Villagers and Vagabonds

"Ugly", "some damn nonsense": these were some of the first words used by the inhabitants of the small village Kvam in the Gudbrand Valley to describe a newly commissioned artwork. The sculptural installation is a work by the architectural collective FFB, which consists among others of Tromsø-based artists Joar Nango and Håvard Arnhoff. Faced with hostile reactions to their work, the artists have to defend their work, while local politicians are confronted with accusations of reckless spending of money. In the midst of the controversy, the artist group finishes their sculpture, and a divided local community follows the process closely.

Villagers and Vagabonds, which received the documentary prize at Bergen International Film Festival, is an engaging and entertaining documentary that offers a wide range of reflections on what art is and should be. It also sheds light on the working process of Nango and his collective, which is based on what he calls "Sami improvisation skills."