The Artist
I consider myself as a conceptual artist with a scientific background in Natural Science. For many years, I lived in Northern Norway above the polar circle and visited Svalbard, Greenland and the Arctic Ocean many times. Currently I live in Denmark. My art work is inspired by the beauty of northern landscapes, the cultural characteristics of remote regions and the knowledge I have gained on my journeys. Most of my projects start with an idea that arises from subjects, which are related to biogeosciences such as the shape of a seashell, an image of an algae forest, an interesting looking rock formation, the surface structure of the seabed, or the contours of an iceberg. These themes reflect a wide variety of natural topographies. With these images in mind, I create a concept in which the idea is transformed into a complex visual artwork based on scientific knowledge.
The drivers of my creativity are interactions with other scientists and artists, and more broadly between science and the wider public. I love to hear stories about the various places people have been to and what they found fascinating there. Some of these stories become part of my art.
What is Topography?
According to the dictionary, topography is defined as the following:
noun to·pog·ra·phy [tə-ˈpä-grə-fē]
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The detailed, precise description of a place or region.
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The art or practice of graphic representation of the natural and man-made surface features of a place or region on a map, indicating their relative positions and elevations.
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A description or an analysis of a structured entity, showing the relations among its components.
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The surface features of i) a place or region and ii) an object.
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The surveying of the features of a place or region.
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The study or description of an anatomical region or part
‘Topography’ derives from Greek meaning A Recording of the Landscape. In addition to the roads and, buildings, rivers and seas which we are familiar with on maps, at their heart are the undulating nuances of the terrain. These are often shown as contour lines – lines connecting points of equal height, thus artfully drawing three dimensions in the map user’s mind from two dimensional paper.
Geological maps show not only the physical surface, but characteristics of the underlying rock, fault lines, and subsurface structures.
Topographic maps show elevations and relief with contour lines or shading.
Physical maps show features of geography such as mountains, soil type, or land use including infrastructures such as roads, railroads, and buildings.
Surfaces and structures of objects