Cars in rivers

Man’s relationship with other natural phenomena is complex, and sometimes it seems that many of us have forgotten that the human being is part of nature, not its overlord. It is common to hear people speak of nature without including humans in that discussion. But however we define our relationship, it is important to consider that nature is not a stable phenomenon but ever changing. As can be seen in these images, this is something forgotten by those who have lost control over their cars in heavy rivers. One cannot assume that the river fords don‘t change as rivers are never passive. Not for one moment. In nature, some changes happen slowly, while others happen at such speed that the human response is too slow, as can be seen in these rives. Catastrophic floods in running water can more drastically change its course in a few weeks than ordinary flow in thousands of years. Ólafur Elíasson was raised in Denmark, but Iceland’s natural environment is never far off in his art, whether in photography or installation. In his works, Ólafur Elíason places various natural phenomena in a new context and frequently raises questions on the relationship between man and nature by turning his gaze to the actions and escapades of mankind. Travellers in the highlands of Iceland are often faced with unbridged rivers. Most often one can overcome these obstacles and get across safely, but sometimes things go badly and the driver succumbs to the power of nature. This becomes an opportunity to take a photograph.

Cars in Rivers, from 2009, is a series of photographs that truly capture man’s battle with whimsical nature. The series can also be seen as a symbol of the 2008 economic crisis in Iceland, and might be likened to the deep river crossing of 4X4 vehicles in running water with strong currents.