FIELD NOTES 073
32 pp / 190 x 230mm
Staple Bound
Fedrigoni paper
First edition of 100
FN073
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The area around Larvik in the south-east of Norway is known for its rich occurrence of a special variation of an igneous rock. Since it is found only there, the rock is officially named Larvikite after the nearby town. However, due to its characteristic, shimmering blue crystals which become visible after polishing, it is sometimes also called blue pearl or emerald pearl. Larvikite is mined in a number of quarries around the area of Larvik. Some of the quarries are large, some are small, some are discontinued and have been left idle for years, and some are still in use. Larvikite is a large export article for the area and is used as a decorative rock for interiors, memorials, and as façade cladding for commercial buildings in cities such as New York and Dubai, among others the UN building in NYC.
The monumental quarry structures and the landscapes they create have always been fascinating to me. They may be artificial, but in an interesting way, they are different from the rest, and beautiful in their own right. The quarries reveal the otherwise hidden interior of the mountains, with all kinds of surprising details. This project explores the visual aspects of the Larvikite quarries, focusing on the beauty of the man shaped landscape as it is seen when the rock is cut out of the ground; the shapes of the rocks, and the shapes of the landscape left after cutting both being of equal interest and fascination.
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FIELD NOTES is a series of affordable zines showcasing photography projects which explore our relationship with 'place'.