Tintin: An example of the 9th Art

Yes, Milou/ Snowy, Professor Calculus, Tintin and Captain Haddock, welcome Neil Armstrong (1930–2012) to the Moon in 1969. !

Explaining Comics = The 9th Art using Metalanguage

The comic stip is a cultural product and a means of expression. In the past century it has developed its conceptual and formal elements to the point of being considered art. One only has to take a look at Chris Ware’s (1967 – ) graphic novel Jimmy Corrigan, the smartest kid in the world (2000). It has exhibited in museums such as the Whitney Museum of America Art (2002) or the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2006). It demonstrates that not all comics are aimed at children. Interestingly, some people complain that comics are abandoning children, in favour of adult enthusiasts. This is regarded as a problem in Europe and North America, but not in Japan, since manga have genres for all ages and each of them evolves independently.

At this point, it is undeniable that the aesthetics of comics have influenced other cultural fields such as design, fashion or cinema. The work of the fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (1949 – ), who was passionate about this genre, is an example of this. In the field of graphics, what are called stencils come from comics, according to some specialists in this medium. It goes without saying that a multitude of films today have comics as a reference, especially in the superhero genre. Superheroes who, as archetypes, play a role similar to that of mythological gods. They are popular myths.

We can therefore say that the aesthetics and content of comics has become a symbol of post-modern/ twenty-first century times. While there are more conservative positions determined to make distinctions between what they refer to as high culture and other cultural manifestations. In the case of comics, there are people of all ages and all perspectives who enjoy comics.

Some of the more interesting set of books in my library collection use 9th art metalanguage = comic strip books, to explain comics. Two were written by Will Eisner (1917 – 2005) who had popularized the term graphic novel. His first interesting, theoretical work was Comics and Sequential Art (1985/ revised 1990). It is based on a series of essays that appeared in The Spirit magazine, themselves based on Eisner’s experience teaching at the School of Visual Arts. The content is a series of demonstrations of principles and methods. The revised edition includes short sections on the print process and the use of computers. This was followed by Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative (1996).

Three other ones were written by Scott McCloud (1960 – ). These are: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art (1993), that explores formal aspects of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements have been used. It also discusses more theoretical ideas about comics as an art form and medium of communication. Reinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form (2000), which explains twelve revolutions that McCloud predicts are necessary for the comic book to survive as a medium: becoming literature, becoming art, enhancing creators’ rights, industry innovation, public perception, institutional scrutiny, gender balance, minority representation, diversity of genre, digital production, digital delivery and fully digital content. and Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels (2006) details the processes behind storytelling, with an emphasis on character design with examples provided from the 9th arts history. Topics are reduced to a few principles. These include classifying cartoonists into four types, and identifying six basic emotions.

Tintin, an example of the 9th Art

With these five books in place, there is a need to examine a worthy example to follow, in a learning phase. The example shown below is Tintin by Herge = Georges Prosper Remi (1907 – 1983). In our household, considerable attention was paid to Tintin We have the complete works, admittedly in English, rather than French. Our family was not alone. Tintin comics have sold more than 240 million copies worldwide and has been translated to over 70 languages.

While Tintin has explored many countries in his comics, Herge hasn’t visited a single country in his lifetime. In Explorers on the Moon, Tintin explored the moon in 1954. This is 15 years before Neil Armstrong first landed on Moon.

Tintin’s dog Snowy has stolen many hearts and even made cameo appearances in ‘The Simpsons’ in the episode ‘Husbands and Knives’ and in ‘South Park’ in the episode ‘Imagination land Episode III’.

Tintin’s adventures were transformed into a movie titled ‘The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn’ in 2011, which was directed by Steven Spielberg, who bought the international movie rights to the character in the early 1980s.

The series ‘Tintin in Tibet’ was the most cerebral and emotional story of Herge, and the series was heavily influenced by his nervous breakdown.

Palle Huld (1912 – 2010) was a Danish film actor and writer. He won a journey around the world at the age of 15 in 1928 from a Danish newspaper. This reportedly inspired Hergé to create Tintin.

