In November Proxy will be shown again in Bergen, Norway as part of Piksel.
Gazing out of the window on a flight home from Trondheim last year over vast and mountainous terrain it struck me how perfect the Norwegian landscape would be for a filming and sampling location for a new edition of the installation. Fortunately Ivar at Atelier Nord and Gisle at Piksel were happy share my enthusiasm and to support me in staging a new edition of the work.
So a few days ago I went off to the far, far north of Norway and the island of Sørøya which, at almost 71 degrees longtitude, is well within the arctic circle. With expedition assistant Hillevi Munthe I made the long journey from Spain, via Paris, Oslo and Trømso to Hammerfest, and then by ferry to Akkarfjord – a village of 80 people and our arrival port on Sørøya. Final simple provisions were collected before we meet Alvin Vaseli, a teacher at the village school, who takes us in a borrowed 4×4 across the island to Gamvik, an easier starting point for the walk to the northernmost tip of the island at Tarhalsen where our cabin awaits us.
After meeting the Belgian couple who had arrived on the island 5 years previously to set up a sheep farm there (and are now branching out into some promising looking tourist accommodation) we set off on our way across the emptiness of the treeless and rugged terrain, heavy packs already cutting into shoulders. We soon realise that we have another member of the expedition – dog company in the shape of Rufus, a guest at the farm and an eager runner.
After about 3 hours of walking and resting we sight the top of the path that leads down the steep 150 meter rocky drop to the cabin. This vertiginous and winding path had been restored complete with indispensible handrails a couple of years previously by Tom Eirik Ness and Torbjorn Brataas, who we had met out marking other paths an hour or so before. The views from here, as on the rest of the island, are simply incredible. Vertical zigzags cascading down the glistening felspar, aiming towards the rocks and debris below.
Finally down at the cabin we set up a temporary home and prepare the kit for the first sample expedition. We decide to head to the very tip of the island, about 30 minutes of walking, scrambling and climbing across a series of ladders and rails, to see what kind of terrain was there, and to gain a foothold on the northernmost piece of ground. Once there it proves to be too green and grassy to be appropriate for Proxy, although it is awe inspiring to look north and imagine that there is nothing but sea from here to the North Pole, and that it isn’t so far away. The fact that the September weather on Sørøya is about 10 degrees above the seasonal norm only makes it slightly harder to believe. Returning towards the cabin an outcrop of rock a little way back down the path offers the first sample location after a short climb up the cliff face. A vial marked S01 full of dry hard moss awaits robotic analysis.
Then it’s back to the cabin and whisky and chorizo with Tom and Torbjorn, accompanied by stories and knowledge about the island and its nature. The evening is eating, resting – watching for whales and Aurora – neither of which make an appearance.
Day two is the big expedition day and totals 8 hours of walking, covering 3 or 4 peaks of 250 to 320 meters, bogs, cliffs, unbelievably strong winds, hunting for streams to drink from, amorous approaches from Rufus, filming, photographing and taking 5 samples of moss, earth and lichen. We ignore the burning, aching muscles in legs and backs and walk steeply uphill reaching Kjøttvikvarden, 12 meters of hand-piled stone from the 1850s – a landmark for fishermen. Furious winds try their best to tear us from the mountain and fling us into the sea far below. Sample 4 comes from close to the tower. Bizarre lenticular cloud formations that mimic UFOs and a vivid sunset accompany our walk and descent back towards the cabin as gulls, terns and cormorants (a sea eagle?) wheel above our heads. No whales, no sealions. A roaring fire amongst the tons and tons of driftwood on the west facing stony beach pass the evening. No Aurora. But a mink.
Day three is the final day, a day of combined sampling mission and walk back to Akkarfjord. It is also the day to try and get our friend Rufus back to where he belonged. As we approach the twin lakes of Vassvikvannet and Kjøttvikvannet we realise we have no time to walk via the amazing sandy beach near Gamvik, sand blown by fierce winds more than 100 meters up the cliff face. A vertical beach. We go via Trollbuktfjellet, the highest point on the most direct route back to Akkarfjord. Sample 7 is taken from an almost dried up small lake – reindeer tracks, bird tracks, small unidentified animal tracks mingle with my own in the mud. Sample 8 – the final one needed – is taken from a rocky outcrop just over the top of the peak. Then it is the long walk back, uphill and downhill, towards the village where only once, maybe twice, we question if we might not make the 16.45 ferry back to Hammerfest and civilization. In the end we make it with time to spare, there is time for coffee and biscuits at Alvin’s house and a solution to the Rufus situation. We join Tom and Torbjorn on the ferry back – their week of path marking and fixing finished.
All too soon it’s back to airports, people and rules and regulations. Multitudes of people and movement a shock to the system.
Sørøya is a magical place with wonderful people. I’ll be back there as soon as I can.
As far as Proxy is concerned I think I have some amazing images and footage, and I can’t wait to find out what the robots discover in the samples I have collected.
Big thanks to Alvin Vaseli, Christine Witt, Tom Eirik Ness, Torbjorn Brataas and Rufus who all contributed to the expediti0n in different ways and willingly shared their kindness, knowledge, time and companionship.
