We are Villfaret — an artist-scientist-explorer duo working from the High North. Our practice lives where sea, ice, fjord and tundra meet human lives under pressure. We document change with a sled team, a small sailboat, and the tools of contemporary craft and research. Our work sits at the intersection of art, field science and lived experience: photography, video, XR, oil painting, ceramics and peer-reviewed research that together tell the stories of a landscape in rapid transformation.

What we do in our own practice

• Document: Fieldwork is at our core. We traverse seasons by dog sled and sail to witness coastal and inland communities, wildlife, and the shifting geographies of snow and sea ice. Our photographs and film are created in harsh conditions to capture unvarnished moments — elemental, intimate and immediate.

• Research: We produce rigorous, interdisciplinary research linking ecological change, material culture and human adaptation. We publish findings that contribute to climate science, cultural heritage studies and conservation practice.

• Make: Studio practice translates field observations into material objects — oil paintings, ceramics and crafted artefacts — that carry traces of place and process. Each piece is a way to hold and share the textures and tensions of northern life.

• Build experiences: XR projects and immersive installations bring audiences into the winter light, the howl of wind and the quiet of ice. We aim for work that is not only seen but felt: experiences that expand empathy and provoke action.

Why we do it

The High North is no longer a distant backdrop. It is a front line for climate change, a repository of deep culture, and a laboratory for adaptive living. We believe creative practice can be a form of witness and care. By blending artistic inquiry with scientific method and the embodied knowledge of sled dogs and seafarers, we make work that documents, asks questions, and demands responsibility.

How we work

• Field-led: Our projects begin in place. Extended stays — traverses by dog team, weeks at sea, time with coastal residents — allow us to build trust and gather layered, long-duration data and images.

• Interdisciplinary: We pair artistic processes with scientific collaboration. This means co-designing research, sharing data openly where appropriate, and creating outputs that speak to both specialist and public audiences.

• Ethical practice: Respect for people, animals, and fragile ecosystems guides every step. We centre local voices, obtain informed consent, and minimise our footprint while maximising the clarity and reach of our work.

• Craftsmanship: Whether in the studio or on deck, we value material rigour. Paint, clay and pixels carry traces of method — burn marks, salt stains, worn paw prints — and these traces are part of the story.

Collaborations and commissions

We collaborate with researchers, museums, cultural institutions and communities. Commissions range from exhibition projects and public installations to bespoke research partnerships. Each commission is approached with the same field-led, ethically grounded process.

Get in touch

We welcome collaborations, commissions and conversations about our work. Please contact us to discuss projects, residencies or exhibitions. Provide details about your project, timeline and expectations so we can respond with a considered proposal.

Statement of responsibility

We do not romanticise the North. We document real people, places and species under real threat. Our practice is an attempt to bridge witness and stewardship — to produce work that compels understanding and action rather than simple nostalgia.

Location

Based in Norway. Fieldwork across Arctic and sub-Arctic regions as project needs dictate.