Mamakan

Forest Farmer, Botanical Artist, Mother
mamakan@mamakan.com

How can you grow roots, if you never eat from the soil?

 

My lifelong journey of discovery began in Aarhus, Denmark. Born into a long line of Nordic people known for their sense of exploration and curiosity, I identify with the ancient female Scandinavian Vølve (Volva) traditions. My tribal ancestors are Kimbri and Frisii on my father's side, and Daner on my mother's side.

 

Today, I work as a forest farmer and botanical artist at Velskov, a native New Zealand forest farm after years of moving from Denmark to Brazil, Belgium, Hong Kong, Italy, France, and Singapore.

 

What's a forest farmer?

 

In New Zealand, there is an intense competition for land use. The four major contenders are pastoral farming, pine plantations, urban development, and native forests. Native forests tend to lose out for economic reasons and mainstream social belief systems. My dream is to see more native forests, not less!

 

Here in Auckland, we are setting up an experiment; what if a healthy native forest with a high level of biodiversity could generate a reasonable income from foraging, educational farm visits, and native produce sales? That would be a win-win for the environment, the landowner, the local community, and our future generations. That's the vision for our native forest farm. So, I’m a forest farmer.

 

 

In the future, I believe that many more native forest farms will be popping up all over the country creating prosperity and jobs for local communities. Local food brands and restaurants will celebrate native forest produce in harmony with our changing seasons.

 

Businesses will arrange meetings at the 'Bush Boardroom' and harvest the benefits of working in nature. Tourists will taste native trees in the award-winning 'Kawakawa Burgers'. And the children of Aotearoa New Zealand will grow up knowing how healthy, beautiful, and delicious our native forests are.

Velskov would love to collaborate with you. Please contact me at mamakan@mamakan.com.

 

My botanical art practice can best be described as 'GastroGeography' - the taste of a place.

 

Mamkan Studio installations are known for their experiential and sensorial qualities, immersing the audience into living the story using visuals, touch, sounds, and scent.

 

Botanical art is a powerful reminder of our local heritage and connection to nature through plants. Contemporary botanical art creates sensorial experiences for the audience to lower stress, connect with the land and regrow their roots.

 

 

Mamakan

Botanical Artist

Born in Aarhus, Denmark

Lives and works on a hill in a forest in Parau, Auckland, New Zealand

 

2015  Charcoal Drawing at NAFA Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore

2015-2016  Fine Arts: Figure Drawing, Drawing Using the Right Side of the Brain, Oil Painting at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore

2016:  Art History: Asian Art at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore

2004-2016 Goodwill Ambassador of Copenhagen

 

Selected Exhibitions, Press, and Projects 

 

2023 

 

2022

 

2021

 

2020 

 

2019

 

2018

  • Participant at the inaugural Holistic Visions Symposium by Le Ciel Foundation, Barcelona, Spain, Nov/Dec.

 

2017

 

2016

  • Forbidden Fruit at Royal Danish Embassy, SIM University, Singapore Management University (SMU), September 2015 to March 2016

 

2015

  • Multaia, (Student Project) NUS Yale, 1-30 September 

 

2013-2015

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010

 

2009-2013

  • Bionomic Age: Qi Global, National Museum of Singapore, School of Art, Design & Media - Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Goodman Arts Centre

 

2009

 

2006-2009

  • Elemental Experience Design. France, Norway, Denmark, Singapore, Thailand, New York.  

 

2001-2005