Yesterday we had a talk with Lars Vilhelmsen, the founder of The Travellers Box Project.

Wooloo: What is the concept behind The Travellers Box?

Lars Vilhelmsen: The Travellers Box project is an artistic discourse between artists

where a “box” (an empty metal suitcase) is used as the mediating object. The Box is sent from artist to artist and from country to country. During this process, individual artists' viewpoints, their thoughts and interactions with the Box, combine with the relationships that develop because of it. Its creation and interpretation becomes driven by artists both interacting with the Box, but also building a series of networked relationships, both nationally and globally.

Wooloo: When did the project start?

LV: The Box project started back in 2004 and has undergone various changes from The Travellers Secret Box to The Sandwich Box for new inscription in form of The Travellers Box 2009 which includes The International Box and The Local Box.

Wooloo: Tell us about a couple of memorable collaborations with artists?

LV: The cooperation with the UK-based artist Karen Ay have had tremendous importance to the project. Karen has been in the project for several years and without her the project would not have been where it is today. Also the Norwegian artist Tulle Ruth have had a huge importance to the project.

An art project which is memorable is made by Nick Tobier from Detroit - first of all the artwork was very good, but it also was the starting point in relation to The Travellers Box's United States journey, since then the project has developed in the US to include Boston, New York and Miami which include three co-curators.

Another memorable point was in 2007 - the project just seemed to grow and grow, and there was so many possibilities. I realized that a new construction was near by, therefore I invited two artists - two good friends in the project, and we became the working group behind The Travellers Box project.

Wooloo: The Travellers Box project took part of Wooloo's NEW LIFE BERLIN festival in the summer of 2008 – how did that turn out?

LV: NEW LIFE BERLIN was an important event for The Travellers Box project. A new direction started here. Many artists applied for the box via Wooloo and new co-operations started.

It was a great feeling to be a part of the festival, because many of the ideas of the constructions which are central to Wooloo – are ideas similar to those of The Travellers Box project. And finally the co-operation with the Wooloo team was great!

Click here to learn more and apply to take part in the project.