Cultural Supplement Storytelling, Sculptures, Art-Tech

Presented at Northing, Off-Duty Gods examined the evolving relationship between tradition and abandonment through the contemporary Chinese practice of relocating religious statues to urban street corners. The spontaneous emergence of worship sites within public spaces was explored, where decommissioned deities were recontextualised and imbued with renewed significance beyond their original sacred function.

Storytelling workshops, inspired by the Tibetan Kagyu tradition—where oral transmission is considered a more faithful means of preserving truth than written records—further supported this inquiry into cultural continuity and transformation. Held in Bergen, these sessions invited senior citizens to reflect on rituals, sacral objects, and beliefs that may have become obsolete. Participants shared personal narratives in an intimate setting while creating paper clay sculptures, which were then 3D scanned and projected—manifesting the fragile yet profound process of transmitting knowledge from speaker to listener, and from private memory to public space.

The project forms part of the BEK Expanded Symposium: The Only Lasting Truth is Change- a multidisciplinary investigation into art, technology, nature, and power.