Loneliest Fruit in the World

The Loneliest Fruit in World, video, 2010

While in a residency in Tromsø, Norway, 200 miles above the arctic circle, we became fascinated by arctic berries.  The lingonberry, the salmonberry and the blueberry grow without any human intervention and for a few short weeks become a site of intense interest as people come from far and wide to harvest them. Against a beautiful, spare landscape peppered with tiny blueberries, the video is set in on the island of Kvaløya. It trails a group of Norwegians who while picking negotiate the relation between solitude, gleaning and company.  Following the berries, one gleaner leaves the group and has to decide whether to continue on her own path or re-join the group.

The video was shot in August 2009 with the participation of Asa Sonjasdotter and the MFA students at the Tromsø¸ Kunstakademiet: Matti Aikio, Ingrid Bøe, Tor Erik Bøe, Linn Horntvedt, NjÃ¥l Kvendseth, Hans Christian van Nijkerk, Sjur Nyvold, Sille Storihle, Kristin TÃ¥rnes, and Alice Sarah Welsh, as well as Annika Pedersen and Svein Pedersen from the Tromsø¸ Kunstvorening.