Art Installation l — the pond

Harpefoss, Norway





In a valley in southern Norway, at the old road that once connected Oslo and Trondheim, lies the small town of Harpefoss and its waterfall of the same name. Thats where artists Eivind Slettemeås and Anna Gudmundsdottir are running a hotel. They wanted to tender an art project to work between art and architecture in connection with nature. The aim was to create a minimal interfering intervention only using local materials. In addition there were two sides to chose: one a hidden calm pond, the other one more exposed, on a cliff near the river.

The first site could be reached after a short hike through a dense forest. The pond is surrounded by rocks and cliffs almost creating a sacred atmosphere.
The visitor feels like being absorbed by the place. It is calm and seems to be lost in reverie. The main idea was to work with a very simple structure that would rather integrate than being an eyecatcher. It consists of an octagonal stage-structure, partly over water and land. It originates from the footbridges that are used all over Scandinavia to pass streams, fords or marshland. The structures’ spacial qualities emerge from the change between land and water, while the visitor walks a full circle on the stage.

all photographs by Dagur Eggertsson