In the Shadow of the Midnight Sun

Growing up, one of my favorite books was D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths with its tales of Odin and Thor. The seeds of interest in Iceland were laid then. It is a land of stories, and the stories take form in the land. A park that looks like the indentation of an enormous horse’s hoof was the spot where Odin’s horse, Sleipnir, touched down, and a rock lodged in a crevice was thrown by the viking woman Gu∂rùn to chase away a troll. Rather than illustrate these stories, I found my own.

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I once went to see Michael Kenna speak about his work. He was very reverent towards the landscape and said that before he takes a picture, he asks the land for permission. Everyone nodded knowingly, but one person raised their hand.

"Do you really talk to nature?"

Michael Kenna gave a slightly sour look and said, "No. I'm not crazy."

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This project would not have been possible without funding from the Nathan Cummings Foundation and the kindness of Sigurjón Örn Sigurjónsson.