Currently on display at the ‘Artist Film International’ tour: https://forma.org.uk/projects/bjornaali-simmons-lanzmaier/

In exhibition at Charles Street Video, Toronto, Canada, November 2023. Photo: Maria Simmons

In exhibition at NITJA Senter for Samtidskunst. Photo: Tor Simen Ulstein

Land Bodies, Decomposing Mass is an audiovisual collaboration together with Maria Simmons and Fabian Lanzmaier, focusing on peatlands and their interpretation through various recording and 3D computing technologies. Through the use of photogrammetry, a technology that relates to satellite mapping and archiving of anthropocentric spaces and monuments, the biotope is interpreted bit by bit in an intimate, close-up interaction. The work explores specific peatlands in Finland, Norway and Canada from various perspectives, decentralizing the human experience and focusing on the idea of natural landscapes as sources as opposed to resources.

The text in the voice over is based on research, myths and field notes from our encounters with peatlands. It is inspired by texts written by Anna Tsing, Karen Barad and Espen Sommer Eide, from the books ‘Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet’ and 'Spectres 1: Composing Listening/Composer L'ecoute'.  

The audio consists of edited field recordings from the physical peatlands as well as sounds produced by synthesizers. The audio is done by Lanzmaier, the voice over by Simmons, text written by Simmons and Bjørnaali, the photogrammetry, animation and editing by Bjørnaali, including some footage captured by Simmons.

The video has been exhibited at Crawford Art Gallery (Cork, Ireland), Contemporary Art Museum of Estonia (EKKM), Charles Street Video (Toronto, Canada), Tromsø Kunstforening, NITJA Senter for Samtidskunst, Bergen Senter for Elektronisk Kunst, Konstföreningen Åkern (SE)