Sjå, eg kjem snart!

“Du er elsket av Gud!” (You are loved by God!) can be seen written on the pulpit in the photographic image Tromvik bedehus, Troms (Tromvik prayer house, Troms), by the Norwegian photojournalist Erlend Berge (b. 1984). The pulpit is otherwise surrounded by cardboard boxes, stacks of furniture, and other items in a room clearly used for storage. The image is devoid of people but filled with traces of human presence, also revealing that a part of Norway's historical cultural life is withering.

Berge is based in Oslo, known for his work with the Norwegian news organization Vårt Land. In his photographic practice, he is working with projects documenting and exploring aspects of Norwegian culture, identity, and history. The project Sjå, eg kjem snart! (Behold, I am coming soon!) holds particular significance for Norwegian cultural history as the first nationwide photo documentary on Norwegian prayer houses. The project resulted in multiple exhibitions and the publication of a book with the same title. The words Sjå, eg kjem snart! can be seen written on the wall in one of the prayer houses Berge visited, quoting a line from the Book of Revelation in the Bible, about the second coming of Jesus.

As a people's movement, the prayer house has been an important part of Norwegian culture since the 1800s, serving as gathering places in rural areas not only for Christian meetings but also as polling stations, venues for choirs, schools, and volunteer organizations. Today, prayer houses are at risk of being lost due to changing times. The infrastructure and demographics that once supported the expansion of prayer houses have transformed, and the need for them at every crossroad no longer exists. The number of people using them has decreased, and today many of them are being sold to private individuals, repurposed for various uses, closed down, or demolished. 

Berge’s motivation for this project was both cultural and personal. The prayer houses had never been documented before, with a general concern that they would disappear not only in real life, but also from the history books. Growing up in Ryfylke, where he attended Sunday school and bazaars at the Heia prayer house, these places had also played a significant role in his own life. Learning that the prayer houses were disappearing, Berge decided to move into a camper van in the summer of 2017. Over the course of a year, he drove 15,000 km across every county in Norway to photograph Norwegian prayer houses, visiting more than 300 before it would be too late.

On his journey Berge noticed the special aesthetics connected with the prayer houses:

“I am quite sure, that the prayer houses represent a unique Norwegian religious aesthetic. While many churches have focused on grandeur, the prayer house people chose the homely. There are biblical motifs, flannelgraphs, and cane chairs. All wrapped in pastel colors and crocheted tablecloths. No other places of worship in the world look like Norwegian prayer houses.”

To capture the specific visual expression throughout the project, Berge had to alter his usual approach to photography. Inspired by a particular German photographic style, characterized by straight lines and a clear, natural representation of the subject, he used a standard lens on a digital medium format camera to ensure accurate perspectives within the space. This approach allowed him to capture the details and aesthetics of the prayer houses on their own terms, while simultaneously expressing the storyline. His aim was to create timeless images of a culture that had been left behind by time.

This exhibition presents a selection of 16 photographic images from the project, which hold a total of 148, all of which are presented in the book.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Erlend Berge grew up in Heia outside of Stavanger and is currently living in Oslo. He works as a photojournalist for the newspaper Vårt Land. The project Sjå, eg kjem snart! (2017-2018) won the Open class award for Picture of the Year (2018) and resulted in the publication of a book with the same title (2018). The project has been presented in solo and group exhibitions, in both galleries and urban spaces. Outdoor exhibitions include, among others: Dokfestivalen, Fredrikstad (2019), Trondheim Dokumentarfestival (2018-2019), Nordic Light, Kristiansund (2019), Oslo Cathedral (2019), Stavanger Cathedral (2019), and Bergen Kirkeautunnale (2020). Galleries and museums include, among others: Fotografiens hus, Oslo (2019), Bomuldsfabriken, Arendal (2019), Perspektivet museum, Tromsø (2019-2020), and Haugesund billedgalleri (2023).

In September 2024, Berge will publish a new book titled Kjære alle saman! (Dear everyone!) with author Frode Grytten. The book is the result of a seven-year project that began in 2018, during which Berge has photographed lecterns and spaces associated with Norwegian public discourse. The project won the Dokumentar Norge award for Picture of the Year (2023), and has several exhibitions planned across Norway from 2024.

For more information, please visit:

Website: www.erlendberge.no.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bedehusland/