Synopsis

End of Season is Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen’s first feature length film, and is his latest addition to his ongoing series of works that backtracks migrants’ paths to and through Europe. It is filmed in Üyüklütatar Köyüa - a small farming village in northwestern Turkey by the River Meriç that marks a part of the border between Turkey and Greece. Until recently the river was the busiest entry point into Europe for illegal migrants. The villagers have seen countless migrants enter their village and cross their fields to get to the river. Many have seen migrants drown in the river. Dead bodies floating in the river is not a rare sight.

The villagers feel in a moral dilemma because the current laws forbid them to help the migrants in any way. Although illegal migration is a reoccurring theme throughout the film, it broadens the definition of migration: Like many other small communities Üyüklütatar Köyüa is losing its young generation, who migrate to cities to work in factories. Furthermore, in the outskirts of the village there’s a camp of Romas who come as seasonal workers. Farming is becoming more industrialized and farms are becoming larger in size, but fewer in numbers, which is a big worry for the small community. These three notions of migration is explored in the film, which was filmed during the rice harvest season in 2012. It uses evocative cinematography and an atmospheric soundtrack to enhance the humanistic and highly poetic nature of the film.

Director

Nikolaj Bendix Skyum Larsen uses a variety of materials and media to create work with a deeply humanistic engagement at its core.

While a concern with political and social issues underlies much of his film and video work, Larson's approach remains sensitive, poetic and often humorous. His work for the 9th Sharjah Biennial was a poignant two-screen video projection titled Rendezvous (2009) in which Indian workers based in Sharjah and their families back in India were projected onto screens at opposite ends of the room. This work was a development on an earlier project Ideal Lad (2005) created while Larsen was a resident artist during the 7th Sharjah Biennial in 2005. Also installed in 2009 was his earlier Inshallah (2005), a neon work spelling out the Arabic invocation 'God willing'.

Larsen’s work has been exhibited widely with solo presentations including at Maison du Danemark, Paris, France (2010 and touring), Kunsten - Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg, Denmark (2004), and group presentations including the upcoming Folkstone Triennial (2011), Tent Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland (2010), Centro Fundacion Telefonica, Lima, Peru (2010), Ny Krop, Øksnehallen, Copenhagen (2009), the Sharjah Biennial (2009),the Badhaus, St.Gallen, Switzerland (2009), University of California, San Diego (2008), The Jerusalem Show, Al-Ma'mal Foundation for Contemporary Art, Jerusalem (2007), the Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, Denmark (2007) and La Maison Rouge, Paris, France (2006).

Larsen graduated with a BA in Fine Art Sculpture from Chelsea College of Art, London (1999), and received an MA from the Slade School of Fine Art, London (2001). Born in Denmark in 1971, the artist currently lives and works in London.