Gamle Joergen Rod 

Editor: Here we have Theodor Severin Kittelsen's drawing, “Gamle Joergen Rod," made with ink on paper. The dark tones and shadowy figure give it a somewhat unsettling feeling. What underlying themes might Kittelsen be exploring? Curator: This piece, rendered in stark black and white, demands that we examine the cultural anxieties it embodies. Considering the context of Symbolism, doesn’t the image evoke the era's unease with scientific progress and its impact on traditional values? Are we looking at a critique of enlightenment? Editor: It does make you wonder. The man is peering at a document, perhaps scientific, under stark light, but surrounded by these archaic symbols and… are those rats? It feels almost like a pre-modern world resisting the new. Curator: Precisely! Notice how Kittelsen uses light and shadow to create a sense of division. Light illuminates the tools of supposed progress—the lenses, papers—while darkness conceals and distorts. What does that say about who benefits from progress, and at what cost? Does it resonate with contemporary discussions about power, privilege and accessibility of knowledge? Editor: That makes me think about who has access to information, and how easily it can be skewed or misinterpreted. Curator: The artist also seems interested in juxtaposing these tools for "measuring" the world alongside organic matter like the eggs or the rats— suggesting an enduring relationship between humanity and nature which also opens a window onto pre-colonial belief systems. Editor: That gives me a new appreciation for the way it holds tradition and modernity in tension. I’ll definitely view this piece differently now! Curator: Indeed, Kittelsen provides us space to critically evaluate not only the past but also our present relationship with science and societal advancement.