Sound of Time - Tuning into the Norwegian Landscape and the Post-Industrial Soundscape

Alexander Rishaug

This exposition is a non-linear, web based, poetic, personal, diary-like, essayistic, semi-fictional, experimental and reality-based approach to immerse into the reflection-mode and mind boggling universe of the project Sound of time - Tuning into the Norwegian Landscape and the Post-Industrial Soundscape, that took place in the time frame 2018 - 2022 at Academy of Arts, UiT Arctic University of Norway. Through his field work Rishaug's been tuning in (and out), listening, recording and investigating a wide range of sites and places, their presence, their history, stories, acoustic qualities and psychoacoustic state. This resulted in site specific installations, various collaborations, a solo exhibition, an artist book and a field recording album. With a growing toolkit of listening strategies, methods, techniques and technology Rishaug's been able to pick up, and record a variety of audible qualities of the Norwegian landscape such as vibration, resonance and electromagnetic waves. This not only highlights the physical presence of current sounds, but points towards the contemporary state of global economy and geo-politics and how this transforms the landscape.

Acknowledgements

Many people have supported and helped me during these three years. I am immensely humble and grateful for all the trust, support, love and care.

First off all I would like to express my deep gratitude to my partner Ebba, and our daughters Vera and Moa, for being patient when I’m away working in the north or doing field work. Without your trust, respect, love and support this would not have been possible. I also wish to thank my supervisors Camille Janina Norment and Þóra Pétursdóttir for their critical comments, never losing faith and endless support. Many thanks to my artistic research fellows and peers in Tromsø, Per Martinsen Juliane Zelwies, Anne Haaning and former research fellows such as Lisa Torell, Kristina Junttila and Jet Pascua. I would also like to thank Hanna Horsberg Hansen, Hanne Hammer Stien, Arne Skaug Olsen, Kjell Magne Mælen, all my colleagues, staff and students at “Kunstakademiet”, Academy of Arts, UiT The Arctic University of Norway and DIKU – Program for artistic research, for believing in my work and project. I am also thankful to Leif Magne Tangen and his team James Lee, Erik Fallgren, Mihály Stefanovicz, Kristin Josefine Solstad, Inger Emilie Solheim, Olga Gry Becker and Siri Mari Vitalis Larsen for hosting and working really hard managing my final artistic presentation at Tromsø Kunstforening. To Tromsø University Museum, especially Robert Bergersen, Per Helge Nylund and Sveinulf Hegstad who gave me access and offered me support, help and goodwill, also for lending me material and the essential ‘cabinet’ in the archival ‘bird cassette’ room at Tromsø Kunstforening. I am also incredibly moved by the enthusiastic and generous support I have received regarding the bird cassettes. I would like to extend my gratitude to Arne C. Nilssen, Jorun Moss, Andreas Nilssen Moss, Karl-Birger Strann, Leon Johanssen, Kristiina Johansson, Ellen-Marie Beck, Finn.no, Ernst Høgtun, Ken Are Bongo and Per Mathis Siri from DigForsk. Without your help this would not have been possible. Regarding the book and album Field Notes - Tuning into the Norwegian Landscape(2018 – 2021) I would direct my warmest thanks and respect to Petri Henriksson and Kaja Krakowian at Blank Blank Design, for designing, composing, crafting and guiding the book safely and punctually all the way from Livonia Print in Estonia to Tromsø. Also, warm wishes to Mondo Books and especially Tanya Busse for hosting me in their circumpolar family. I also wish to express gratitude to the Unruly Heritage Team, Bjørnar Olsen, Stein Farstadvoll, Torgeir Rinke Bangstad and Anatolijs Venovcevs at UiT for the ground-breaking work, inspiration and philosophical input regarding modern heritage and contemporary conservation. Deep love and respect to Tromsø’s local music and art scene, friends, piers and colleagues; Insomnia Festival, Silja Sletten, Gjøa Orheim, Backbeat, Nasra Omar, Themistoklis Altintzoglou, Aggie Frost, Joar Nango, Marte Aasen, Terje Grimen, Charlotte Bendiks, Robert Julian Hvistendahl, Katrine Rugeldal, Nicolas Horne, Hilde Sørstrøm, Lena Gudd, Vselovod Kovlaevskij, Thor Louis Birkedal Andersen, Kurant 9000, Small Projects, you, made it all memorable and worthwhile.

For continuous discussions, support, feedback regarding artistic research, art, music and so on my recognition goes to my peers and colleagues at DIKU’s National Artistic Research Program (Forskerskole) such as Lars Skoglund, Andrea Parkins, Siv Lier, Søren Thilo Funder, Pauliina Pöllänen, Craig Wells, Tijs Ham, Petrine Vinje, Ivar Grydeland. Warm appreciation goes to friends and colleagues Espen Sommer Eide, Sabina Jacobsson, Eivind Henjum, Elina Waage Mikalsen, Are Mokkelbost, Einar Broch Johnsen, Hanan Benammar, Petter Flaten Eilertsen, Morten Ednes, Arne Borgan, Michael Duch, Geir Tore Holm, James Wellburn, Nico Ibaceta, Sigurd Borge, Torill and Luis, Per Gisle Galåen, Simen Ruud, Hans Petter Lindstrøm and so on (hope I did not forget anyone now) for friendship, support, help and feedback.

Also, I am totally amazed and impressed by the priceless and totally life-saving effort and work completed regarding proofreading and editing by Angela Shury-Smith. Finally, I would like to thank my assessment committee Dr Trond Lossius, professor, Dr Nick Shepherd, associate professor and Maia Urstad, sound artist, for a very thorough and attentive report and feedback. I’m thankful for the time and energy they spent examining, analyzing and experiencing my exhibition Dissolving Topographies at Tromsø Kunstforening, the book and album Field Notes - Tuning into the Norwegian Landscape (2018 – 2021) and my Research Catalogue exposition.

And thank you

Inversia Festival and the Sunday Milk Team in Murmansk, Russia (remember it is Putin’s war).

and

Aslak Sira Myhre, Yulia Kolesnikova, Knut Tore Breivik, Erle Hind and all the helpful staff sharing knowledge, information and work with the sound archive at Nasjonalbiblioteket (The National Library) in Oslo and Mo i Rana.

and

Thomas Stave at NRK Arkivsalg, Arne Schei at NRK Troms and Maria Figenschau from the Lásságámmi Foundation (Nils-Aslak Valkeapää’s collection) for providing information and archival material for the reflection.

and

Gunnar Nilssen from NHO Arktis, for providing facts and tourism data from the Tromsø Muncipality.

and

Julie Lillelien Porter at Lydgalleriet in Bergen for inviting me to write an article for the Blue Rinse Press series publication.

Alexander Rishaug, Oslo 04.05.2022

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