By Reijmyre Glassworks, 2019
Erna E Skúladóttir & Karin Blomgren’s work is part of the three-year artistic research project “DeTox – Clean it up!”, in which Rejmyre Art Lab invited a group of artists to work based on the situation of 200 years of pollution behind Reijmyre Glassworks. The work is located by the glassworks.
"Toxic substances that were dumped behind Rejmyre Glassworks until the 1970s seep into the wetland below. Over the years, the wetland has prevented, for example, lead and arsenic from reaching Lake Hunn, Rejmyre’s water source. Plants can absorb toxins through their roots, stems, and leaves. Sedimentation, sand, and vegetation contribute to filtering, and like a sponge, the marshy area soaks up the pollutants. But what happens if the climate changes? If summers become longer and drier, or if autumns and winters become much wetter? We can envision a future where these altered conditions could make this “sponge” release its toxins and thus pose a threat to the drinking water.
In the work Retention, rainwater is collected, redirected, and used to paint the piece. Part of the pollution behind the factory consists of heavy metals that were important for producing colors like red, green, and blue in glass."
The artists Erna E Skúladóttir (IS) and Karin Blomgren (SE/NO) have collaborated for several years on site-specific installations. They studied at Bergen Academy of Art and Design, where they earned their master’s degrees in 2014. The duo worked throughout June in Rejmyre and now presents the first stage of their project.