Kristiansund Photobook Ed2

Kristiansund

A coastal town in Norway Martin Doonan

Kristiansund A coastal town in Norway

A photographic study by Martin Doonan

All text and photographs © Martin Doonan, 2008 All rights reserved. No part of this book my be reproduced in any form or by any mechanical or electronic means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. A pdf version of this book will be available online. This pdf verson may be freely downloaded for personal, non-commercial use.

Introduction

K

ristiansund lies in a remote corner of midNorway. It is built on a series of islands surrounding a naturally protected Sound. Until recently it was entirely cut off from the mainland, until a deep tunnel and suspension bridge were built. Historically the town was supported by the fishing industry, both catching and exporting fish. The local dried, salted cod, "klippfisk", is the traditional central ingredient in the Portuguese dish Bacalao. With recent trends in fishing around northern European waters, Kristiansund saw years of decline.

A revitalisation of the town has been underway for the last decade or two. As the Norwegian oil industry moves its efforts northwards, so Kristiansund has found a role as an impotant support centre for the activities in the mid-Norway region. Even in the few years I have known the town, there has been a dramatic change in its character. The signs of rejuvenation are everywhere but not at the expense of historic influences. Now the harbour is a busy mix of pleasure craft, small fishing boats, foreign trawlers, ferries and oil industry vessels. For several years I lived and worked in Kristiansund but never paid it much attention, photographically. Recently I returned for a series of visits, giving me the opportunity to photograph the town and its surroundings. This allowed me to work as a sort of informed outsider - not a resident but with the local knowledge of one. With these images I hope to capture what is for me the essence of the town - a beautiful yet remote place with strong connections to the sea.

Past Industry

Travelling by Sea

Harbour Front

Public Buildings

Walk Along the Streets

Perched on the Hills

The Wider View

Surrounding Landscape

The first edition of this book was an electronic version produced as part of the 2008 international SoFoBoMo (www.sofobomo.org) project during April 2008. During subsequent visits to Kristiansund over the course of the Summer of 2008, the contents have been expanded to make up this second edition. All of the photographs were shot on Ilford black and white film, either Delta 100 or HP5+.

Martin Doonan January 2009

Second edition