Mining Waste in Sokndal, Norway
Sokndal is a municipality in southern Norway that contains one of the largest concentrations of industrial waste in Europe. In January 2026, I spent four weeks there making landscape paintings with a paint I created from mining waste deposited 120 feet below the ocean’s surface.
Origination:
I was drawn to work in Sokndal in the way that a stream of water is drawn to the sea. A set of diverse forces acted on me and pulled me there.
The strongest of these forces were those exerted by the area’s physical materials, particularly the mysterious pulses of energy emanating from the massive quantities of finely-ground anorthosite left behind by decades of titanium mining. I could hear these mountains of dark powder begging to exert their force on the world, and I found myself incapable of resisting their call.
Others, too, have been called to this material, and their interest has accelerated my own. A group of artists working at Velferden has been continuously investigating Sokndal’s geology and its relationship to the greater world. Their encouragement and logistical support were essential in propelling this investigation forward.
Investigation:
I conducted extensive research as I began my preparation to capture and re-present the mining waste in Sokndal.
I read about geology. … moon rocks
I learned about mining.
I read about the history of environmental activism.
Extraction:
In Spring 2025, I traveled to Oslo, Norway for Oslo Open Studios, an event which invites artists around the city to open their doors to the public. On my journey from studio to studio, I met the artist Hanna Sjöstrand. We discussed our mutual interest in environmentally engaged artwork, and she suggested I look into Velferden, an art organization based in the vacated headquarters of a titanium mine.
I reviewed Velferden’s website and became extremely interested in their program exploring the relationship between humans and nature. Over the following weeks, I learned more and
Fabrication:
I reviewed Velferden’s website and became extremely interested in their artistic program. Over the following weeks, I learned more about the projects they’ve supported and the area where they’re located, Sokndal. My interest in the area deepened, particularly in regards to its geological history, and I started investigating the remains left by centuries of mining activity in the region.
Exhibition:
Exhibition:
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