NAMAK (نمک) is a collaborative exhibition presented by the International Master’s Programme in Curating Art at Stockholm University in partnership with Accelerator. The installation and performance by artist Cariz Nordlöf draws on research into the environmental degradation of the Karun River in Iran, as well as the historical context of the pool outside Accelerator.

Iran’s longest river, the Karun, is suffering from severe environmental degradation and has faced significant ecological damage. Industries and agriculture on non-fertile soil have led to increased water salinisation. Salt plays a central role in NAMAK. Nordlöf uses the corrosive properties of salt as a way to manipulate aluminium pieces. The work aims to connect our memories of salt and thirst with the vulnerable body, which becomes fragile due to prolonged exposure to contamination. Its saltiness also parallels questions raised in Goldin+Senneby’s exhibition Flare-Up, including biochemical imbalance and its impact on life forms.

The Karun River is indeed thirsty, much like the pool at Accelerator. In its former days, when the building served as a laboratory, the pool was filled with water to prevent potential fire outbreaks. Now, it stands empty, thirsty and yearning for both its past and future. Set in the hollow depths of the Accelerator pool, Cariz performs a heartfelt homage to salt and water. Encircled by glimmering aluminium sheets, washed in salt water, hammered and hung, NAMAK offers a glimpse of salty memories – such as dunes glistening with salt crystals, a dry voice whispering for water, and an aluminium cup tucked into a pocket. What are your salty memories?

On the opening night, the artist will perform in the pool outside Accelerator, adding a short auditory dimension to the visual experience. After the opening night, the artwork can be viewed during Accelerator’s opening hours from 2–16 April.

Exhibition: 2–16 April
Opening: Wednesday, 2 April, 17:00–19:00
Opening night performance: start 17:15

About the artist

Cariz Nordlöf (b.1992, Uppsala and Karaj, Iran) studies Fine Art at Konstfack, Stockholm. She has a multilingual practice and creates sculptures, sound pieces, performances, and installations. Her current topics focus on listening to and expressing the narratives of water, time travel, memories, and sorrows. She approaches these subjects by combining research with intuition.

Credits

Curators: Noël Platts and Ruoxi Gao
Artist: Cariz Nordlöf
Graphic designer: Maja Godek

The curators would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project’s production. A special thanks to Accelerator and to the SU Curating Art Programme team for their professional advice and guidance. A huge appreciation is owed to the graphic designer Maja Godek for her salty printed visual. Thank you, Cariz Nordlöf, for the dedication and collaboration in bringing this event to life, and to those at Konstfack who supported Nordlöf during the production of NAMAK.