Katrin Woelger
olfactory durational participatory performances @ Sauvasshytta, Norway
European Cabins of Culture 2024
• interactive Performance
• in and around a cabin on Nordlandsruta
• Location: Sauvasshytta, 8611 Mo I Rana, Norway
• Intervention: August 2 to 7, 2024
• Performance: durational
In September 2023, I received an invitation to participate, following my submission to the open call. The location for the project was confirmed in February 2024 by Knut Bergsen and the Bodø2024 team. Sauvasshytta, situated on the eastern edge of the Rana municipality near the Swedish border, was selected. The cabin, perched along the E1, Grensesømmen, and Nordlandsruta trails, is located on the eastern shore of Sauvatnet lake. At an elevation of 960m, it is the highest cabin of Nordlandsruta, with a scenic 12-kilometer trail leading to its remote location.
Preparation
• Theoretical study of the flora of northern Scandinavia
• Research in the studio and botanical library in Massia, Estonia, April 2024
Material: Hans Jürgen Gottschalk "Scandinavia - Plants in the fells"
Leonhard Fuchs "The herb book from 1543" and others
• Field research and experiments in Austria, June, July 2024
Arrival: 31 July 2024
I arrived via Trondheim and spent time acclimating in Mo I Rana.
2 August 2024
Following an interview with a local newspaper, we set off for Umbuktu, the starting point of the ascent. Knut Bergsen assisted with my luggage and guided me along the way, although the trail is well-marked. In addition to the still and sample bottles, we carried various costumes and provisions for the week-long stay.
Sauvasshytta comprises three cabins: a large main cabin, an emergency cabin, and a combined storage and toilet facility.
The „emergency cabin“ was reserved for me, providing a quiet space to work on the installation and serving as the backdrop for the durational performance. Upon reaching the summit, I found the audience already gathered. I quickly set up the still along the lake’s shore and initiated the first process, using plants that the visitors had collected from the surrounding landscape.
Timeline 3 - 7 August
• Daily research excursions
• Daily expansion of the installation
• Daily distillations
• Daily staged self-portraits
Sauvasshytta is highly exposed to the wind and the raw elements of nature. At first glance, there appears to be little organic material to provide any notable scent. Yet, the closer you observe, the more you discover. Among them is Rhodiola Rosea, a plant known since the Middle Ages, historically used for scented waters. Despite these natural curiosities, I never ventured far from the cabin, both to remain available as a host and for safety reasons. With no phone or internet reception, and no nearby neighbors, staying within sight of Sauvasshytta was essential.
The original plan to camouflage the hut using herbs, branches, and other natural materials proved unfeasible, as the location lies above the tree line in a stark, barren landscape. During a week on-site, three branches, two plastic wrappers, two capsules, a bone and two fishing lines were discovered.
Steam distillation requires not only a still and essential materials but also water and a reliable heat source. Initially, I had planned to distill by the lake, but strong winds forced me after three days to relocate to the cabin. At the lake, I used a gas cooker for heat; in the cabin, which lacked running water, I fetched water from the lake using buckets.
Hikers passing by would bring me plants and materials to distill, and in exchange, they received a delicate vial infused with the scent of the landscape—capturing the essence of their visit. I also distilled samples from my own collection, offering these as sensory
Due to the cabin‘s remote location and limited foot traffic, the original plan to produce 100 to 200 small samples was adjusted. Instead, I created around 50 larger vials, rollons, and spray bottles—each filled with the pure, distilled essence of the surrounding environment.
I engaged in the daily practice of creating self-portraits in natural settings, merging performance art with the theme of the body within the landscape, while drawing from legends and myths. This project delved into the interplay between the inner self and the external world, documenting my performances with heightened awareness of my presence throughout the day. The aim was to evoke a moment of subtle disruption for passersby, encouraging them to pause and reflect on the image before them, prompting a brief reconsideration of their perception.
Examples of Odours
Bistorta vivipara,alpine bistort
edible, the seeds can be eaten raw and were also processed into flour in the past
Odour: herby
Salix Lapponum, Lapland willow the bark of willows contains salicin. It is converted to salicylic acid in the intestine and liver. This is the active ingredient. Salicylic acid has an analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Odour: tart
Betula, birch (bark) from the wooden box. Birch bark is and has been used in a variety of ways, including in handicrafts. It contains a lot of essential oil.
Odour: sweetish
Rhodiola Rosea, rose root is traditionally used in various cultures, including Russian, Baltic, Scandinavian, Chinese and Tibetan medicine, as an adaptogenic medicinal plant to support stress and promote mental and physical performance, also planted on house roofs in Norway... often grows in the vicinity of the Sauvasshytta, Odour (of the root): of roses
Hieracium, hawkweed was/is used as a medicinal plant for coughs and inflammations.
Odour: light, delicately floral
Araxacum, dandelion only in the area of the hut, can be used as a food and remedy
Odour: green-tart
Eriophorum scheuchzeri, Scheuchzer‘s cotton grass very common, hemicryptophyte, edible and can also be used as a wound dressing
Odour: dark sweet
Oxyria digyna, Alpine sorrel
Use, taste like sorrel, contains vitamin C
Odour: sour, grassy
Athyrium distentifolium, mountain fern with a height of approx. 30 cm, the largest plant in the area
Odour: dark-tart
Huperzia selago, fir clubmoss, devil‘s claw very poisonous, old druid plant, was brought to me by a person, otherwise only once more in the mixture
Odour: bitter
Gnaphalium supinum L., dysentery herb medieval medicinal herb
Odour: spicy
Epilobium hornemannii, willowherb
Good source of vitamin C and A. Antispasmodic, astringent, antispasmodic, emollient, laxative, tonic, remedy for gastrointestinal and bronchial complaints.
Odour: faint, sour-sweetish
Vaccinium myrtillus, blueberry grew on the slopes about 30 minutes from Sauvasshytta, berries were often given to me for distillation by visitors.
Odour: sweet, dark
Rubus chamaemorus, cloudberry grew about 2 hours away, but was also brought by visitors for distillation. Aroma, flavour: velvety, slightly sweet-tart
Saxigrafa stellaris, starry saxifrage good for kidneys and bile
On August 5th, the guided group from „Cabins For Culture“ visited, bringing an array of materials for me to transform into olfactory samples. I dedicated the evening to distilling these materials into unique scents, working late into the night. The visitors left delighted with their samples, sharing personal stories about their connections to the plants they had gathered.
On August 17, the closing event of “Cabins for Culture” in Sulitjelma featured presentations by Genine Carvalheira (USA/COL), Penny Boxall (UK), Kimmo Ylönen (Finland), and Katrin Woelger (Austria). The remaining olfactory works have been distributed; aside from one sample each collected from August 2 to 7, they are now part of my collection and might be exhibited in another location in the future.
The anticipated outcomes of the project were successfully achieved:
Enriched Sensory Experiences: Participants and visitors enjoyed enhanced connections to nature through immersive sensory engagement.
Promoting Dialogue: The project fostered discussions surrounding sustainability, art, and the environment, encouraging deeper reflection.
Olfactory Mementos: The creation of unique olfactory keepsakes established lasting connections to the experience, allowing individuals to carry a piece of the project with them.
Expanded Artistic Practice: This initiative facilitated the exploration of performative interventions in natural environments, broadening my artistic practice and approach.
• Press
Article Kleine Zeitung, 2.8.2024
Article Rana Blad, 3.8.2024
Radio interview, 6.8. 2024
The project was commissioned by bodø2024 and supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport.
