Nordic prizes rain down over Stockholm
The most outstanding artists in Nordic cultural life, and an innovative champion of nature and the environment, were honoured with the Nordic Council's prizes for literature, film, music and the environment in Kulturhuset in Stockholm on Tuesday evening in conjunction with the Nordic Council Session.
In Petterson's very personal speech he thanked his parents who, each in their own special way, had opened the door the world of books for him. Petterson remarked about the jury's choice: "That was a cool thing to do!"
- Photographer
- Magnus Fröderberg/norden.org
One after the other the prize winners stepped forward to the President of the Nordic Council, Sinikka Bohlin, and each one thanked her for the prize worth DKK 350,000.
The Norwegian author Per Petterson accepted the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2009 for his work “Jeg forbanner tidens elv”, whose particular strength the jury summarised with these words:
”The protagonist in the novel describes his experiences and his fragmented memoirs with several crises of life in his own family. In a poetic and quiet language Petterson brings across how difficult it is to say what feels like the most important things to say to each other.
In Petterson's very personal speech he thanked his parents who, each in their own special way, had opened the door the world of books for him. Petterson remarked about the jury's choice:
"That was a cool thing to do!"
The Danish film director and scriptwriter Lars von Trier and producer Meta Louise Foldager accepted the Nordic Council's Film Prize for the film "Antichrist".
Meta Louise Foldager gave a speech of thanks on her own and Lars von Trier's behalf and emphasised, how incredibly privileged Nordic artists are:
"There are not many places in the world where artists have such great freedom as here in the Nordic countries, where financial funding and support is even given by the state and public institutions. It is absolutely crucial for our artistic freedom and creative development as people.
Kari Kriikku, the Finnish musician and star clarinettist, accepted the Nordic Council's Music Prize, because, in the words of the adjudication committee, he:
”is an extraordinary virtuoso on his instrument the clarinet. His performance is characterised by flexibility and a positive musician’s joy – he is a musician in the best sense of the word".
A deeply grateful Kari Kriikku said that it was brave of the jury to give the prize to a musician and not, as was more usual, to a conductor or composer.
A very proud and happy Kerstin Andersson accepted the Nordic Council's Nature and Environment Prize for the project "I Ur och Skur" ("Rain and Shine") on behalf of the Swedish Friluftsfrämjandet (Outdoor Life).
"I Ur och Skur" ("Rain or Shine") is a prime example of an organisation that has contributed to children's wellbeing and understanding of nature in an era where people spend more and more of their lives online. It also serves as a source of inspiration for similar initiatives elsewhere, and similar work is indeed already being done in other parts of the Nordic Region", said the jury in their motivation.
Contacts
Jesper F. Schou-Knudsen
Phone
+45 33 96 03 55
Email
jsk@norden.org
