Norwegian Woods (OT)

In 2012 Maja Daniels, photographer and sociologist began working in the Swedish region of Älvdalen inspired by the current generational shift, where negotiations and tensions between modern lifestyles and tradition – including the preservation of a strong cultural identity imbued with mysticism – represent an important contemporary struggle. Through making her own photographs of the region, and creatively appropriating parts of the archive of photographer Tenn Lars Persson (1878 –1938) within her work the community’s unique and mysterious eccentricity is reinforced. Steeped in both reality and myth, past and present, an imaginary tale influenced by language, mystery and local history quietly reveals itself through the resilience of the subjects, the strangeness of the events and the beauty of the land. ATA

Witch hunts, mystics and race cars: inside the weirdest village in Sweden

In 1926, the yearbook of the Swedish Tourism Association described the village of Älvdalen as “a community with a dark insular spirit” where locals were “shadowed by distrust and unease”. It was there in 1668 that the Swedish witch-hunts began, resulting in the execution of 19 girls and one man suspected of occult practices. One senses that the tourist association thought the stigma had lingered on into the 20th century. “It is not easy to get close to them,” the yearbook added, “particularly if you don’t speak their language.”

Today, Älvdalen, in the west of Sweden, still has its own language, Elfdalian, which has been traced back to Old Norse, the tongue of the Vikings. Swedish-born photographer Maja Daniels spent many childhood summers there, in a cabin built by her grandparents in the woods by the river.

“Älvdalen is part of what I call home,” she says. “My grandparents spoke Elfdalian, whose continued existence baffles linguists, but also is a personal mystery to me, as I cannot speak it.” The language has undergone a recent revival, with bursaries granted to 16-year-olds who are proficient speakers.

Daniels has made Elf Dalia, an intriguing, mysterious photobook that combines Daniels’ often impressionistic images of the landscape and its mainly young people with a fascinating archive of photographs by a local eccentric, Tenn Lars Persson, who was born there in 1878 and died in 1938.

“Tenn Lars was interested in what can be described as natural magic – knowledge of astrology, alchemy, the occult and the hidden power of plants, animals and stones. Despite spending only four years in school as a child, he became a self-taught electrician, optician, inventor, photographer and scientist. In many ways, he was a wizard of his time.”

Persson made his own cameras and lenses, as well as constructing a telescope to study and photograph the moon. He is remembered as the man who brought electricity to Älvdalen, and for his lectures on the wonders of the solar system and plant life. For Daniels, his monochrome photographs of the landscape and people of Älvdalen distil “the sense of wonder and mystery” that drew her back there. “I felt a deep connection to his work,” she says. “I wanted to initiate a dialogue with it, to emphasise the unique, almost eccentric spirit of the place.”

Her rural landscapes suggest human presence – denuded forests, the glare of streetlights filtered through trees, young men racing cars through rutted woodland tracks. Other more impressionistic images use sunlight, shadow and sparks to evoke the unchanging natural mystery of the elemental Swedish landscape. In several portraits, faces of strangers are fully or partially obscured, while individuals she knows are revealed in closeup. All the while, you are gently reminded that she is an outsider despite her family connections.

Sean O'Hagan

Hykjeberget is a mountain where biology and geology interact so that special conditions are created. The mountain has sides facing south, east and west. The cliff's ability to store heat means that the rock gives off heat to its surroundings, primarily during autumn and winter. Then a good local climate is created that favors demanding plants, often species that can only be found further south.

Already in 1734 Carl von Linné visited Hykjeberget and described the peculiar flora below the mountain slope. Here you can find species that are otherwise unusual in these areas - maple, linden, skogstry (Lonicera xylosteum), sötvedel (Astragalus glycyphyllos), getrams (Polygonatum odoratum) and gaffelbräken (Asplenium septentrionale).

"The Forest" takes us on a journey through the deep forests and aims to shine light on a landscape in Norway one usually does not see in the tourist magazines. This is portrayed through the magical night, mystical morning and adventurous day. Set to the words of Theodor Kittelsen the film gives associations with the traditional, Norwegian fairytales in a modern visual and auditive setting.

The soundtrack (named "Urskog") is custom composed for this film by Jogeir. Check out his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/jogeirmusic/); and Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/jogeirmusic);. Vocals on the track is done by Katrine Ødegaard Stenbekk. Mixed and mastered by Tony Draper. These guys were also the creators of the soundtrack from my last video, "NORWAY - A Time-Lapse Adventure". The voice over is done by the brilliant Norwegian actor Ingar Helge Gimle.

Morten Rustad

A lifeboat of tranquillity in a sea of rancor.