The Nordic winter landscape, marked by bare trees, long nights, and icy temperatures, has long captivated the imagination of artists and thinkers alike. In some regions of the Nordic countries, winter can extend for more than six months, a period that many people embrace through concepts such as friluftsliv—living freely in nature—and hygge, which focuses on simple comforts. The season provides a time for rest and retreat, as author Katherine May highlights in her book "Wintering."
"Winter offers us liminal spaces to inhabit," – Katherine May
The stark Nordic winter has been a muse for numerous artists, including Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Edvard Munch. This landscape, depicted in painting, sculpture, and literature, serves as a powerful symbol in Nordic folklore. The dark, primeval forests, often seen as foreboding emblems in myths, continue to dominate the landscape, with around three-quarters of Finland still forested today.
"Below them the wind blew cold, wolves howled, and black crows screamed as they skimmed across the glittering snow," – Hans Christian Andersen
Despite the harshness of the winter environment, many artists have been drawn to remote locations such as the Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten in search of solitude and a deeper connection with nature. This quest has led to varied artistic responses to the extremities of nature.
"What really drove these people was to find a response to the extremities of nature – the very essence of snow, winter and ice." – Küster
The exhibition "Northern Lights" features approximately 70 expressionist works from artists in Scandinavia, Finland, and Canada. This collection showcases their responses to the vastness and wilderness of the Nordic winter landscape. Through techniques like en plein air painting and drone-like perspectives, the artists capture the transformation of their surroundings.
"They are painters who really wanted to paint the experience, to feel the extreme temperature and the snow blindness," – Küster
The exhibition not only displays works by notable artists such as Hilma af Klint, Edvard Munch, and Harald Sohlberg but also aims to confront and reframe winter. It encourages viewers to embrace life's seasonality and deal more effectively with its darker periods.
"They ask us to think about the enchanting image of the forest in relation to its past and current transformation, as well as in relation to our own part therein," – Helga Christoffersen
The works in "Northern Lights" invite viewers to experience the stark beauty of winter and its potential for renewal. Katherine May suggests that winter's starkness can heighten our senses and reveal colors we might otherwise overlook.
"Its starkness", she argues, "re-sensitises us, and 'can reveal colours that we would otherwise miss'." – Katherine May
For many artists, the Nordic winter is not just a subject but an experience that demands immersion. The brushwork in paintings reacts meticulously to the layers of snow, capturing the dynamic interplay of freezing and thawing.
"The brushwork of this painting meticulously reacts to the layers of snow," says Küster. "It's snowing, then it's freezing, there might be some sun and there's a little thaw, and then there's freezing again and more snow comes on top." – Küster
Winter is an opportunity for introspection and personal growth. Katherine May reflects on how winter's challenges can lead to renewal.
"Winter had blanked me, blasted me wide open," she declares. "In all that whiteness, I saw the chance to make myself new again." – Katherine May
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