“One of my main subjects of inspiration are places that have seen rapid changes. It may be borderlands where the civilization turns into the wild. Or reflections on the struggle between man and his environment…”
- Øystein Aspelund
Eerie, exciting and colorful - when put together in the same sentence, do a great job of describing the work of Norwegian photographer Øystein Aspelund.
The below selected works, are from two of our favorite projects of Øystein’s, “ÆON” and “NEON BLOOM”, where the artist uses deep reds and bright lights to set the mood for their landscape photography.
What we particularly love about Øystein’s work is how dangerous some of it can feel. By using bright reds in locations that can feel desolate, the photography almost triggers your fight or flight response - as if the work itself is telling you to stay on your toes.
The atmosphere in Øystein’s photography feels almost cinematographic - as if they were stills from your favorite sci-fi film. But that's by no means the only feeling that comes through the imagery. On the more subtle end, the pieces (especially those from "NEON BLOOM") feel calm - like you're watching something that you weren't meant to see, in a place that's been tucked just out of view.
We had the opportunity to briefly chat with Øystein about his work and process to dive deeper into how he approaches the photography. Here's how that went;
Marcel: What about a location inspires you to shoot? Do you you look for anything in particular?
Øystein: In short I would say its atmosphere, light and mysticism. I look for motives that can trigger emotions and curiosity, and make space for thoughts and reflections. These kind of “magic” places can be found everywhere if you know where and how to look.
Marcel: These days, what do you want people to take away from your work?
Øystein: I have several long term projects, with their own visual style and concepts. But thematically I aim to always have a kind of cultural presence in my photographs. I am fascinated by the contrast between nature and culture, and I seek to have a representation of this relationship in most of my projects. Maybe some of my work can inspire people to reflect on this issue. But I prefer to leave this question quite open, so each and one can make their own personal interpretations.
Please, take the time to explore more of this photographer's work on their personal portfolio site to get a better sense of their past work - and get excited about their future releases.
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