The work forms the photographic conclusion to the encounters with people from St Konrad, with the participating person transforming into a figure that blends into the environment at a location of their choice. The ongoing project Eyes as Big as Plates maps modern human’s affiliation with nature, and the work envisages actively involving the participating individuals in the creation of the photographic portrait. The portraits of people from St Konrad are joined by just as many from faraway lands.
The Norwegian-Finnish artist duo Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen increasingly portray people who are actively engaged in the climate emergency discourse, exploring the potential of art to propel actionable system change. In 2011, the pair began an imaginative series entitled Eyes as Big as Plates as a contemporary exploration of figures from Nordic folklore. Their photographic odyssey through 17 countries and the creation of more than 150 portraits and texts evolved into a general exploration of modern human’s relationship with our surroundings. Each photograph shows a solitary figure in a landscape carrying a sculpture made from natural elements of their choice.
Art Your Village
This project deals with local identities, primarily within the smaller locations within the Salzkammergut region. International artists or artist groups engage with these locations and develop projects in the form of interventions over the course of the year.
More about the project at salzkammergut-2024.at
