Once a year Finnskogen in the South East of Norway turns into a republic. ‘Finnskogen’ translates as ‘Finnish forest’, and it has been shaped by migrating people from the Savolax area in Finland since the late 16th to mid 17th centuries. Since our first visit to the village of Svullrya in 2019, we have soaked up tall tales, hard facts, rune songs and black coffee, roaming the deep forests and floating islands together with the tight knit community of locals.
Originally commissioned as part of the Svullrya development project, we created a series of portraits and texts titled Finnskogen Understories, exploring new perspectives on Svullrya as the center of the forest Finn culture and the renaissance of the historical and cultural heritage.
Four of these portraits have been permanently on display in the heart of the village for five years, and this summer a periscope was installed on the bridge that connects the center of Svullrya with the brand new Norwegian Forest Finn Museum, a landmark for the community and for the preservation of its cultural heritage. Peering through the periscope reveals a portrait of a notorious resident, Merete Furuberg, as a nod to the mythical characters from the Forest Finnish rune songs.
The second installation Rock-hard facts, tall tales, and incantations from Finnskogen (overheard by a grey stone), draws on rune traditions and oral storytelling, and the audio installation greets visitors outside the new museum building. As a nod to the hard working Forest Finnish work ethic, the Rock has a hand crank for audience-generated power.
Thank you to the smoking hot team Finnskogen for your time and generosity! Huge congratulations on the new museum, quickly dubbed as the Forest Cathedral.
Talking rock credits: Music by Daniel Lees Fryer / Dret Skivor: Det onda ska pressas ur with a sample from Finnskog og trollskap(NRK 1963), Anne Berit Gullikstad: Excerpt on lur from the opening sequence of Spelet om innvandrerne, Sinikka Langeland: Kiven Synty after Lena Vetelainen from Rotberget, recorded in 1821 by C.A. Gottlund, and Kiven Luku after David Lehmoinen in Revholtet, 1821 by C.A. Gottlund, Olav Skaslien / Kjetil Skaslien: Bestemors pols, Einar Wiger on saw, river murmuring from the Rotna, crackling from the smoke sauna at Kiærsaga, and wall clock chimes from Hytjanstorpet.
Vocal contributions by Merete Furuberg, Ida Holen, Einar Korbøl, Susanne Larsen, Birger Nesholen, Dag Raaberg, Kjetil Skaslien, Kyrre Skaslien, and Jan Storberget. The stone was donated by Merete Furuberg and hollowed out by Johansen Monumenthuggeri AS. Dynamo crank from Blackbox-av. The project is supported by Arts and Culture Norway(Kulturdirektoratet) and their project support for cultural minorities and Grue municipality.
(Einar Wiger playing the saw, courtesy of NRK recording from 1963.)
