Rocks and Hard Places: Emigration Through the Lens of Knud Knudsen

Why do people leave their homes in search of a better life? Join us as we look for answers to that question in this exciting new exhibit that explores emigration through first person accounts, family histories, and the stunning black and white photography of Knud Knudsen.

Considered one of Norway’s most important photographers, Knudsen (1832-1915) was born in Odda, Hardanger, and he established one of the first photography businesses in the city of Bergen in 1864. In addition to his passion for photography, he also had a special interest in horticulture and the fruit trees grown in his home community. He would often return to the southern branch of the Hardanger Fjord to capture scenes of everyday life on farms and on the fjord. Despite the idyllic landscape, Knudsen’s work vividly shows why the ever present threat of rockslides and avalanches, lack of arable land, lack of economic opportunity, and savage beauty of life on the fjord led to some of the highest rates of emigration per-capita in Norway.

This exhibit features 30 large-format photographs.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.