Milou = Snowy, Tintin’s pet dog, is modeled in part on a Fox Terrier at a café that Hergé used to frequent. It was also the nickname of Hergé’s first muse/ girlfriend, Marie-Louise Van Cutsem (1905 – 1974).

Haddock’s name was suggested by Germaine Kieckens (1906 – 1995; married 1932; divorced 1977)​ Hergé’s wife, who noted that haddock was a “sad English fish” over a fish dinner. Hergé then utilised the name for the English captain he’d just introduced. Haddock remained without a first name until the last completed story, Tintin and the Picaros (1976), when the name Archibald was used. There were several Haddocks who had served in the Royal Navy. Haddock uses strange/ difficult but innoffensive words that he hurls out as if they were very strong cusswords. This is due to the works initial publication in Catholic magazines.

Professeur Tryphon Tournesol = Professor Tryphon Sunflower (literal translation) = Professor Cuthbert Calculus was inspired by Auguste Piccard (1884 – 1962), a Swiss physicist, inventor and explorer known for his record-breaking hydrogen balloon flights, with which he studied the Earth’s upper atmosphere and became the first person to enter the Stratosphere. My own person interest in Piccard relates to his invention of the first bathyscaphe, FNRS-2. The French Navy took over this vessel, and relaunched it as FNRS III in the 1950s. Today, it is located at the Naval Museum in Toulon, France.

The Bathyscaph FRNS-3 at the Tour Royal, Toulon, France. Photo: Esby 2008-06-11.

The Thompson twins were inspired by Herge’s father and uncle, who were twins.

Opera singer Bianca Castafiore was inspired by Herge’s paternal grandmother. Her favourite aria is from Faust (1859) composed by Charles Gounod (1818 – 1893).

Wikipedia provides information about other characters.

Works

One of the reasons Tintin appealed to our son, is that it gave him an opportunity to explore the world at an early age, from the safety of our house. Here are the details of the all of the works, in chronological order.

The following are the twenty-four canonical Tintin comic albums, with their English titles. Publication dates are for the original French-language versions. Note: In the original French versions, Tintin lives in Brussels. In the English translations, he lives in London. This created difficulties with the Black Island.

#01 Tintin au pays des Soviets = Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, set in Russia, serialized 1929-30, B&W album 1930, Colour album 2017. Hergé prevented this book from being republished until 1973.

After this, Hergé re-published in colour and in a fixed 62-page format.

#02 Tintin au Congo = Tintin in the Congo, set in Belgian Congo now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, serialized 1930-31, B&W album 1931, Colour album 1946.

#03 Tintin en Amérique = Tintin in America, set in Chicago, serialized 1931-32, B&W album 1932, Colour album 1945.

#04 Les Cigares du Pharaon = Cigars of the Pharaoh, set in Egypt, serialized 1932-34, B&W album 1934, Colour album 1955

#05 Le Lotus bleu = The Blue Lotus, set in China, serialized 1934-35, B&W album 1936, Colour album 1946

#06 L’Oreille cassée = The Broken Ear, set in fictional south American countries, serialized 1935-37, B&W album 1937, Colour album 1943

#07 L’Île noire = The Black Island, set in England, serialized 1937-38, B&W album 1938, Colour album 1943, 1966. Note: Before the reprint, multiple aircraft featured throughout the story were redrawn by Roger Leloup (1933 – ), who replaced the depiction of planes that were operational in the 1930s with those active in the 1960s, including: a Percival Prentice, a De Havilland Canada Chipmunk, a Cessna 150, a Tiger Moth, and a Hawker Siddeley Trident.

#08 Le Sceptre d’Ottokar = King Ottokar’s Sceptre, set in Syldavia, a fictional Eastern European country, serialized 1938-39, B&W album 1939, Colour album 1947

#09 Le Crabe aux pinces d’or = The Crab with the Golden Claws, set in the Sahara, serialized 1940-41, B&W album 1941, Colour album 1943

#10 L’Étoile mystérieuse =The Shooting Star, with plot similarities with La Chasse au météore = The Chase of the Golden Meteor (1908) written by Jules Verne (1928 – 1905), serialized 1941-42, Colour album 1942. Note: This was the first album to be originally published in colour. Often regarded as antisemitic.

