Atladóttir d'Ors

Atladóttir & d’Ors provides the cabinet with an imagined republic created in the realm of creative imagination. Their works evokes questions of beauty to uncertainty, that what we know is sometimes less important than what we don’t know, the island of Bellona offers a metaphor that the difference between what is real and not real is just a matter of imagination and perception. 

website:  http://galerie10.nl/artists/atladottirdors

Since early 2010 Atladóttir & d’Ors work together on The First Collection, a multidisciplinary project positioned within the boundaries of art and avantgarde fashion. Framed as a thematic collection Atladóttir d’Ors make costumes, photos, videos and installations using a colorful, crafted aesthetic to create scenographies inspired by news, popular culture and scientific imagery. The collection reflects the fascination of the artists for traditional clothing, modern technology versus primitive natural forces, contemporary social dilemmas and unbalanced situations. They show this in a visual dialogue of diversity, change, emancipation and female identity within the context of globalization.

The parallel project The Independent Republic of Bellona is a visual research of a utopian country: the Republic of Bellona. Bellona is an anthropological study through traditional clothing, history and customs of a pre-technological/post-industrial society in a fictional land inhabited and run by women. With the Republic of Bellona Atladóttir & d’Ors research terms as tradition, emancipation and independence.

Dagmar Atladóttir (IS, 1978) and Laura d'Ors (ES, 1973)
Duo since 2010

About Bellona

Vabariigi Bellona (The Independent Republic of Bellona) is a country inhabited and run by women as Bellonian men explore the seas.

Bellona is a pre-­‐technological/post-­‐industrial society of around 80,000 people in an area of 62,428 km2, which makes of Bellona one of the nations in the world with the lowest density of population after Greenland and Mongolia.

The capital city, Bara, is the main area of commerce and home of the central government (The Council of Three). The beautiful Faraviik, the second largest city, hosts a port of important significance in Bellonian culture. Though most Bellonian cities and towns are located along the coastline, as they grew out of small fishing villages, Bellix has recently managed to break its isolation, due mostly to geographic and climatic challenges, and become the third largest Bellonian town by developing alternative economies. Of these the most well-­‐known is the solar panel industry.

Self-­‐sustainable and hard working, Bellonian women are highly emancipated and well-­‐known for their independent character. Bellona is a female run nation and a matriarchal society. Bellonian women hold traditions as highly important and that reflects in their choice of clothing, art and ways of living. Bellonians are however not a conservative nation and are vastly technological and constantly improving their ways of being a self sustainable society. Communication between the Bellonian women and their seafarer men is an important factor for the average Bellonian. Morse code is therefore the second official language of Bellona. At times non-­‐fuel hi-­‐tech pedalling boats are used as vehicles to journey to the men at sea. Apart from their highly technical skills Bellonians are also widely known for their art and craft skills. The town of Oomii is well known for its renowned artists, including contemporary visual artists of all disciplines (painting, sculpture, photography and new media).

Bellonian men feel by nature an irresistible urge to explore. Through centuries they spend 357 days of the year exploring the world in ships. Twice a year, during the summer and winter solstice, the seafarer men come back to the south-­‐eastern harbour city of Faraviik for a reunion on the Olbi Danú (Day of Homecoming). Olbi Danú is an important celebration in Bellonian culture, when men and women meet again and children are reunited with their fathers and dance a traditional folkdance around 10m high wooden poles with colourful ribbons.

Children are mostly conceived during this time. Various traditions and traditional dishes come along with this national holiday, as for example Lammirokka (lama roll with egg for vigour and fertility).
As the men depart Bellona again from Faraviik the Lighthouse keeper, Lysekimmiakt guides their way back to sea. The Lysekimmiakt is an honorable role in Bellona. A highly skilled person is specifically chosen by popular election following advice from The Council of Three for this function of high importance and responsibility.