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GRO FOLKAN

Lives and works in Tromsoe and Oslo, Norway
www.grofolkan.no

The Images Between

In our culture reality is to a marked degree defined in literary because I also am nature. And then it can happen that a wild bird
categories, words, numbers. But that is not the reality. sits down by me, or a raven comes down and says something.
Reality is coherent, and also includes that which is between
the categories. To explore that which is between - with my To accomplish what I am trying to, I must create ”air” between
method - is my project. Reality may be comprehended as a the layers of my paintings, there must be space and breath
language addressing us. The elements of this language,”the between them. I have worked many years to develop a
words” are other than our everyday words, and include also technique allowing this, to try to create a weightlessnes

what is between the words, between the categories. What is a as in the Haiku poem mentioned above, disturbing our set
tree? The stem, of course, the branches, twigs and leaves, the categories, opening the gates.
roots - but what about the life - supporting fungi and microbes
between the finest roothairs? What about the oxygen close to I often use oxidized metals to add colour and substance
the leaves? What about the bird´s nest? What about the bird´s and to facilitate the layer underneath to shine through. I use
song early in the morning when the sun rises and the rays gold, white, red, green gold, silver, brass, copper, aluminium,
stroke the top of the tree? What about the shadow below? paladium, platinum. I also use interference colours when
suitable. The colours change from red to green etc. when the
Many of us remember the famous Haiku poem about the flower observer moves relative to the picture. Interference colours

falling from a branch of a tree, and suddenly rising again, going suit the metals very well. Some of these effects are difficult
upwards. Is it a butterfly? Pulled into the moment between the to display in immobile digital pictures.
flower and the butterfly, we suddenly get access to a part of
reality we did not know before. Look at a landscape. Consider I have spent a lot of time travelling and learning, being in
ARTIST the wealth of significance and content between the named other settings, in New York, Southwest, The Four Corners,
New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Berlin, Japan, China,
categories. I think of my pictures as gates, entrances to the
language between. I have experienced that when I manage to and have sought out expressive, unspoiled Nature, particularly

be in these gates, a new state of mind arises, a new contact - in North Norway.
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