#11 Le Secret de La Licorne = The Secret of the Unicorn, involves a riddle left by 17th century Francis Haddock, which leads them to the hidden treasure of the pirate Red Rackham. Serialized 1942-43, Colour album 1943. Books 11 to 15 formed a middle period for Hergé marked by war and changing collaborators.

#12 Le Trésor de Rackham le Rouge = Red Rackham’s Treasure, set in the West Indies, much of it aboard the Serius, a fishing trawler, serialized 1943, Colour album 1944

#13 Les 7 Boules de cristal = The Seven Crystal Balls, set in Peru, involving an archaeological expedition, serialized 1943-46, Colour album 1948. Note: often regarded as one of the best works in the series.

#14 Le Temple du Soleil = Prisoners of the Sun, serialized 1946-48, Colour album 1949

#15 Tintin au pays de l’or noir = Land of Black Gold, serialized 1939-40 (discontinued by Nazi occupational forces), 1948-50, Colour album 1951, 1971

#16 Objectif Lune = Destination Moon, serialized 1950-52, Colour album 1953

#17 On a marché sur la Lune = Walking on the Moon (literal) = Explorers on the Moon, serialized 1952-53, Colour album 1954

#18 L’Affaire Tournesol = The Calculus Affair, serialized 1954-56, Colour album 1956

#19 Coke en stock = The Red Sea Sharks, serialized 1956-58, Colour album 1958

#20 Tintin au Tibet = Tintin in Tibet, serialized 1958-59, Colour album 1960

#21 Les Bijoux de la Castafiore = The Castafiore Emerald, serialized 1961-62, Colour album 1963

#22 Vol 714 pour Sydney = Flight 714 to Sydney, serialized 1966-67, Colour album 1968

#23 Tintin et les Picaros = Tintin and the Picaros serialized 1975-76, Colour album 1976

#24 Tintin et l’Alph-Art = Tintin and the Alph-Art serialized 1986, Colour album 2004. Hergé’s unfinished book, published posthumously.

The following are double albums with a continuing story: Cigars of the Pharaoh (no. 4) & The Blue Lotus (no. 5); The Secret of the Unicorn (no. 11) & Red Rackham’s Treasure (no. 12); The Seven Crystal Balls (no. 13) & Prisoners of the Sun (no. 14); Destination Moon (no. 16) & Explorers on the Moon (no. 17).

Other characteristics

The English-language Adventures of Tintin books were originally published with handwritten lettering created by cartographer Neil Hyslop (1924 – 2015). Given versions of Hergé’s artwork with blank panels, he would write his English script on a clear cellophane-like material, to fit within the original speech bubble. In the early 2000s, Tintin’s English publishers Egmont discontinued this, because Casterman and Moulinsart decided to replace localised hand-lettering with a single computerised font.

In September 2017, French philosopher Vincent Cespede (1973 – ) suggested that Tintin was a girl. However, he accepted that it was his perspective and was fake news. However, this post will end by naming everyone’s favourite Swedish environmental activist, paying close attention to the second of her many names: Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg (2003 – ). So perhaps Cespede was closer to the truth than he imagined.

The 9th Art: An Introduction

A New Belgian Passport, featuring an illustration of Tintin’s Moon Rocket.

This weblog post began when my son, Alasdair, posted some illustrations of the new Belgian passports, originating with Belgian comics. Following this, I read that comics were the ninth art. Immediately, I wondered what the eight earlier arts were, and if there was anything after the ninth art.

Here is the official list of arts in numerical order: 1. Architecture; 2. Sculpture; 3. Painting; 4. Music; 5. Dance; 6. Poetry; 7. Film; 8. Television; 9. Comics.

The list was devised by Claude Beylie (1932 – 2001), a French film critic.  The term was used in an article he wrote for the magazine, Lettres et Medecins in 1964.  He built that list up from some earlier writings by an Italian film theoretician, Ricciotto Canudo (1877 – 1923).

