During my artist residency in 2017 in a remote town in Iceland named Skagaströnd I explored the background of the intimate tie between human beings and their natural environment.

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in company with lava fountains and ash rains – that´s what Iceland stands for. People living here experience the power of nature on a daily basis. They need to cope with dramatic changes in weather conditions which can even be life-threatening. Sometimes survival from a blizzard or storm depends on a miracle or backing from a supernatural power.

While taking portraits of genuine Icelanders I sensed a kind of a mystical aura around them.

They spoke about lights they have seen in the nearby cliffs and people like us living there wearing bright and colorful clothes. I approached the surrounding deliberately and cautious watching for humanlike beings. But unfortunately I have never seen any. While watching for the “hidden people” as they are called, sometimes I believed to see their marks. It were plants or rocks that seemed to bear a resemblance to the natives I met.