Literature and Fiction · Hardback

SOMEWHERE OUT THERE I’LL BE HAPPY

Norwegian title: Et sted der ute er jeg lykkelig

Camilla Groth

Camilla Groth looks at some of Edvard Munch's works (Puberty, The Drowned Boy, etc.) and writes herself into them, into the minds and lives of those depicted. What's going through the mind of the young girl on the edge of the bed as Edvard's gaze moves over her again and again?As we know, Munch's paintings depict a high degree of anxiety: they are dark, unfinished and inquisitive, and full of people in what we can clearly see are difficult situations – so it was high time someone gave these people a voice, let them comment on the pictures themselves, let them live and perhaps bring a little light to Munch's utter darkness.

In Puberty, for example: why is the young girl sitting naked on the edge of the bed? Why is she trying to cover herself? Why is Edvard interested? What do you think he sees? What is she seeing as she is observed and immortalised? Is something terrible going to happen? Has it already happened?

Et sted der ute er jeg lykkelig reverses the relationship between the artist and his motives: here they're staring back at him.