A talk by Olof Olsson

Almedalen Stage, Visby
Tuesday 12 July, 8pm – Free entrance

As a young teenager Olof Olsson lost his heart to disco. It was a very cold night in January, 1979. He lived in a small town in Sweden, where there wasn’t much entertainment. That winter night, a bit past midnight, he discovered a local pirate radio station. And for the first time in his life he heard songs like ‘Le Freak’ and ‘In the Bush’. It was a completely overwhelming cultural experience.

In Almedalen Olof will talk about his devotion to disco, and explain how disco’s original message of love was politically charged – demanding equality, freedom and fun for everyone. In addition to the talk, Olof will play some exciting musical examples.

Olof Olsson lives and works in Copenhagen. He has studied philosophy, languages, and translation theory at Lund University – as well as art at Konstfack and The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. In the 1980s he worked extensively as a pirate and community radio DJ, and since the early 90s he has worked with art in a wide range of formats, focusing on performance since 2007.

Olof Olsson has been invited to BAC during July – August as part of the Artist-in-Residence program for Nordic artists funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers.