Scandinavian Art.
Wood carving at Urnes Stave Church in Norway.
My ancestry originates in Norway and Sweden. Despite the fact that I was born and raised in the UK and my family have been settled here for many years, I undertook 5 1/2 years of ancestral research and discovered that there has been a continuous Scandinavian line in all but one branch of my family, until the present youngest generation. My family have always had an inner gravity that has attracted us to the cold northern lands, especially the west coast of Norway. It is this land that most of my family lines originate from, and I had the pleasure of visiting Norway last winter (2016). It was a mesmerising experience and one that made me feel more at home than any other area I have resided or visited. I felt as if I had returned home after an eternity away, despite the fact that I had never personally visited Scandinavia before this point. I believe in genetic memory and the continuation of experiential essence that is transferred from one generation to another, informing ones character and the potential array of proclivities and choices one can duly affirm as a consequence.
Subsequently, Scandinavian art forms have proven to be a significant inspiration for me as an artist. The subtle weaving constructions the Viking artisans would produce, using wood, stone and precious metals, equals anything from the more commonly accepted and glorified antiquity of ancient Greece and Egypt. In addition, being of an ex-military background myself, one can see a common trend in the lifestyles of warriors, in different parts of the world, regardless of relative historical epoch. The balance that is gained by offsetting the harrowing and immense violence one can experience in the battleground with artistry, music and creativity, is a rewarding and plaintive tonic that has been maintained by warrior cultures from the Vikings, to the Celts, the Mesoamerican warrior tribes and the ancient and noble warrior tradition of the Japanese Samurai.
Viking art is rooted in mythology; oratorically passed on tales of heroism, courage and physical might and is classified historically into the following phases;
Oseberg Style
Borre Style
Jellinge Style
Mammen Style
Ringerike Style
Urnes Style
