Queer folk dresses - Not a costume exhibition
Traditional garments such as the bunad, the gákti and other folk dresses carry messages about where the wearer comes from and what they stand for, but they can also be worn in the quest for acceptance and inclusion.
Many Norwegians feel a close attachment to folk dresses like the bunad and the gákti. These traditional garments can generate a strong sense of belonging, but also of alienation. They carry messages about where the wearer comes from and what they stand for, but they can also be worn in the quest for acceptance and inclusion.
Given the strength of costume traditions, it can hard to remember that these garments were once seen as radical and political. For many, they still are. How did the colours, the styles and their norms of use come about? And how do the traditions of folk costumes, of the gákti and the bunad, survive and evolve in the current social and political landscape?
Queer folk dresses is a travelling exhibition that has visited various parts of the country, from Kautokeino in the north to Arendal in the south. A local reference is of great significance when it comes to costume traditions and traditional knowledge. In Alta the artist Hilde Skancke Pedersen was invited to join this conversation with her own work, creating a local connection to the exhibition.
Queer folk dresses will be displayed at Alta Museum from the 6th of March to the 27th of September 2026.
Come and enjoy a special art experience!