The Lurking Woods / Skogsrädd

Description

The lurking woods

In Sweden, nature and the forest have become something akin to a new religion, an almost substitute for the city church. The woods are seen as a sacred space, a place of healing powers. It is holy, rooted in ancient Nordic Viking beliefs that the woods were alive with mythical beings. But I don’t share the view of the forest as healing — at least not at night. At night, the forest transforms into something entirely different. It becomes frightening.

Behind every spruce, it feels as if something is lurking. My flashlight is my trusted companion, illuminating the spot where a branch just snapped. I am certain that something — or someone — was there only moments ago. If I turn quickly, toward the source of the noise, I can almost sense something in the beam of my light. A shadow, a faint presence that doesn’t belong to this world. Is it just my imagination playing tricks on me? Or could it be ancient beings, watching me as I intruded their domains?

I’m feel fearful in the woods. This isn’t a fear you develop on your own; it is inherited. In my case, I inherited it from my mother. She would tell me about strange beings in the woods who might abduct me. An uncle owned a storybook about a boy who wandered into the woods and encountered the most terrifying beings. I was certain the illustrations in that book must reflect a reality.

The lurking woods is a personal project I’ve been working on since before the pandemic — if there even was such a time.

Christer Törnkvist works with historical and manual photographic tradition, often those originating from the turn of the last century. These methods allow him to engage with a materiality that aligns closely with his artistic expression, where the connection to Art and Craft is central. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in photography and art and he is based in Strömsholm, Sweden.

Christer Törnkvist is a member of the Swedish Printmakers’ Association (Grafiska Sällskapet), Västerås Artists’ Association (Västerås Konstnärsförening), and the Center for Photography (Centrum för fotografi). Over the years, he has held numerous exhibitions both in Sweden and abroad. His works are highly regarded and have been acquired by collectors and institutions.

• Original prints, photopolymer gravure, printed by the artist.
• The edition consists of 10 prints, plus one artist’s proof.
• Each print has an image size of 25 × 25 cm.
• The prints are made on acid-free Hahnemühle graphic paper.
• The price per print is 250 euro.
• The whole work of “The lurking woods” / “Skogsrädd” consist of 16 prints and can be seen at https://www.chto.se/skogsradd/