Research Catalogue

This research is rooted in nihilism, exploring how the contrast between materiality and spirituality leads to an uncomfortable way of percieving existence. What does it mean to be unable to believe in "what's beyond"? What role does the body play in such an issue? The starting point is a deeply philosophical debate. Through art and numerous attempts it tries to unravel itself.

In today’s age of information overload, it is all too easy to become constantly overstimulated. As both a composer and an improviser, I have found a new source of inspiration by exploring minimalism—especially Holy Minimalism—using simple materials, embracing a slower creative process, and diving into the music of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. The introspective elements, structure and usage of space and silence in this music guided me towards a journey that has helped me reconnect with music in a profound way. Drawing from the composers of the ECM Record Label's New Series who specifically connect a certain image and sound, this thesis examines selected works by Arvo Pärt, whose Tabula Rasa was the starting point for the New Series. This research is to unpack the ideas behind these compositions, explore the thought processes involved, and discuss the underlying philosophies with external concepts that I find highly inspiring, all in search of fresh perspectives. As more artists turn toward simplicity, I believe that looking at this music and the philosophies behind it through both an improvisers and a composers lens can open up exciting new pathways for inspiration.

In this exposition I invite you to reflect on a part of my artistic research: the screen capture. The aim is to reconsider this little-explored practice by artistically transforming original images through a double variations in post-production. In this artistic research I also use experimental software and unconventional methods to carry out images from videogames. At the same time these methods engage with the European regulations about copyright and American fair use policies. While the extraction of images from three-dimensional, copyright-protected spaces is often restricted, it can sometimes be permitted when used creatively.

NORSK: I dette kunstneriske utviklingsarbeidet undersøker jeg hvordan norsk folkemusikk kan integreres i mitt etablerte musikalske sound. Gjennom lytting, refleksjon og skapende praksis har jeg latt tradisjonsmusikkens estetikk og uttrykk påvirke mitt eget formspråk. Arbeidet har resultert i albumet "Relasjonsorkester", der jeg utforsker møtepunktene mellom tradisjon og samtid i tre utvalgte låter: "Hei, hallo", "Tankerom" og "Langsiktig sparing". Prosessen har vist at respektfull lytting, tilegning av teoretisk kunnskap og bevisste kunstneriske valg er avgjørende for å forankre nye uttrykk i en levende tradisjon. Oppgaven reflekterer over hvordan tradisjonen kan bli en del av egen kunstnerisk identitet, uten å måtte bli en tradisjonsbærer i klassisk forstand. ENGLISH: This artistic research project explores how Norwegian folk music can be integrated into my established musical sound. Through listening, reflection, and creative practice, I have allowed the aesthetics and expression of folk tradition to influence my own musical language. The project resulted in the album "Relasjonsorkester", where I explore the intersections between tradition and contemporary music through three selected songs: “Hei, hallo”, “Tankerom”, and “Langsiktig sparing”. The process demonstrates that respectful listening, acquisition of theoretical knowledge, and conscious artistic choices are essential for grounding new expressions within a living tradition. The thesis reflects on how tradition can become a part of one’s artistic identity without necessarily becoming a traditional bearer in the conventional sense.

Gjennom denne masteroppgaven utforsker jeg muligheter for å skape en tonalitetsfølelse innenfor dissonante rammer. Prosjektet er et kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid der jeg utforsker temaet gjennom komposisjon innenfor rammene av Olivier Messiaens Modes of limited transposition. Samtidig vil jeg forsøke å definere tonale sentre innenfor disse for å skape et tonalt uttrykk. Arbeidet skal resultere i et album og refleksjoner tilknyttet komposisjonsprosessen.

Through a series of photographic assemblages that focus on texture, depth, and atmosphere, “The Oracle of Delphi” documents interactions between these assemblages and AI language models. The work demonstrates specific ways that current AI systems struggle to comprehend material qualities and contextual relationships in personal narratives, particularly when dealing with dimensionality, surface qualities, and emotional resonance. By analyzing these limitations, the work reveals the gap between human and machine perception of materiality and affect, while suggesting potential approaches for developing more nuanced human-machine encounters. Through these material encounters and a deliberate “kinking” of established patterns, the work demonstrates how algorithmic systems might be recrafted from processes of reduction into expansive sites of co-creation and possibility.