Donna Simonsen is a visual artist based in Aalborg Denmark, specializing in videoinstallations, experience design etc., With a background in Art & Technology from Aalborg University, Donna’s work often explores themes of cultural identity, heritage, and the intersection of tradition and modernity.
Inspired by Pia Arke and Tanya Tagaq, Donna delves into the complexities of dual identity, particularly in the context of Greenlandic and Danish cultures. Through the use of abstract elements and symbolic imagery, she aims to provoke thought and conversation around identity, belonging, and the historical and contemporary relationships between nations.
Donna has exhibited work in Aalborg University and continues to create art that challenges perspectives and fosters critical self-awareness.
My thoughts
This conflict between Greenland and Denmark did not begin with violence but with misunderstandings and prejudices, and it goes both ways. When you encounter hate, you risk creating hate yourself. If you say you support a world full of peace, you must try to understand why others think and act as they do. I believe that the only way we, as a nation, can come together in unity is by working together.
I want to let my ethnicity be seen and show the world how incredibly our culture has survived, even when we were forced to change our own native language. Greenlandic culture embodies the idea that we do not place ourselves above nature, nor above animals. In contrast, Danish culture and Western Europe are characterized by greed.
This makes it feel as though we are a byproduct of colonization. I believe that the Danish government is repeating the role of the colonial power, with Greenland as the victim. Every issue within Inuit communities is a symptom of colonial history.