Ars Bioarctica

I got to see very variable landscapes on my two-day camping trip to Norway. Like any other pretty place, the coastal Norway can be difficult to photograph in a more interesting way. The red cabins, turquoise sea and sandy beaches are normally too pretty and picturesque for (my) art purposes; they make great postcards though. I'll share a set of "tourist" photos I took as the ones I may use for art projects still need editing.

The sandy beach in Ersfjord on the island of Senja. The island is a bit like a mini version of the Lofoten Islands that can be found further south. I've been to the Lofoten Islands many times, but this was my first trip to Senja. The coastal road on the island has a status of National Tourist Route and it was well worth the drive. Some of the roads on Senja are very narrow and curvy (which is typical for Norway in general), so exploring the island took me one full day even though the drive wasn't that long in kilometers.

Salmon farming in Botnhamn. The harbour in Botnhamn had a very aggressive tern colony and eating lunch by the harbour pier was a bit hazardous, but I avoided their sharp beaks. I saw a few people catch many mackerels from the pier and the sea seemed to be filled with life, so I'm not surprised the terns had chosen to nest nearby!

I spent the night in a tent, but didn't bother with a proper campsite. I found a really nice place with views to the sea and faraway blue mountains. Falling asleep wasn't easy because the sun kept shining very late and some insects that had gotten caught between the inner and outer tent fabrics made lazy, but quite loud buzzing sound. The most annoying fly can be seen in the picture below - I had very little to do while waiting for sleep, so I passed time by photographing the tent ceiling. I tried to kill the fly for my art project "Side Catch" that involves collecting insects, but it always got away.

I've already returned home, but I'd like to thank the people behind the residency program for giving me the opportunity to work and spend time in the inspiring Lapland landscapes.