Stein Henningsen, Norway

Born in 1962 in Longyearbyen.

Based in the Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, Stein Henningsen is a performance artist and visual artist whose work has been presented at numerous international festivals, biennials and events across Scandinavia, Europe, North America, and Asia since 2005. Informed by the visual language of traditional photography, Henningsen crafts his performances as evocative visual poetry. His practice engages with contemporary political, social, financial, and climate issues, seeking to create resonant and thought-provoking images that prompt audiences to reflect on their role in global challenges.

His early significant work, “Crosses of Liberty” (2005), an itinerant installation and performance featuring life-sized reproductions of American crosses from the Normandy cemeteries (crossesofliberty.com), toured Europe, establishing his approach to politically charged themes.

Driven by a desire to foster critical awareness, Henningsen’s current projects continue to address the urgent state of our planet, with a particular focus on the tangible realities of climate change witnessed firsthand in his Arctic environment.
His ethos is encapsulated in the sentiment: “Today we inhabit the consequences of past decisions. As we shape the future for our children, making conscious choices about our way of life and governance is paramount.”

Passionate about sharing his Arctic experiences and raising awareness of its rapid transformation, Henningsen founded the Arctic Action International Performance Art Festival in 2015 (arcticaction.info). Through seven curated editions in Svalbard, he has invited more than 50 performance artists from Scandinavia and beyond to create site-responsive works inspired by the unique Arctic landscape. This initiative underscores his commitment to fostering artistic engagement with this critical and changing environment.