We wear costumes, and costumes, in turn, wear us.

Throughout history, costumes have consistently served as both a symbol of identity and a vehicle for cultural expression. It is at once the outward appearance of the individual and the encoded memory of the collective. Nowadays, in an age shaped by globalisation and migration, when boundaries are constantly being crossed, the meaning of “belonging” is no longer tied to bloodline, geography, or tradition alone; it is a process, continuously redefined in motion.

The Fabric of Belonging unfolds precisely within this context—an artistic exploration that takes fabric as its language, the body as its medium, and belonging as its central inquiry. Since 2012, three Nordic artists—Nina Maria Kleivan (Norway), Hjördis Haack (Faroe Islands, Denmark), and Bent Hedeby Sørensen (Denmark)—have engaged in a decade-long collaboration, drawing traditional costumes out of the glass cases of history and returning them to the public spaces of contemporary life. No longer confined to ceremonial symbols, these garments become active texts within performances, videos, and installations—humorous yet profound questions posed to us all: Who am I? Who are “we”?

The exhibition itself unfolds like a woven fabric of multiple threads. In video works, the artists appear in traditional attire within modern cityscapes and surreal landscapes, creating a tension that is both visual and metaphorical. In photography, the series Weddings and Journeys explores the delicate balance between the collective and the individual, where fragments of solitude quietly unsettle the illusion of unity. “Fabric” here is more than the texture of traditional clothing—it becomes a symbol that weaves together shards of memory, overlapping identities, and encounters across cultures. Together, the works form a visible field of philosophy, where what the audience encounters is not merely art objects, but a living web of culture—one that carries both unity and strain, continuity and transformation, strangeness and intimacy.

The exhibition in the Nordic Contemporary Art Center (Xiamen), also welcomes the participation of Chinese artists and curator. Their works—rooted in myth, folklore, daily life, and interdisciplinary practice—interlace with the Nordic voices, creating a grand yet delicate resonance. Original compositions by musicians Jullie Hjetland and Rune Solvang further entwine sound with image, weaving an audible fabric that permeates the exhibition space.

From Scandinavia to Xiamen, from traditional costumes to contemporary media, from bodily gesture to visual re-imagination, this exhibition seeks to open a space of reflection across cultures, regions, and disciplines. It does not offer answers, but generously provides threads; it does not repeat history, but tenderly summons memory. As viewers step inside, they too become part of the fabric—each gaze, each act of listening, a re-creation of what it means to belong.

Click the link below to get more about this art project:

https://playgroundplatform.my.canva.site/kleivanhedebyandhaack/the-fabric-of-belonging

Project Artists:

Hjördis Haack (Left)

Visual artist, curator. Born in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1958 and now works and lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. She Graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Stockholm and been a member of the Artists' Associations of Grønningen and Vrå Udstillingen, Denmark. Her artworks are collected by many art organizations such as Trondheim Art Museum, National Arts Council (Sweden), Gentofte Art Library, Copenhagen Cultural Foundation, Tórshavn Art Museum, etc.

Bent Hedeby Sørensen (in the Middle)

Visul artist, curator. He was born in Jutland, Denmark and studied at the Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi in Istanbul, the Jutland Academy of Fine Arts in Aarhus, and the Aarhus School of Graphic Design. He currently works and lives in Copenhagen. He is a member of the Kunstnersamfundet, Bkf, Kufa, Kkart, etc and his artworks were collected by many art organizations.

Nina Maria Kleivan （Right）

Visul artist, curator. She was born in Oslo, Norway and studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Copenhagen. She currently works and lives in Copenhagen. Her artworks were collected by art organizations such as the Kastrupgaard Collection, the Danish Arts Foundation, the Ny Carlsberg Foundation, and the Copenhagen City Visual Arts Committee.

Collaborating Artists:

Jullie Hjetland. Danish Musician and composer. She graduated from Carl Nielsen Academy of Music, Odense and University of Bergen. She is the frontwoman of the Danish folk band Basco and also performing folk-based electronic music as part of her project Lukkif. She had received the Danish Music Folk Awards in 2009 and 2014.

Check her Sleeve and Instagram to get more:

https://sleeve.fm/artists/julliehjetland/music

https://www.instagram.com/julliehjetland

Rune Solvang. Composer and Pianist. He started playing the piano at the age of 5, and began composing music more seriously in his teens. He studied piano with José Ribera and composition with Niels Rosing-Schow, Ejnar Kanding and Bent Sørensen at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He graduated in 2006 and 2008 respectively.

Invited Artists:

Tong Wang. Painter, visual artist, professor at Bangkok Thonburi University, founder of the Nordic Contemporary Art Center(Xiamen) and the Thalbachen Art Center(Vittsjo).

Ruya Su. Painter, professor of Inner Mongolia Art Institue.

Yating Hu. Painter, visual artist. She graduated from China Academy of Art and now works and lives in Zhuhai city.

Manman Deng. Visual artist. She graduated from Pratt Institute and now works and lives in Chengdu city.

Yatao Zhang. Painter, visual artist. He is now a Phd candidate at Bangkok Thonburi University.

Xi He。Artist from Jino, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group in Yunnan province。 He is a Phd candidate at Bangkok Thonburi University.

Jiao Wang. National master of lacquerware, lacquer artist.