thisiscolossal: Illuminating Remote Landscapes, Rune Guneriussen Tells a Story of Nature and Transformation

A photograph of dozens of lamps illuminated in a forest.

“A raven wails across the lowlands.” All images © Rune Guneriussen, shared with permission

Tucked away in forests and along shorelines, Norwegian artist Rune Guneriussen’s mystical, illuminated installations appear to spontaneously emerge from within the landscape. Lamps, blocks, and salvaged wood comprise an array of elaborate sculptural works that he meticulously arranges among trees, along bluffs, and in the sand. He is interested in a process that explores the relationships between objects, location, narrative, and the time that the work is made.

As the environment is increasingly altered by the effects of the climate crisis, Guneriussen’s observations have gradually transformed how he translates those relationships in his practice. During the past four years, the artist (previously) transitioned from using obsolete products to creating all of his sculptures from scratch with primarily reclaimed wood. He increasingly incorporates stark, geometric forms evocative of high-rise buildings or office lighting. By contrast, in “Fiery wingless and into growing regard,” a group of luminescent, spirit-like forms drifts across the forest floor as daylight fades.

While still using lamps, Guneriussen says, “for me, it has been a process of developing a scenery which has evolved with the time we live in. Being an artist for 20 years, always working in and with nature, it has been a story of going from optimism to seeing our nature in a dystopian manner… I have felt nature change to a degree I cannot recognize.”

Explore an archive of the artist’s work during the past two decades on his website, and follow updates on Instagram.