Nastassja Simensky shares hiking tips, reading suggestions, and the power of saying yes in our ‘Residents Recommends’ Series

Photo: Nastassja Simensky

We are very pleased to share new tips and inspiration from Nastassja Simensky in our ‘Residents Recommends’ series. Nastassja joined us as artist-in-residence from August to October 2024, nominated by OCA, Office for Contemporary Art Norway. Nastassja is a artist based in Nottingham, UK, she uses fieldwork to explore and understand how complex issues around history and heritage, power and governance, ecology and the geopolitics of extraction are crystallised in specific geographies. Nastassja often works collaboratively with artists and non-artists, including archaeologists, powerplant workers, musicians, and ham radio enthusiasts, to make authored and co-authored artworks.

During her residency, Nastassja fully embraced the unknown nature of Longyearbyen allowing time for those chance meetings and encounters to be experienced. Learning new skills, gaining knowledge from the people she met and sharing with the local community, hosting dinners and an artists talk.

The ‘Residents Recommends’ series is designed to share the unique experiences and advice of past Artica residents, offering inspiration and practical guidance to future artists, writers, and researchers. Through these articles, residents share tips on exploring Svalbard, recommended readings, and music or cultural suggestions that complement their experiences. Nastassja’s contribution offers advice on hiking trips, maps, reading resources and the power of saying yes.

Read Nastassja’s full reflections and recommendations here and discover more about making the most of your time in Svalbard.