The exhibition and the book "Time by the Sea" explore cultural identity, colonial legacies, environmental changes, and globalization with Lyngør as the backdrop, a car-free archipelago hailed as 'Europe's best-preserved settlement' by the EU. The project highlights the maritime history of the area and its current environmental and social challenges.

Portraits of Lyngør’s 45 remaining residents in front of their homes showcase the interaction between architecture and people. Historical images and maps from the Kuben Museum and Archives in Arendal provide context for Lyngør's current society, demonstrating how historical events have shaped the present. Photographs and stories from my grandfather's experiences as a wartime sailor and miner in Peru explore global connections and influences.

In addition to my conceptual photographs, the project will also feature images from 'I Love this Time of Year,' Dag Alveng's quadruple exposures from Manhattan. I pay homage to my former mentor in the series 'I Love this Time of Year too,' using the same technique in Lyngør through autumn, winter, and spring. This connection also links Lyngør to New York—a familiar port for local seafarers.

As a token of appreciation for their participation, the residents of Lyngør choose an image from the series, which will be included in the exhibition and the book, and will also hang in their homes—the backdrop for their portraits. This process makes them co-curators, integrating their cultural capital into the project. Last summer, I exhibited the images in my gallery in the old herring warehouse in Lyngør, where they hung side by side with Dag Alveng’s works, creating a dialogue between mentor and student.

The projects will explore how globalization has shaped life in Lyngør and speculate on the future in light of climate change and the impact of tourism. Having held record-high property prices in Norway, there is tension between preserving Lyngør's heritage and commercial development.

The projects demonstrate photography's ability to capture both the past and potential future moments through contemporary images and experimental techniques. The latent aspects of the analogue medium are explored—how it captures fleeting moments before they become visible and reflects on the lives of the residents. Personal travel documentaries connect individual experiences to broader global themes, experimenting with techniques that capture multiple time layers in a single image. The projects encourage reflection on photography's role in documenting the transience of history and memory, and how the hidden and the future are integrated into the present landscape. Ultimately, the aim is to elevate the viewer's perspective by preserving memories of a place while recognizing the diversity and uniqueness that small communities contribute to the global narrative. By observing these processes in Lyngør, a universal dilemma is highlighted: the challenges of preserving cultural wealth against the pressures of modern times. The photographs serve as a link between the local and the universal, inviting reflection on the ongoing changes in our world.

Exhibition

The exhibition will feature images in varying formats, as well as wallpapers and backdrops with maps, illustrations, and historical images. All of my photographs are produced analogically in my darkroom in Lyngør, with color images developed at Studio Technika in Oslo. The frames are made by a local boatbuilder.

The Book

The book will primarily consist of the same visual elements as the exhibition but will also include texts by Johan Harstad, Dag O. Hessen, Simen Tveitereid and hopefully Carsten Jensen. Additionally, PhD Håkon Haugland from Kuben Museum and Archives in Arendal will draw lines from the sailing ship era to modern times, emphasizing Lyngør's place in a global context. The Battle of Lyngør in 1812, which was decisive for the Treaty of Kiel and Norway's path to independence, underscores the island's role in broader historical contexts. Haugland will reflect on how historical events have shaped today's society.

Simen Tveitereid will write about my grandfather's experiences and discuss Lyngør's current situation, while Dr. Philos. Dag O. Hessen will conclude the book with reflections on Lyngør's future and adaptation to climate change. The book will also include photographs from my visits to Peru, where I found, among other things, my grandfather's godchild.

The book will be published spring 2025 with Rune Døli at Modest Design handling the design, Harald Fougner as text editor, and Simon Bainbridge responsible for curating and sequencing the images. The book will be produced in an edition of 1000, with the publisher handling distribution and sale of half the print run.