Rydh/Sörenson : Lessons from myths and nature
Interview, edit by Ayae Takise
Artist duo Rydh/Sörenson’s works may be visually high-on-sugar, but everything else behind it is a sincere hint for us to reconsider our connection to nature through physicality and spirituality, to respect and sense the unseen. Through this interview, we asked Anna Sörenson further stories about “Apocalypse Series“ through several rounds of emails (post-edited).
photo by Ginelle Hustrulid
Why were you inspired by myths and legends?
When creating the collage works, my artistic/private partner Daniel and I started to listen to “Myths and Legends podcast” in our studio. Growing up in Sweden, we have both enjoyed the Swedish mythology and folklore traditions. I have also been always been interested in Greek mythology, the drama but also the legends of star constellations.
The Nordic climate can be very extreme and let people be mindful enough of nature. Thus the water, skies and clouds were ways to protect yourself. This is why the Scandinavian folklore is so tied to nature — just like those of Japan and Korea, they have stories about spirits that inhabit trees, stones, waters or a whole forest.
We are interested in nature in general, not only that it is pleasurable and beautiful to be in, but as city people, it also inhabits things we don’t know. I think that is what we are trying to illustrate about — all the things that we can feel the presence of but not necessarily see. I think that is often the moral of the folklore stories; respect the things you don’t know and be mindful of your surroundings.
Apocalypse series, 2016, A4 size, no 20
For sale at Seen Scenes Collective
How did you come up with the series title “Apocalypse”?
The series points out all the signs we should be able to see when the world starts to unravel. To understand and “read” the signs of nature is unfortunately something that’s gone lost (maybe the world has already started unraveling?). Still, I think we all feel connected with nature in spirit, it’s inherent since the human body is a part of nature itself.
Rain Pink Sky, 2016, 25 x 25 cm
For sale at Seen Scenes Collective
Could you give me specific examples of the myths/legends you are drawing about?
For instance, the legend of the “Skogsrå”, a spirit that is half tree- half lady, that tricks you into the deep forest, or “Näcken” that mesmerizes people with his beauty to follow him into the water to drown. There are many versions of these stories, but all is about people disappearing, losing all their belongings or suffering horrible deaths.
Rangnarök, the apocalypse of the Nordic mythologies starts with the sky changing color. It’s an omen, just like the apocalypse in the old testament.
Apocalypse series, 2016, A4 size, no 02
For sale at Seen Scenes Collective
How does the theme connect to your other works?
Both Daniel and I keep circling back to depict nature. It may be either the nature itself, or how we feel being in nature — how you can feel when you are in contact with something very primal.
Previously we did a lot of artist residency programs, a wonderful way to experience different environments. We traveled to Spokane in Washington State, U.S., and walked up the snowy mountain. Or gardens with huge old trees in Brussels and traveled two times to Faroe Islands, intrigued by the mythical landscape.
Anna and Daniel during their residency programs from “Environmental Ephemerals”
Now, during the pandemic and with two small children, we don’t have the same time creating art but we do take the car out to the forest almost every weekend. We are always impressed by what nature does to us, how it puts us at ease but also starts our creativity and sets our imagination of. Both our Environmental Ephemerals series and our collage works do come back to this, the relationship between physical and spiritual space and all the fantastic things we can experience in nature but not necessarily see.
Light Blue With Dots, 2016, 25 x 25 cm
For Sale at Seen Scenes Collective
Crazy Pink Sky, 2016, 25 x 25 cm
For Sale at Seen Scenes Collective
Do you think there are any lessons the myths/legends teach us about our body?
Many of the legends are cautionary tales that basically want to scare people into beware of the dangers of nature. In our modern day, they might not be so relevant nor helpful. But as soon as we wander into nature, the forest, deep water or up on the mountains we get reminded of this incredible force that is so much larger than us. I think it is an important experience, it is a way to get perspective, that my body is just a dot in this vast picture. Just by moving into an unfamiliar environment we shift our perception of “I”, “we”, space and scale.
Purple Sky Snow, 2016, 25 x 25 cm
For Sale at Seen Scenes Collective
In these series, what is the division of roles between Daniel and you?
I imagine we look like two children playing; sitting on the floor (no table has ever been large enough), with lots of cutouts and painted paper all around. Usually, Daniel is more of a perfectionist and often paints the backgrounds very beautifully. I have a high production speed and tend to make use of every single piece of paper. We kind of create suggestions for each other and go back and forth until we decide to glue it down. But the suggestion can be made of shapes the other one has cut out or painted.
Often when creating images you run into problems that need to be solved, and it is very nice to have someone to help you solve them, it is also much more fun solving someone else's problems, in that sense it is very fluid. I think we also want to impress each other and therefore we try our very best all the time working together.
Red Sky, 2016, 25 x 25 cm
For Sale at Seen Scenes Collective
Are there any particular idioms in Swedish language that are unique and convey the country’s character, that uses body parts? (e.g. “break a leg” in English, “keep your hip low” (=be modest) or “break the stomach” (=be frank) in Japanese)
We have so many! “Bjuda med armbågen” (invite someone with the elbow), to invite someone and not really mean it, “Håll huvet kallt” (keep your head cold) is to keep calm, “Dra benen efter sig” (to drag your legs behind you) is to be slow, just to name a few.
Apocalypse series, 2016, A4 size, no 36
For Sale at Seen Scenes Collective
What does physicality and spirituality mean to you in the world of digitalization?
Digital information and images can reach out to so many and has so much potential, it’s mind-blowing. I believe the mind can travel beautifully on its own (without the body) and enter digital spaces with great physical awareness. Just like my body, my mind needs to wander, to sit with my own thoughts once in a while just to see where it goes.
Rydh/Sörenson
Artist duo formed by Daniel Rydh and Anna Sörenson based in Stockholm, Sweden. They work with site-specific art, installation and video. As invited artists-in-residence they look for the characteristics of the milieu they are in, pursuing a method of aesthetic anthropology.
Rydh/Sörenson have been artists-in-residents and exhibited their work at Bains Connective in Brussels, Belgium, Laboratory, in Spokane, WA, USA, Tjørnuvik, Faroe Islands and RUCKA, Cesis, Latvia. New York based gallery Ed. Varie has represented Rydh/Sörenson since 2016, exhibited in New York, 2016 and LA, 2017. In 2017 they had an exhibition of film and public installation at The Nordic House, Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
Rydh studied fine art at Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, The Netherlands and Sörenson received her BFA from Umeå Art Academy and MFA from Pratt Institute, New York. Sörenson also has a post-master in performance art from a.pass, Brussels, Belgium.
Website: https://rydhsorenson.com/
Instagram: @rydhdaniel @sorensonanna