Angle 7° by Andreas Bennin
National Debris
14,8 x 20 cm
24 pages
Offset print
Edition of 300, numbered
Andreas Bennin’s project from the series A Nation Restoredtakes its starting point in the restoration by the Armed Forces of the Hjerkinn firing range at Dovrefjell, involving the erasure of all traces of military activity. Since 1923 an area of 165 square kilometres between Dombås and Oppdal has been a training ground for the Norwegian army and NATO. Before 2020 the whole area is to be restored to its natural state as wild, virgin nature – perhaps the most extensive nature restoration project in Norwegian history. Bennin has started with the actual finds that have been made on the firing range over the past few years, and shows photographs of both unexploded and detonated munitions in the landscape where they were found.
It has been said of Bennin’s publication that the angles make you think of the pilot’s view – a 45 degree angle towards the cliff face. The range of vision is strikingly limited: no sky, but dark areas to disappear into. The impression of gravitating towards the ground is recurrent, as is a concentration on rugged surfaces, rock faces and gravel. At times it is as if we are looking at something quite alien, a moonscape. The density of the landscape is almost claustrophobic, and this insistent registration of surfaces poses fundamental questions about the landscape – as motif, state and idea. Bennin sheds light on the construction of nature on the large scale, and brings out the artistic character of this state-determined intervention.
Multipres er et lite kunstnerdrevet forlag. Vi har hovedfokus på kunstnerbøker med kamerabasert kunst.
