Recommendation of «Life-boats» and cooperation with Poland,
from Jørn Simen Øverli, Singer - Norway

Marit Benthe Norheim’s “Life-boats” is a magnificent project which is about fundamental and universal aspects of our human existence. It can encompass an enormous amount whilst it is in the process of being realised. Communication is the key word.

In my view, it would be natural to attach songs to the boats. The boats will cross borders and create contacts and it is thus important and natural that they be filled with many different kinds of artistic expression. Songs are one of the best shortcuts to creating an understanding of each others’ cultures, which is what the boats meant to do.

Starting the journey of “Longing”, “Life” and “Memories” in Poland will send out important signals. Poland is on its own perilous, fragile journey towards a modern, peaceful democracy and many new and exciting things are happening on this journey all the time. Opinions, mentality and attitudes towards one another change all the time. The belief in a bright future increases and songs are and have been an important source of inspiration along the way. Today, Poland has already become one of the most important new collaborative countries for Norway and Scandinavia and they communicate more and better with other European countries.

Poland was a country with a central European culture and long and important traditions in sculpture, painting, literature, performing arts, architecture and last, but not least, music, long before these disciplines underwent a modern development in Northern Europe, where our modern culture historically and fundamentally built upon impulses from Central Europe, including Poland. We need to learn more about Poland in many fields here in the North. The boats should be loaded with Norwegian, Nordic and Polish singers and musicians in union. This is currently being planned in the places that the boats will visit on their journey and the boats will continue to gather new friends before they are launched.

I have worked a lot in Poland in recent years and have had tours and concerts with my Polish/Norwegian band Karuzela, (www.karuzela.no) which performs the songs in both languages. Key cultural authorities in the country have asked me to continue. A collaboration with Marit Benthe Norheim is underway and she has been in Poland and given talks about the Life-boats which have resulted in great interest from the cultural authorities. We are now in the process of organising a tour for “Longing”, “Life” and “Memories” along Poland’s largest river Wis_a (Vistula). The historic traffic artery in the country. Most of the larger cities lie on the Wis_a and we are planning to anchor in 10 - 12 harbours and have contacted local artists for collaborations. Karuzela and other Polish and Norwegian musicians will be on the voyage.

Jørn Simen Øverli