Home: fading memories

Thesis work. Mixed media collage, 2012. (Part of a larger series) My goal, in the thesis work, was to create inviting and positive illustrations that would leave the viewer with an imprint, echo, thought or sense of connectivity. Even though I think of connections we share with other people as something positive and beautiful, there are plenty of tension and struggle in these connections too. To me it is important that the duality, both the positive and negative shines through my work.

Using collage and mixed media allows me to be very free. I also think collage and mixed media speaks of the present. Today we are used to seeing a number of screens at the same time, with type rolling across the screens, having ten tabs open at the same moment on internet, hearing layers of sounds, constantly being plugged in all at the very same time. Collage and mixed media embodies this state of collision we surround ourselves with, every day.

As a cross-culture artist in this multicultural world, my illustrations aim to open up a conversation reflecting the diversity I see in the world. In the illustration above, the powerful red house and the strong dark lines symbolize the vibrancy of my memories and the support and comfort I have from my roots. The sense of power the red house brings is seperated. The grey stripes and collaged pieces that overlap the house and float through it represents the fading memories and sense of truly belonging that are being replaced and pushed back by the new experience I have here in Portland. The patterns and repetitive marks in the ground speak of the rhythms of everyday life. I go through every day being caught in between the two cultures and lands, Norway and America. I identify with Norwegians and the Norwegian way of living, yet I walk, speak and live on a different ground.