvall is a first-year PhD researcher at University of Aberdeen and part of the project ArcHeritage. 

Her current research examines the visual representation of the Sámi conical tent, lávvu and goathi in Swedish art at the turn of the century. The tent has become a metaphor for the entire Sámi people, something we see both historically and in contemporary contexts. The art which constitute the research subject is strongly intertwined with national romanticism and the visual image of the tent emerged in a context linked to the creation of the nation state of Sweden.

The study draws parallels between the use of images and social and cultural structures and aims to use a discursive approach to dismantle and critically examine the hegemonic representation of the tent in art. It discusses how the portrayal of the tent often has been dominated by a one-sided representation that gives a false image of a homogeneous culture that ignores differences in area traditions and the diversity that exists within the culture. By studying artistic depiction, the study seeks to highlight issues of nationalism, political agendas and to challenge and confront social inequality and colonialism. The study thus argues that the presence of the tent in art has had a structural impact, which is still visible today.