Let’s build something together.
Sanasa means “Let’s Build Something Together” in Greenlandic. And that is what we do.
We are a community-based arts organization focused on using the strength and creativity of the people — and especially the youth — in Greenland to build public works of art.
About Sanasa
Sanasa was founded in 2018 by Heidi Zilmer, a master painter and decorator with roots in Greenland.
As a community organization, Sanasa serves many purposes: to inspire an interest in the visual arts among young people, to build stronger collaborations between the local and national business communities, and to beautify and promote tourism in South Greenland.
The murals themselves are the result of a series of workshops that have been offered locally and led by Heidi and other local artisans. All people between the ages of 15 and 35 were invited to submit ideas for motifs for different murals and street art projects. The workshops serve as a playground to develop ideas, introduce new artistic techniques, and provide guidance on how to prepare and install large-scale artworks.
In many cases, the motifs we explore have deep connections with Greenlandic history and culture. Sanasa is proud to provide an opportunity for young people to express what being Greenlandic means to them — and to share that with the world.
Whether participants are inspired to continue in an artistic or vocational education or simply pursue art as a hobby, Sanasa believes that these large-scale public installations can lift both individuals and communities. Sanasa operates with open doors, inviting and encouraging everyone to come build something together.
“Seeing my work in a large format is incredibly unreal. it feels like a dream you can't wake up from. It's also a confidence booster where you think: Sh*t this is great!”
Hollie Kielsen Olsen, Artist of Arferup Pania
Heidi Zilmer
Heidi Zilmer is the founder of Sanasa. As a Master Painter, she has a special focus on handwork and craftsmanship and has spent much of her career teaching painting students about patterns, modern painting techniques, color theory, color matching, trend spotting and historical painting techniques.
Based in Horsens in East Jutland, Denmark, Heidi has roots in Greenland, and this is what inspired her to found Sanasa. Since 2018 Heidi has, through Sanasa, worked with schools, local businesses, public institutions and governments, individual craftspeople and artisans, and — most importantly — over 200 young people from all over Greenland.
Together they have developed large-scale public art installations throughout South Greenland, and much more is planned for the future.
Heidi Zilmer is a master painter, craftswoman, artisan, designer, and restoration expert.
Contributing artists
The Sanasa project wouldn’t be possible without the contributions, leadership, and creativity of many wonderful artists, including:
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Nuka K. Godtfredsen
From the age of four, the Greenlandic artist Nuka K. Godtfredsen began playing with oil paints. His great inspiration was his grandmother's brother, Johan Markussen, who is one of Greenland's most renowned naive painters.
Nuka has worked as an illustrator for several books for the Greenlandic publishing house Atuagkat as well as the Greenlandic schoolbook publisher. He has also produced numerous stamps for the Greenlandic postal service, which are highly valued by collectors.
Nuka's major popular breakthrough came with the comic strips about the enterprising anti-hero Andala, which were published in the Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq from 1997 to 2001, later being released as standalone books.
In collaboration with his wife, the eskimologist Lisbeth Valgreen, Nuka created the company Andala, which has published the popular children's books about Andala's childhood.
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BOLATTA SILIS-HØEGH
As a visual artist from Greenland and Latvia, Bolatta Silis-Høegh lives in Copenhagen, and works out of Greenland, Denmark and Sweden.
She graduated from Aarhus Academy of Art in 2006 and has had numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the years in both Denmark, Greenland and abroad.
Her 2010-art installation “Greenlandic Future Garden” was awarded by the Danish Art Council. Her 2012-art installation “Ningiu” was featured at the Danish pavilion of the Architecture Biennale in Venice.
In 2011 Bolatta Silis-Høegh published her first children’s book, “Aima”, which she wrote and illustrated. The follow-up “Aima Shush!” was nominated for the Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize in 2016.
In 2015 and 2016 her solo exhibitions “Lights On Lights Off” and “STORM” have toured the Nordic region.
Bolatta Silis-Høegh’s works have been presented in The Huffington Post, Moore Women’s Artists, and ARoS Public, among others.