Of course the lingua franca/ bridge language of comics is French. This may surprise Americans, but it is the Belgians that represent the gold standard when it comes to the 9th art. Unfortunately, my French is not good enough to understand nuances in the wording of une bande dessinée. I think a literal translation would be: a band drawn, referring to: a comic strip (figuratively). But I don’t understand the limits of the words. Is a graphic novel, with its many illustrations and accompanying text on a grid part of this drawn band? When I ask Google for a translation, it replies roman graphique. If I use cartoon, it replies un dessin animé, which seems more like animation.

The article I was reading asked about radio, and its placement on the list. The article provided a definitive answer. Radio was not on the list, and never could be put on it. The future did not seem to be bright for games, computer or otherwise. They were not on the list either.

A series of articles written for the Spirou Journal recounting the history of comics popularized the phrase, the 9th art.  Maurice De Bevere (1923 – 2001) wrote that series.  He is better known under his pen name, Morris, with which he created western gun slinger, Lucky Luke. Pause here to reflect on Luke’s occupational title. He is not a rancher, implying ownership of land, nor is he a ranch employee, a cowboy, transporting herds of cattle, nor is he in law enforcement with a recognizable title like sheriff, marshal or even deputy. None of the other titles found in the wild west seem to apply either: bartender, blacksmith, gambler, shopkeeper or even wagoneer with a mule team, transporting borax across a desert. His gender eliminates a couple of occupations reserved for women making a living in the wild west, of which for proprietary’s sake only school teacher will be mentioned.

Here I will attempt to use neuvième or 9ème/ ninth or 9th art as a standard term. It will be difficult, because the previous sentence was added while editing a final draft of this text, necessitating up to numerous changes. Of course I have a relationship with the 9th art from my childhood. In general it was, they were not allowed, although I remember being with our neighbours, the Cimolini family at the Hotel Vancouver, when Primo (1912 – 1976) bought me a Classic Comic.

Comics, as a descriptive term, has its limitations. It implies something with humour, The weekend supplement that came on Saturday mornings with the Vancouver Province, in the 1950s were referred to in our household as the funny papers, but few of them were funny. The difficulty seventy years later is remembering content details. Some names ring bells, but those bells may be misplaced. Here is my fantasy version of some of these works.

One of the strips I remember was The Katzenjammer Kids, created by Rudolph Dirks (1877 – 1968) in 1897. It was later drawn by Harold Knerr (1882 – 1949) from 1914 to 1949, by Doc Winner (1885 – 1956) from 1949 to 1956, and by Joe Musial (1905 – 1977) from 1956 to 1977. I had left home in 1972, so that is my cutoff date. It continued until 2006, making it the longest running strip in the US. I found this series overly violent. The twin brothers, Hans and Fritz, rebelled against authority, particularly in the form of their mother, Mama, who showed tough love with a rolling pin.

In contrast, but equally misunderstandable in its own way, were the teenagers found in Archie, originally drawn by Bob Montana (1920 – 1975). These comics appeared from 1941, and featured fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and others.

The British Andy Capp comic strip created by Reg Smythe (1917 – 1998) deserves a special mention because of its location, Hartlepool, in County Durham, in north-east England, the birthplace of my maternal grandfather! The title of the series is a pun on the local pronunciation of handicap, related more to horse racing rather than an infirmity. The surname Capp also signifies how Andy’s cap/ head gear always covers his eyes, restricting, at least metaphorically, his vision in life. My son, Alasdair, comments that he found the Norwegian version, published in Trønderavisa, impenetrable, because of its use of some distant dialect, not to mention British preoccupations with pigeon racing, snooker, pubs and cheating at poker.

Hal Foster (1892 – 1982), was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He created Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, in 1937. It is an epic adventure that told a continuous story stretching for more than 4 500 Sunday episodes (so far). Prince Valiant is the son of Aguar, exiled king of Thule who has taken refuge in the Fens during the days of King Arthur. Foster places this kingdom of Thule in Norway, near Trondheim. Some Norwegians imagine Aguar’s castle was a previous incarnation of the Leirfoss electrical power station, on the Nid river. The old spelling was Lerfoss. The fact that the power station was only build in 1910, is immaterial, if one’s mind can accept it as a repurposed castle. It is located 121 km south of Cliff Cottage. It is a recreational location that I enjoy, while visiting Trondheim.

