The film Okänd, kvinna 2009-349701 (Unknown, woman 2009-349701) was the artist Anna Odell’s student work when she attended art school (Konstfack) in Stockholm.
On 21 January 2009 Odell staged her own, previously experienced, suicide attempt and psychosis on the Liljeholm bridge in Stockholm. Police took her to a psychiatric ER at S:t Görans hospital. The next day she revealed to the hospital staff that she had faked her mental illness for the sake of her art film. The recording led to a huge controversy. Odell was criticized for misusing resources that could have helped actual mentally ill people seeking help that same night, and also accused of violent resistance to police arrest.
In an essay Elisabeth Åsbrink closely examines what Anna Odells film
Unknown, woman 2009-349701 actually reveals – in itself, in the debate that followed and as time has gone by since the controversy took place.
