FOSSIL is a project based on stone, where I research the material both acoustically, performatively and sculpturally, together with a deep interest of stones in an ecological, geological and cultural context.

FOSSIL aims to create a deeper and broadened relation to stone, as a being worth respecting and venerating, and through sound opening up a space to connect to the stone in a sonic dimension.

Since an early age, I have collected stones from wherever I traveled, but especially limestone and sandstone from my childhood shores at the island Öland in the Baltic sea, south of Sweden. I was particularly drawn to fossils – 500 million years old skeletons of ancient animals- in an intuitive way. When I later as a composer and sound artist started to research my collections as sound objects I rediscovered them, and created a deeper relationship with them on an energetical level, being more than just material for me to use. The overwhelming time perspective they embody opens up to wider concepts of time and being. Their massive density of compressed energy fills me with power, and their fragile dignity makes me venerate them and fills me with awe. Through them I hear creation, earthquakes and fire, wind, breeze and storm, sea and rain, but I also discover sounds that transcends the material and create new abstract associations and sound worlds.

FOSSIL is my main ongoing project since 2018 where I have focused on researching limestone, sandstone and slate. My process has included; discovering and getting to know different aspects and possibilities of the stone acoustically, performatively and sculpturally, developing playing techniques, experimenting with different amplification techniques and live-electronic set-ups, doing studio and field recordings, composing and performing acoustically and electro-acoustically and creating interactive performance installation at the Museum of Öland.

It is important to me conceptually in this project to only use stones as sound source, and within that frame challenging my creativity to go deep into my sound research. The visual aspects and presentations of my instrumentations and set-ups are also always present in my work process.

The project has been very well received at festivals like Sound of Stockholm, Nordic Music Days, Göteborg Art and Sounds, KALV and at Stockholm Concert Hall, and I have received stipends for my stone compositions by STIM (Swedish Performing Rights Society) and FST, (Swedish Society of Composers).

Stone works
2018 I composed and recorded my first piece for sandstone and limestone, Du-et, a commission by artist Hiroko Tsuchimoto.

At a Master Clinic and residence at CAMP in Aulus-les-bains, France, spring 2018, I collected slate by the Pyrenees rivers and composed and performed my first pieces for slate, Slate 1 and Slate 2.

After more research of the material and the incorporation of electronics, I composed the electroacoustic piece Les Pyrénées, premiered at Index (The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation) in Stockholm.

In 2018-2019 I composed the suite ‘Öländsk Svit’ , a four movement suite for limestone and sandstone for the performative percussion duo  HIDDEN MOTHER, (Magdalena Meitzner and Ulrik Nilsson) a commission by Samtida Musik (organization for Contemporary Music in Sweden). It was premiered at Bredäng Church in Stockholm 2019 and has since then been performed by HIDDEN MOTHER at Kulturtemplet, Göteborg, (production by Levande Musik) at Kalv Festival and Stockholm Concert Hall.

I have also performed Öländsk Svit as a solo work, 2019 at Fylkingen, Stockholm, at the festival Nordic Music Days at the Faroe Islands 2021, and at the Festival SOLO in Uppsala 2023.

Öländsk Svit (dur. 30 min) for sandstone and limestone consists of four movements, named after the places where the stones are collected at the northern part of Öland.
– Byrum
– Ramsnäs
– Hagskog
– Kalkbrott

With the incorporation of live-electronics I created a new live-set with 150 kg limestone and sandstone, performed at Göteborg Art and Sounds Festival 2022 and at Fylkingen 2023.

November 2024 the piece Stone Drawings, an audiovisual performance together with visual artist Jenny Soep with the instrumentaion of Swedish and Scottish sandstone and sand was performed in Glasgow for the Nordic Music Days at Club Night Lemur and the festival Sound of Stockholm.