Prince Valiant’s birthplace at Thule, near Trondheim, repurposed as a electrical power station in 1910. Today, the area has become a pleasant recreation site, along the banks of the Nid River.

The strip I found most appealing was Gasoline Alley (1918 – present). Chicago Tribune publisher Robert McCormick (1880 – 1955) wanted a feature that would appeal to people learning how to take care of their cars. These were becoming increasingly available to a middle class public. Frank King (1883 – 1969) developed this strip in response. Bill Perry (1905 – 1995) took over in 1951 and continue to create the strips until about 1976. It is the longest running current strip. Except during the 1970s and 1980s the strip progresses in real time. Characters age and some die.

I am always attracted by the names of people in Gasoline Alley. Some of my real life relatives also have unusual names, such as cousins with the surname Pickup. However, Wallet is so unusual that I have never met anyone by that name. In the beginning, the most notable character was Walt Wallet. Joseph Patterson (1879 – 1946) was concerned that the strip as it was developing, had limited appeal to women. His solution was to have Walt Wallet, find Skeezix on his doorstep in 1921. After this, Walt could marry Phyllis Blossom in 1926. Skeezix subsequently grew up, and ran the Gasoline Alley garage. He married Nina Clock in 1944. Their children are Chipper (1945 – ), who ends up marrying Amy, and Clovia (1949 – ), who ends up with Slim Skinner. By this time, I had given up reading Gasoline Alley. Other intimate relationships can be discovered looking at the illustration, below.

Are comics art? Unfortunately, referring to the topic as the 9th art, already answers that question positively, hence the wording. Some will answer with an emphatic yes. The more enthusiastic will regard the question as naive. Yet, unfortunately, the answer is not so clear. Some argue that combining words with artwork is the essence of modern expression, providing narrative and visual richness, use a direct yet spontaneous language. It integrates literature with painting and cinema. Others, view its limitations, popular among children, youth and less mature adults. Mature people do not use comics.

Many readers see the 9th art as a springboard to other more serious, mature types of literature. What relationship do people have with: Alfred E. Neuman, Ariel, Asterix, Bugs Bunny, the Little Mermaid, Snow White, Tintin or Wonder Woman? Are any of them more mature than the others.

George Herriman (1880 – 1944) was an American cartoonist best known for Krazy Kat (1913–1944) that was more influential than popular. Krazy Kat was notable for its poetic, dialect-heavy dialogue, its fantasy laden, but shifting backgrounds and its experimental page layouts. In it, Ignatz Mouse pelts Krazy with bricks, interpreted by Krazy as symbols of love. Later, a love triangle developed between Krazy, Ignatz, and Offisa Pupp. Pupp’s mission was to prevent Ignatz from throwing bricks at Krazy. These efforts were impeded because Krazy wanted to be struck by these bricks.

More importantly, Gilbert Seldes (1893 – 1970) wrote The Krazy Kat Who Walks by Himself appearing in The Seven Lively Arts (1924). It is the earliest example of an art critic giving serious attention to a comic strip. The Comics Journal placed Krazy Kat first on its list of the greatest comics of the 20th century. Herriman’s work has been a primary influence on cartoonists such as Elzie C. Segar (1894 – 1938), Will Eisner (1917 – 2005), Charles M. Schulz (1922 – 2000), Robert Crumb (1943 – ), Art Spiegelman (1948 – ), Bill Watterson (1958 – ), and Chris Ware (1967 – ).

My mind temporarily focuses on Snow White. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785 – 1863) and Wilhelm (1786 – 1859) provided the world with one version in fairytale #53, originally published in 1812 as Sneewittchen. Wikipedia lists: about 10 books, including Donald Barthelme’s (1931 – 1989) post-modernist novel (1967); 20 films including one featuring Betty Boop (1932) made by Max Fleischer (1883 – 1972) and Dave Fleischer (1894 – 1979) and another made in 1937 by Walt Disney (1901 – 1966); There is music, including a soundtrack from the Disney film, released as an album in 1938. Other uses of the term refer to a horse, an industrial design language used at apple, a 1970s government-infiltration and information-suppression effort by the Church of Scientology, a dwarf planet, a fictional hockey team, a brand of sugar, and the first name of a Swedish visual artist.

