wara/ 00/

Stig Arne Wara – Between Darkness and Hope

Dear Arne, 

Thank you for your photographs and the warm greetings that accompany them, which I am happy to return to you. First of all, I should say that I held your photo book in my hands several times before it truly sparked my thoughts and feelings. I have been living in the ‘Light of the South’ for years and am ‘good friends’ with my Impressionists, so I first needed a shift northwards and the courage to engage with you – I have not regretted it!

I had never heard of the Norwegian artist Stig Arne Wara – from now on referred to as ARNE
– so he was a complete stranger to me until now. In his paintings, ARNE treads a fine line between melancholy and optimism. At first glance, many of your works appear dark, at times even oppressive. They depict figures and moods characterised by loneliness, memory and the forces of nature. However, anyone who lingers longer before your paintings discovers a second layer: behind the heaviness lies a remarkable sensitivity to light, change and human resilience.

This tension is particularly evident in “Stormkyss” (1992). The title – “Storm Kiss” – brings together two seemingly contradictory concepts. The storm represents turmoil, danger and the unpredictability of life, whilst the kiss symbolises closeness and affection. You succeed not in dissolving these contrasts, but in allowing them to coexist. The image speaks to the experience that beauty often arises precisely where life is harsh and contradictory.

“Winteren kommer” (2020) also has more than just a dark dimension. The approaching winter can be read as a metaphor for transience, old age or withdrawal. At the same time, I believe that in your Nordic way of thinking and feeling, winter is part of the natural cycle of the seasons. It signifies not only an end, but also preparation for a new beginning. In your visual language, therefore, there is a quiet form of hope even in the cold.

“Walking on the Moon” (2020) is particularly fascinating. The title evokes associations of distance, loneliness and alienation. Yet the moon also symbolises imagination, longing and humanity’s ability to transcend boundaries. I have interpreted the work as a symbol of the modern individual, who must find their bearings in an increasingly rational world whilst still seeking poetry and transcendence; Arne, I recognise myself in that.

Your art demands patience, and sometimes even more than that; it cannot be fully appreciated at a glance. Its strength lies precisely in the fact that it does not provide easy answers. The images create an atmosphere of reflection and invite us to grapple with theambiguities of existence. At a time when many visual impressions aim for an immediate impact, you retain a rare depth that I can relate to.

Viewed critically, one might argue that your visual world occasionally runs the risk of becoming too steeped in melancholy and Nordic gloom? Many casual observers will long for more openness or emotional warmth. Yet it is precisely this consistent approach of yours that lends your works their credibility. You do not seek pleasing beauty, but rather the truth of an experience that encompasses both light and shadow in equal measure.

So, my impression of you, Arne, remains that of an artist who does not ignore the darker aspects of life, yet does not elevate them to an end in themselves either. Your paintings remind us that hope does not always have to appear loud and radiant. Sometimes it appears as a faint glimmer on the horizon – especially when the landscape seems at its darkest. It is within this tension that your art unfolds its special power and lasting impact, and this is certainly the case for me.

Best regards
Uli