PROJECT DESCRIPTION - SUPERIOR ORDERS
An art project by Egil Martin Kurdøl and Ingun Kleppan
Five Superior Orders, all with animal symbols, silver, enameled and with some common features (blue tekstile, silver oval, flower (dandelion) ) that make them easily recognized as belonging to the same order category.
The awarding criteria of the orders differ radically from those of traditional orders in that they will be awarded to people and animals that would rarely otherwise be considered for awards, and that they are independent of nationality and all kinds of political, privat or public organisations.
I will produce six sets that will all be kept in an administrative context - kept by appropriate institutions (independent art organizations, art museums).
The orders should be easy and inexpensive to make and of high quality. They should be able to be made anywhere by skilled workers and thus be able to reach people and animals who deserve them all over the world.
A simple book / booklet will describe the award criteria and how each individual order can be produced in the most affordable way. This instruction booklet will also be made available on the internet, on a separate website created for this purpose.
SUPERIOR ORDERS – five orders that are superior to all other orders.
- ORDER OF THE ROBIN (Robin)
Colloquially known as ‘the whistleblower’, is awarded to:
The one who speaks out about abuse, abuse of power, corruption, injustice and in particular, illegalities from authorities and institutions of power in society. Whistleblowers and independent investigative journalists are of course particularly suitable to receive the Order of the Robin.
- THE ORDER OF THE EAGLE (Eagle in headwind)
Awarded to:
Those who have stood up to defend and help or save people and animals in need – people, animals, birds, fish, insects, trees, forests, seas, rivers, marshes and other valuable and dignified life that has been badly affected or wronged against. The order is especially aimed at awarding brave women and men and animals, anti-racists, animal rights activists, conservationists, amnesty advocates, feminists and organic farmers.
- THE ORDER OF THE BUTTERFLY (Butterfly)
Awarded to:
People and animals who have endured mental and physical suffering for a long time. The order is awarded to both those who have perished with good reason and those who have managed to process and completely, or to some extent, heal their pain without continuing or exercising violence and violations against others through their processes. The order is especially aimed at those who have experienced and perished or survived abuse, mistreatment, bullying, substance abuse problems and exclusion.
- THE ORDER OF THE UPPER JUMP (Kangaroo)
Also called the Order of Canetti, is awarded to:
Those who stand outside any institution, in order to take on the role of guardian of transformation. Artists of all kinds and anyone who is neither guided by the pursuit of achievement nor the pursuit of success, but who rather, through perseverance and long-term effort, brings themselves and their artistic and/or creative activities close to the world. People who feel a responsibility in the second power to the chaos she/he has to carry in themselves to bring a possible transformation into the light of day.
- THE ORDER OF PATHFINDERS (Squirrel)
Awarded to:
Those who do not fit in but have found their own way in life. The one who has found their own way to live a reasonably good life and found cohesion and fellowship with the world around them – a world that they marvel at and never stop investigating further. The order is particularly aimed at independent inventors, independent scientists, philosophers, forest walkers, composers and sound artists.
AWARD CRITERIA
All orders can be awarded to the person or persons who, after deep, honest and bottomless self-examination, recognize that they have earned an Order of the Superior. All orders can also be awarded to someone who, after careful consideration and scrutiny by one or more persons, concludes that they fully fit into one of the descriptions of the order and has certainly earned an order.
Once an order has been awarded, no one, with any right, can publicly contest the award.
Order awards can also take place post-mortem.
Orders can be given at any time and in any place and often on a festive or other occasion, e.g. 1. May, 8. March, 21. March, 8. April, 25. april, 19. June, 25. November, New Year's Eve, 6. February, someone's birthday or death day and all other appropriate dates.
The order of butterfly and the eagle in particular, can also be awarded to animals. Under special circumstances and after painstaking assessments that may border on direct studies, it will be possible to assign animals to the other orders as well.
THE FINANCES OF THE SUPERIOR ORDERS
The manufacture of Superior Orders shall take place in the most reasonable possible way within the collective wage for this type of metal, alloy and enamel work. Those who manufacture Superior Orders should have a salary / collective wage, but no one should be able to acquire profit from the production of Superior Orders.
No one can acquire the rights to Superior Orders – they must be able to be produced anywhere and anytime by anyone in all countries of the world and in line with the templates/working drawings and descriptions that have been made available in physical format (booklet) and on the internet.
Egil Martin Kurdøl Lillehammer 21.09.2025