Indian Haldi in the artwork of Norway

A unique piece of art was put on display at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in the national capital, last month. The piece of art consists of a photograph of a cliff rock covered in turmeric (haldi) powder at the west coast of Norway. The print has been cut along the contour of the rock, so that the work takes on a double role as both sculpture and photo.

The beautiful piece of work by a Norwegian artist Erik Friis Reitan is titled 60.220966°N, 4.994361°E. It was first exhibited at the exhibition Dwelling Pluralities at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

Since the beginning of Common Era, Arabian and Chinese traders sourced spices from the Kochi region. The history of the region was shaped by cultivation and trade of the spices. The Arabian traders were the first to know about these spices, and they carried the highly wanted merchandise to Europe. Centuries later, they were followed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and afterwards the British.

Spice trade is still an important part of the commercial life of Kochi as it has formed connections between countries and continents, and thus facilitated the movement of culture.

In India, the yellow powder from ground turmeric root is used as a spiritual symbol of purification and auspicious beginning, in addition to the strong beliefs of its medicinal qualities. Though in Norway, spiritual practice may not be as prevalent, but many Norwegians regard nature itself as having a certain spiritual potential and meaning, resembling also the beliefs of indigenous peoples.

According to the website of the embassy of Norway, “When we saw the exhibit at the Biennale, we thought that placing a replica of this work will aptly represent Norway-India fusion in the new Embassy building that itself is Norwegian architecture created with the help of Indian partners.”

Norwegian artist Erik Friis Reitan imported 20 kilos of turmeric powder from Kochi to Bergen, Norway, and spread it over the cliff rock, rendering it bright orange. Much like trade route photographs create connections between places, and by making a photograph of the rock, the artist has created a vehicle for the spice to return to its homeland in a new context. By now, the spice will have been washed away by the wind and the sea, but the rock is still there, and can be found by following the GPS coordinates in the title. And perhaps one day the currents of the oceans might also return some of the spice grains to the shores of India, along with a multitude of other destinations.

The piece is now proudly placed in the Ambassador’s office. The title of the art work will lead you to the rock’s location just outside of Bergen.