Observation of Change as a New Genre Arctic Art

This chapter explores the integration of art and science in ecological restoration efforts within the Junkerdal National Park area in Norway, where native mountain birch forests are threatened by the plantation and spread of non-native spruce trees. The project “Observation of Change” (OOC), running from 2023 to 2025, brings together artists and biological science to address environmental challenges through creative and transdisciplinary approaches. The collaboration highlights the role of art in fostering empathy, communicating scientific research, and supporting the decolonization of nature while removing invasive species to protect native ecosystems. Through the concept of New Genre Arctic Art, the project emphasizes the importance of political and pedagogical art in promoting sustainability and redefining human relationships with the environment. The chapter discusses how artworks created within the OOC project document ecological changes, enhance public understanding of biodiversity, and contribute to the revitalization of Arctic ecocultures. By engaging with ecocultural traditions, such as root binding, the project aims to foster cultural values related to conservation. The insights gained from this collaboration are expected to inform future educational practices and contribute to a broader global discourse on ecological and multispecies approaches in contemporary art.