29 Karpe Diem: Heisann Montebello 2015–2017

The hip-hop duo Karpe Diem (known simply as Karpe since 2017) consists of Chirag Rashmikant Patel, who was raised in Oslo by Indian parents, and Magdi Omar Ytreeide Abdelmaguid, who was raised in Oslo by a Norwegian mother and an Egyptian father. On their debut EP Glasskår (‘Shards’, 2004) they sing about being young people from multicultural backgrounds.

Heisann Montebello (‘Hiya Montebello’) is considered the duo’s most overtly political project to date. In November 2015 the first three tracks were released as singles; the lyrics to one of these songs describe the then minister of justice, Anders Anundsen, as a coward. Three further singles appeared between February and June 2016, followed in August by ‘Gunerius’, which completed the album for the time being. Each of the singles was launched with an accompanying video, and all were later released as a box set. In December 2017, following three exclusive cinema screenings of the experimental music video Adjø Montebello (‘Goodbye Montebello’), the duo released another two songs: ‘Dup-i-dup’ and ‘Rett i foret’.

In the ‘Gunerius’ video, home movie clips from the two artists’ childhood and adolescence are interspersed with Norwegian news footage of the time: political debates between Gro Harlem Brundtland and Kåre Willoch, demonstrations for and against the EU, oil rigs, the consecration of Rosemarie Køhn as Norway’s first female bishop, the killing of Arve Beheim Karlsen. Magdi says: “I’m dancing on the fence, between greed and ambition.”

Published

by

Karpe Diem DA.

1. Au Pair. Director: Kristian Berg | 5:45

2. Hvite menn som pusher 50 (‘White men pushing 50’). Director: Marie Kristiansen | 4:01

3. Lett å være rebell i kjellerleiligheten din (‘Easy to be a rebel in your basement flat’). Director: Kavar Singh | 5:12

4. Hus/hotell/slott brenner (‘House/hotel/castle on fire’). Director: Stian Andersen | 4:39

5. Attitudeproblem. Directors: Torgeir Busch, Thea Hvistendahl and Kristoffer Klunk | 5:01

6. Den islamske elefanten (‘The Islamic elephant’). Director: Thea Hvistendahl | 7:32

7. Gunerius. Director: Erik Treimann | 6:18

8. Dup­i­dup. Audio only | 2:36

9. Rett i foret. Audio only | 4:18

At every single point in the history of Norwegian publications, the present has comprised not only the sum of past events, but also a range of future possibilities. The National Library of Norway is therefore more than a historical collection; it is also a repository for past visions of the future – at least if they were committed to print. These pamphlets show some of the causes that popular movements in Norway have fought for over the years.

Many of these objectives have been achieved, such as the election of women to parliament and Norway remaining outside the EU. Some causes remain oddities, such as the campaign for the king to hand over the royal palace to the community. Other causes had greater relevance to civil society in the past than they have now. The popular evangelical movements are a case in point, with their missionary work and their efforts to turn Norway into a Christian faith community.

From the 19th century onwards, mass political, religious and ideological movements became important channels for political influence. They changed Norway and brought people together around a common cause. The causes pursued and arguments put forward by voluntary associations have intersected in thought-provoking ways over the years. For instance, the demand by Riksmålsforbundet in 1960 that users of the conservative form of Norwegian should be granted “status and rights as a language community” foreshadowed the rights-based arguments later deployed on behalf of other minorities.

Exhibition

Design: Nissen Richards Studio Light: Studio ZNA

The exhibition is produced with financial support from Eckbos Legat and Sparebankstiftelsen DNB.

TEXT CATALOGUE

Translation: Språkverkstaden

Design: Superultraplus Designstudio AS

Print: Erik Tanche Nilssen AS