A-FI-SA. But it might not be tomorrow

Maritea Dæhlin
A-FI-SA. But it might not be tomorrow
27.08.26–11.10.26

Oslo Kunstforening is pleased to present Maritea Dæhlin's (b. 1986) first solo exhibition in Oslo, A-FI-SA. But it might not be tomorrow, on view at Oslo Kunstforening from 27 August to 11 October 2026. The first version of the exhibition was shown at Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum's venue at Nordover kunstsenter in Longyearbyen (27 September 2025 – 26 April 2026) and was curated by Liv Brissach. In late August and early September, site-specific and further developed versions will open simultaneously at Oslo Kunstforening and at Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum in Bodø.

Through video, sound works, and photography, the exhibition circles the relationship between north and south, between Longyearbyen on Svalbard and San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. At the heart of the project are questions of memory – memories inherited and carried forward across generations.

The video installation A-FI-SA opens a space for reflection on experiences that are both personal and collective, mirroring the diversity of the African diaspora. A generational perspective is a defining dimension of Dæhlin's practice; both her mother and grandmother were artists. With roots in Norway, Mexico, and Cameroon, Dæhlin and her daughter Nina create situations in which bodies and landscapes challenge established notions of identity and belonging along a north–south axis.

The exhibition grows out of Dæhlin's residency at Artica Svalbard in 2023 and conversations with a range of collaborators in Mexico and on Svalbard. The project continues the artist's long-standing exploration of identity, displacement, and multilingualism. Throughout the work, the word afisa – drawn from Medumba, a Bamiléké language spoken in Cameroon – is repeated. The word carries a bodily dimension and points to how language can activate memory, connection, and belonging.

Maritea Dæhlin's artistic practice moves across disciplines and encompasses theatre productions, performance, sound and video installations, photography, and text. A dedicated performance programme will be presented in conjunction with the exhibition.

The exhibition is commissioned and supported by Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum. The presentation at Oslo Kunstforening has been developed in collaboration between Elisabeth Byre and Liv Brissach. Brissach has also curated the exhibitions on Svalbard and in Bodø. The exhibition at Oslo Kunstforening opens 27 August and runs until 11 October 2026.