I know you will recognize a fellow WaterFire fanatic in this New York Times article about a new Norwegian television program dedicated to all things woody.
The TV program, on the topic of firewood, consisted mostly of people in parkas chatting and chopping in the woods and then eight hours of a fire burning in a fireplace. Yet no sooner had it begun, on prime time on Friday night, than the angry responses came pouring in.
“We received about 60 text messages from people complaining about the stacking in the program,” said Lars Mytting, whose best-selling book “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood — and the Soul of Wood-Burning” inspired the broadcast. “Fifty percent complained that the bark was facing up, and the rest complained that the bark was facing down.”
He explained, “One thing that really divides Norway is bark.”
Rome may be the Eternal City, but the Norwegians certainly have WaterFire in their dreams.
Between the traditions of the Viking funeral and this image of an entire nation rapt about the best way to stack firewood, let’s just say that Norway is now on our dance card.
The River Akerselva beckons us all.
Stephen Colbert’s take on Norwegian Wood from the Colbert Report
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About the author
Barnaby Evans is an artist, designer, developer, thought leader and consultant who uses his experience in many fields and media to create original solutions in planning, public art, public space, environmental resiliency and urban interfaces. Originally trained as a scientist focusing on environment and ecology, Evans creates original art works and design solutions involving major urban interventions, site-specific sculpture installations, photography, landscape, architectural and design projects, writing, and conceptual works.
