ARTIST RESEARCH: Elin Wikström (March 2010)

Jurmo       photo by Elin Wikström

The archipelago was covered under a deep blanket of snow when Elin came on her first site visit. Blindingly beautiful yet bitterly cold. No chance of excursions underwater, which was her prime interest from the start. But she did get an array of different perspectives into the ecology of the area in meetings in the island of Korpo with Trygve Löfroth (Metsähallitus) and Katja Bonnevier (the Archipelago Biosphere Reserve) and in Houtskär with Bengt Backman (director of the municipality) and the fishermen Fjalar and Patrik Johansson, father and son.

Patrik Johansson -fisherman, Houtskär      photo by Elin Wickström

Elin stayed in Lanterna in Nagu and with her host, the artist Sussi Henrikson (also participating in CAA). Together they visited the outer archipelago island of Jurmo, known amongst others as a sanctuary for migrating birds. Due to the ice conditions, the boat could not reach the harbour but dropped the passengers off on the frozen sea, some dozen meters from the pier. The snow was here so deep they had to crawl to reach the small chapel of the island.

Sussie Henriksson, artist knitting at sunset in Jurmo      photo by Elin Wikström