Projects

I was able to spend three weeks in an artist residency in Longyearbyen, the capital of Svalbard (Norway), during a polar night. I lived at the Spitsbergen Artists Centre and my goal was to take photos of everyday life in complete darkness.
In Svalbard, the polar night is long and the month of December provides only one colour - black. The black blends with different artificial light sources such as headlamps, Christmas lights and street lamps.

I took photos of people both at work and during their free time, from close by and afar. The guides, builders, harbour workers, silent streets, stromy streets, skiers and climbers. The life in Longyearbyen goes on despite the blackness.

The darkness was an extreme techincal challenge. Taking photos of moving objects in dark is very difficult. But the darkenss also provided me with a sense of ease - I never had to chase the light during the days since the amount of light (or the lack of it) was the same all the time. It didn’t matter if it was daytime, nighttime or if I was underground or above ground - the light was always the same.

“Exit to daylight” comes from a sign in local coal mine, where an emergency exit is marked with the words: Nødutgang til dagen (Emergency exit to day in Norwegian). The working title suggests that there is light ahead - a way out of the darkness - but you have to find it first.

These photos will hopefully be an exhibition one day. If you have suggestions for a suitable space, I would be happy to hear from you.