The Sámi population is one of the largest indigenous groups in the world, and the oldest culture to exist in northern Norway. Today, the population expands across four countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia – and includes over 200,000 individuals. These communities maintain an extensive knowledge of weather patterns and seasons, navigating some of the world’s most challenging terrains. Gjert Rognli, who identifies with the Sámi culture, works across film, photography, sculpture and performance, drawing on a passionate connection with the organic world. What Nature Knows is a photographic journey into deep forests and across misty waterways – where surreal phenomena guide the viewer through the unknown. Glowing red lines draw the eye to rocky cliffsides, whilst scattered orbs create paths through the twilight. These near-mythological compositions draw on the opposing light and darkness of remote landscapes. gjert-rognli.com.
Image Credits:
1. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows IV, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
2. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows III, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
3. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows VI, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
4. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows II, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
5. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows VI, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.
6. Gjert Rognli, What Nature Knows V, (2020). Courtesy of the artist.