The grand narrative about the discovery of large oil reserves in Norwegian territory tells the story of a people that won the lottery. The winning ticket is the magic key to what politicians, journalists and corporations refer to as the ‘Norwegian oil fairytale’: an adventure that shall bring Wealth, Prosperity and Security for all.
Still, even in the best of fairytales you may well wish that it was the troll or huldra that lived ‘happily ever after’. This autumn Vreng debuts as the anti-heroine story, in which the sweet, saccharine tale of the little kingdom of Norway’s discovery of ‘black gold’ soon turns sour.
Investments are escalating and developments rapid but there is no dragon to be fought or wizard to be found, just funds to fill and bonds to buy. Previously untouched areas of the northern coastline are literally ‘up for grabs’, making Russia the dark force to be surmounted by the Norwegian oil heroes. The crusaders have traveled far and wide ensuring the tale continues in places far removed from this little kingdom, for this is part of a bigger epic called Globalization. On the way, they’ll meet some unfortunate people and unspoiled landscapes only to return with pictures of happy saved children and shining new refineries.
Corporations are now launching massive campaigns depicting a proud, oil-pumping nation, staging a spectacle far removed from the environmental impacts and political implications of increased oil exploitation.
It is timely therefore to try and reclaim this national narrative and make it ‘Once Upon a Time’ all over again. With Vreng #8 we want to ask whose lives will turn out happy ever after? Do we want to accept a future narrative built around the anticipation of a prosperous future in oil and gas production? How far should our national image and identity be placed in the hands of the global oil industry?
Rather than proposing a single, alternative position Vreng offers a platform for radical design, images, and alternative interpretations that offer a more refined version of the Norwegian oil fairytale.