All photos by Øystein Sture Aspelund. Used with Creative Commons permission.
The mere mention of Nordic landscapes brings to mind some dramatic images of snow-capped mountains, frigid vistas, and rugged terrains. But it seems that for Øystein Sture Aspelund, all these are blank canvases waiting to be painted with his surreal visions. And so he does in his most recent body of work called AEON. If you’ve ever wanted to do a unique conceptual twist to landscape photography you may want to take notes from the Oslo-based photographer.
We’re no strangers to the dreamy imagery that Aspelund invokes for his masterpieces. Previously, we’ve seen him capture the beauty of getting lost and brought us a surreal window into the subconscious. A big part of his style involves playing with his chosen settings, either making his subjects interact with their surrounds or making certain elements of the focus of his images. AEON is not an exception, but we can certainly see how his treatment this time has made a stunning treatment.
AEON, as Aspelund has described, is a collection of temporary installations of smoke, light, and fire against pristine Nordic landscapes. Each installation either lights up the scene or pops some color into the otherwise bleak location. What’s stunning about this new work is how he managed to use this visual approach to shoot a wide variety of spots, whether night, day, or dusk. He has effectively transformed these places into otherworldly works of art.
“Thematically, the series is examining our relationship with the landscape and natural habitat. It is focusing on how we, as humans, interact with our natural spaces and environments. Raising awareness and presence, the series is aiming to create a symbiosis with the installations and its surroundings, while at the same time reflecting on the so-called anthropocene epoch we live in today.”
Check out Øystein Sture Aspelund’s website and Behance page to see the rest of AEON and his other stunning works.