Anna Odell says she hasn't broken any laws in the course of her exam project. Photo: Elis Hoffman

The story begins on top of the Liljeholmen Bridge in Stockholm in January 2009. A seemingly psychotic woman is observed by worried passersby, who come to the rescue. Policemen take her to a psychiatric clinic where she is tied down and given sedatives. Later, Anna Odell reveals that it was all an act, part of her graduation project at Konstfack (University College of Arts, Crafts and Design). Hospital staff and politicians vent their criticism in the media, and so an art scandal is born.

A video depicts a masked man entering a Stockholm subway carriage with passengers inside. He tags the walls, smashes a window and exits. When the carriage is empty he re-enters to cover the walls with spray paint. The film, Territorial Pissing, is shown as the degree project of graffiti artist NUG at Konstfack in spring 2008. In February 2009, the video screens at a Stockholm art fair and is harshly criticized by the Minister of Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth. This pours fuel on the already heated art debate in the media and blogosphere.

Strong criticism

One of Odell’s toughest critics has been psychiatrist David Eberhard, who was in charge of St. Göran’s clinic when she was admitted. He accused her of behaving violently and advised her to “get a haircut and a proper job.” He calls her actions stupid and part of a modernist and postmodernist paradigm stating that art needs to have a message. “It’s pointless as a work of art — it says nothing apart from that if you fight people they need to defend themselves,” he says. According to Eberhard the responsibility lies entirely with the supervisor.

The supervisor in question, Andrea Creutz, sees it as her task to guide the students in realizing the social and artistic potential of their projects, rather than controlling their work. “Anna’s project is well grounded, and supported not only by me but by the whole of the Fine Art department," she says. “But none of my students think that illegal actions can be sanctioned just because it is art.”

Much of the criticism has focused on ethics. “You challenge something very important when you fake illness; the essential notion that when you ask for help you’re actually in need of it,” says journalist Hanne Kjöller, who has been involved in the debate. She thinks the reactions to the subway incident have more to do with it being vandalism of common property. In her view, the debate harms the image of this kind of art, and might reduce the willingness to fund it.

Left: Konstfack (University College of Arts, Crafts and Design). Right: Ivar Björkman, Konstfack's president, is surprised by the magnitude of the media frenzy. Photo: Åke E:son Lindman och Ivar Johansson

No regrets

It’s 4 pm, and Odell’s cell phone keeps ringing. The news that she might be facing a prison sentence just broke; among the charges are violent resistance and raising a false alarm. “I was expecting people to get pissed off, but I never thought the project would become about me supposedly having done illegal things. I know that David Eberhard is lying — I have never hit, bitten or spat at anybody. I consulted a lawyer before starting the project, so why would I then do something everybody knows is against the law?” 

Despite all the drama, Odell doesn’t have any regrets. She thinks that you must be allowed to move along the edges of the ethical as an artist, but definitely not commit felonies. “I’ve acted in good faith and I hope that in the end it will lead to something good,” she says. Her three-part video installation, examining the psychiatric patient’s role as victim, will be presented at the degree exhibition on May 12, 2009. 

Art world reactions

Konstfack’s president Ivar Björkman seems tired. He understands the reactions toward the projects but not the magnitude of the media frenzy, especially since the school did not supervise NUG’s video. He also points out that it is not yet clear whether crimes were actually committed. Concerning Odell he states, as in a recent debate article, that the guidelines were wanting. The responsibility of the school and supervisor was insufficiently defined; as a supervisor you sometimes have an obligation to dissuade he says. Following an investigation at Konstfack, an ethical council will be established, and supervisors receive further education.

Vice-chancellor Måns Wrange of The Royal University College of Art agrees that art schools must have a continuous ethical discussion. But he warns against overregulation. "Ethical questions are in contrast to law not black and white, and would be difficult to regulate through and through,” he says. He thinks that the only way to prevent similar situations would be for the schools to become more cautious when admitting students. "That development scares me," he says.

Anna Sandelin

Anna Sandelin is a fairly inartistic freelance writer. Despite this, she is now very eager to see the outcome of Anna Odell’s project in May.

The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.

Classification: A292EN