Abstract: In the twenty-first century, Sámi artworks have increasingly extended their reach among global audiences. This article examines the international circulation of works tied to the land that situate the Indigenous Arctic as a site of meaning, activism, culture, politics, and dissent. In this understanding, in Sápmi, land and art are historically relational, a connection augmented by global circulation through specific Indigenous "Highways," as per the "Arctic Highway" concept first developed by Sámi writer and artist Nils-Aslak Valkeapää and further developed in the international Arctic Highways (2022–25) traveling exhibition. The case studies presented in this article employ mixed methodologies, examining the emergence of artist collectives in the 1970s and the current artistic practices of three contemporary Sámi artists in relation to land activism. These include a self-reflection by and study of the works of visual artist Tomas Colbengtson; contextualized first-person statements by video artist Marja Helander; and an analysis of the performance Matriarchy by Paulina Feodoroff, which convey messages of healing, renewal and land protection. These examples highlight the significance of ongoing artistic collaboration in relation to Sámi environmental stewardship and demonstrate how circulation through both nonprofit and commercial contexts showcased a growing number of practitioners and their multifaceted and interrelated activism.
Colbengtson et al. (Sun,) studied this question.