Transparlingua
Project Transparlingua is organized as video lesson of Russenorsk, a pidgin language composed of both Russian and Norwegian that was formerly used mostly by traders and fishermen in the Arctic. Artists try to reconstruct the idea of this common language by introducing a video lesson based on research of the interlanguage on one hand, and their attention to the ongoing road construction between Russia and Norway on the other.
The only road that connects Russia and Norway is the route of E-105 which goes through Murmansk, russian towns of Sputnik, Nikel and Zapolyarniy and norwegian county Finnmark with a near-border town of Kirkenes. This is the main overland route os cross-border cooperationin this region. The less restrictive control of border crossing for locals provides Nikel and Zapolyarniy on the one side, and Kirkenes on the other with a constant flow of the nearest foreign neigbours. Norwegians come mostly to fill up tank with relatively inexpensive fuel, while russians used to come for shopping befor the collapse of the rouble. Now It is more and more cultural and touristic purposes only. The signs with names of the central streets in Kirkenes are dublicated in russian to facilitate navigation.
A few years ago the expanding trade, economic and cultural connections and, as a result, the increasing flux of passengers and goods stimulated agreements between Russia and Norway on recontruction and expansion of the route, which has become a symbol of this cross-border cooperation. It is significant that in it's new plan the road detours the town of Nikel, the township-forming enterprise of which is an ore mining and smelting factory, that at the present time belongs to the Norilsk Nikel conglomerate, and that remains a matter of ecological disputes and discussions on both sides of the border.
However, the events of 2014 and the following political and economical crises affected commercial exchange and passenger flow, as well as brought suspicion into relations between countries. Road reconstruction on the Russian side either decelerated, or completely stopped. Norway is still proceeding with reconstruction, tonnel construction and bridging work over the Paz river, but consulting companies, which have doubts about the fulfillment of commitments by the Russian side, already recommend the goverment to freeze construction works.
The new dimension in the history of E-105 and transborder communication between Russia and Norway is the so-called "Arctic route". It's a corridor Murmansk-Nikel-Kirkenes, that has become a through-connection for migrants from Syria and other Middle-East countries, who were frequently crossing the Nothern border on the bicycles which were bought in Nikel. The competing accusations of violation of bilateral agreements concerning asylum seekers increased after Norwegian border closure and departation of a number of migrants back to Russia.
The only road that connects Russia and Norway is the route of E-105 which goes through Murmansk, russian towns of Sputnik, Nikel and Zapolyarniy and norwegian county Finnmark with a near-border town of Kirkenes. This is the main overland route os cross-border cooperationin this region. The less restrictive control of border crossing for locals provides Nikel and Zapolyarniy on the one side, and Kirkenes on the other with a constant flow of the nearest foreign neigbours. Norwegians come mostly to fill up tank with relatively inexpensive fuel, while russians used to come for shopping befor the collapse of the rouble. Now It is more and more cultural and touristic purposes only. The signs with names of the central streets in Kirkenes are dublicated in russian to facilitate navigation.
A few years ago the expanding trade, economic and cultural connections and, as a result, the increasing flux of passengers and goods stimulated agreements between Russia and Norway on recontruction and expansion of the route, which has become a symbol of this cross-border cooperation. It is significant that in it's new plan the road detours the town of Nikel, the township-forming enterprise of which is an ore mining and smelting factory, that at the present time belongs to the Norilsk Nikel conglomerate, and that remains a matter of ecological disputes and discussions on both sides of the border.
However, the events of 2014 and the following political and economical crises affected commercial exchange and passenger flow, as well as brought suspicion into relations between countries. Road reconstruction on the Russian side either decelerated, or completely stopped. Norway is still proceeding with reconstruction, tonnel construction and bridging work over the Paz river, but consulting companies, which have doubts about the fulfillment of commitments by the Russian side, already recommend the goverment to freeze construction works.
The new dimension in the history of E-105 and transborder communication between Russia and Norway is the so-called "Arctic route". It's a corridor Murmansk-Nikel-Kirkenes, that has become a through-connection for migrants from Syria and other Middle-East countries, who were frequently crossing the Nothern border on the bicycles which were bought in Nikel. The competing accusations of violation of bilateral agreements concerning asylum seekers increased after Norwegian border closure and departation of a number of migrants back to Russia.
At present the road still has a status of "under reconstruction", so far remaining a channel for trade and cultural cooperation, on the one side, and migration and deportation on the other. But the ultimate decision on its further development is yet to come.
