Synnøve Persen

1950 -

Norway

Synnøve Persen was born in Porsanger, one of the five fjord districts in Finnmark, trained at Oslo National Academy of the Arts, and is a well-known artist, being a central figure in Sami art and culture organisations. She made her debut in 1981 with alit lottit girdilit, and her second poetry collection biekkakeahtes bálggis, 1992, was nominated for the Nordic Council’s Literature Prize in 1993. In 1994 she published the poetry collection ábiid eadni.

Additions by the editorial team 2011:

The above biography was first published in 1998. Since then, Synnøve Persen has published Muora ii galgga sojahit eambbo go gierdá (co-authored with Bente Geving), 1999, as well as the poetry collection Meahci suvas bohciidit sagat, 2005 (reproduced in Norwegian by the writer under the title Av skogens sus). The latter was awarded the  Saami Council Literature Prize i 2006, and was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 2008.