MARIANNE SOLBERG

Nominated By Norwegian Pen

Marianne Solberg (b.1968, Norway) is a non-fiction writer, freelance journalist and independent researcher. She currently writes for Ny Tid / Modern Times Review (a quarterly Norwegian International non-fiction book review) and is working on two books about the Norwegian philosopher and writer Ludvig Holberg (1683-1754) and his treatment of natural law. Other projects include a research study of censored theatre as an area of critical and political thinking in the royal absolutism of Denmark at the 18th century, the century before the independent act in 1814.

Solberg’s background is in performing arts (1992-1998). She studied at Skrivekunstakademiet (the Writer’s Academy in Bergen), the University of Bergen, the University of Southeast Norway, and at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. She worked in theatres as a writer and auteur-director. For this work she received the State’s 3-year work grant for younger artists (1998-2003) and the City of Bergen Council Grant for young artists (1999).

“The aim of my stay was multifold. Because of the international situation, I needed to carefully study different backgrounds. I read articles by former Artica resident, Rune Ottosen with great interest and found the connection with the ice melt and the territorial and Northwest Passage very interesting. Ottosen is right that there is too little talk about Svalbard… I benefited greatly (and enjoyed!) from interesting and inspiring conversations with the other fellows, in particular I would like to mention Inma Herrera and Ingrid Wildi-Merino.”

- Marianne Solberg