Store Fisken Som Papa Fikk Paa Kroken 

Curator: Isn’t that thing, “Store Fisken Som Papa Fikk Paa Kroken”—a mouthful in any language, roughly translates to "The Big Fish That Dad Caught on the Hook”. This piece feels almost like a quirky dream sequence, a little unsettling, perhaps even humorous? But the more I gaze, the more I get lost within its depth. Editor: Yes, a man with a very large, burdening sack being overtaken by an enormous fish! What I find very evocative in the work is the juxtaposition of the whimsical figure with what feels to be an immense amount of sorrow or empathy emanating from the figure, but also a potential fear or anxiety, like being overwhelmed? Is that resonating at all? Curator: Oh, absolutely. It reminds me of a half-remembered fairytale, where the everyday tangles with the absurd. Kittelsen had a knack for embodying abstract emotions through tangible, sometimes grotesque forms, something I enjoy seeing play out. Consider the era he lived in – rife with social and economic upheavals; anxieties found their voice in art like this. Don’t you agree that it's that slightly uncomfortable laughter which is the most telling, the knowingness that things aren’t quite right, despite the outward appearance? Is it fear of the unknown, or something more personal, something tied to familial duty? Editor: Yes, exactly that kind of duality! So the anxieties prevalent at that time are being visualized in almost a literal manner, quite innovative really. Perhaps that immense weight could refer to family duties, to provide perhaps? Curator: Precisely, think about what providing could mean in his time. To extract from nature to give back to others. Kittelsen makes commentary, and invites us to participate. He certainly lets the symbolism sit quietly yet strongly, in stark black and white. Editor: It gives us quite a lot to consider from a rather "simple" image, doesn’t it? Curator: Indeed. It’s deceptively complex and profound and makes me appreciate how anxieties, and humor are almost never that far apart.