Sometimes, the 9th art only reaches its potential when it appears as an animation film. Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, being a good example. They first appeared in 1949 and were created by Chuck Jones (1912 – 2002). In these videos a devious and hungry coyote attempts to catch a roadrunner, but is always unsuccessful. He deploys complex schemes and devices that always backfire, injuring the coyote. Many of the devices used are from Acme Corporation.

Being born on Halloween, I have no problem with people dressing up as manga characters or superheroes. I appreciate many different varieties of punk from steampunk through dieselpunk and electropunk to cyberpunk, on a theoretical level. Unfortunately, I have not found an appropriate persona to match my personality, so I have no costume at this moment, although I will assure readers that any garments made will incorporate pink and purple fabric.

Comics are not the only art form that has had this problem. Let us recall that cinema, from its beginnings in 1895, was not considered an art. At best it was a momentary attraction. This has changed and it is now classified into genres to differentiate films on issues such as quality and audience. The same was true for comic strips, which gradually took their place in mass culture.

Comics emerged as entertainment that combined illustration and caricature with text in order to present a situation, express an idea or tell a story. Yet, as Wile E. Coyote shows, sequence is an essential ingredient. Will Einsner (1917-2005) called comics a sequential art. They have momentum.

The adult reader

Between 1960 and 1970, cultural studies emerged, which reflected new philosophies or ways of thinking regarding art. There was a change of mindset, allowing for an emergence of theorists of the ninth art. This meant that these works could no longer by regarded as a reading medium intended for children. Underground comics (1968-1979) introduced adult content. This trend can be found in the works produced in San Francisco by Robert Crumb (1943 – ), as well as Trina Robins (1938 – 2024) who produced the first all-woman comic book, It Ain’t Me, Babe. These works examined meanings power relationships, signs, discourses as well as social and cultural products.

To this consideration of the author as an artist and of the comic strip as an object of study is added a third factor, which is the emergence of the adult reader. Or, if you prefer, the public has grown up and expects its comics to be more sophisticated and complex. This is the audience that the Underground genre is aimed at.

Comics are therefore beginning to be taken as a starting point for social criticism or to show a reality. Thus, for example, we can cite the exercise of historical memory in the Paracuellos cycle by Carlos Giménez (1943 – 2020), the story of the Holocaust in Maus by Art Spiegelman (1949 – ) or the post-cyberpunk comic Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis (1968 – ).

In the 1970s, graphic designers and writers such as Moebius = Jean Giraud (1938–2012), Enki Bidal (1951 – ) and Alejandro Jodorowsky (1929 – ) brought comics closer to erotic and social themes, thus renewing them in Europe to give them a more adult character and a higher quality. Authors such as Jean-Claude Forest (1930 – 1998) with Barbarella, Guido Grepax = Guido Grepas (1933-2003), author of Valentina, Eleuteri Serpieri (1944 – ) with Druuna and Milo Manara = Maurilio Manara (1945 – ) are further examples of an erotic genre.

But, in addition, Graphic Novels and Limited Series appear which, due to their characteristics, constitute another attempt to give dignity to comics, since they are conceived as works in which the same author writes and writes, or those who write and draw are renowned authors, without fixed periodicity – which makes it easier to build a more elaborate plot – and a better drawing printed on better quality paper. Comics from the 1980s such as Alan Moore’s Watchmen and V for Vendetta, Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns or Neil Gaiman’s Black Orchid are examples of this type of comic.

Alan Moore (1953 – ) provides an example of a writer, not an graphic artist or illustrator. He has written several works, including Watchmen (1987) with artist Dave Gibbons (1949 – ) and colourist John Higgins (1949 – ). Here, contemporary anxieties are deconstructed while superheros are satirized to construct a political commentary. The work presents an alternate history in which superheroes emerge in the 1940s to 1960s, changing modern history. By 1985, USA is edging toward World War III with the Soviet Union. Freelance costumed vigilantes have been outlawed and most former superheroes are in retirement or working for the US government. The focus is on personal development and moral struggles. In 2009, a feature film, Watchmen, directed by Zack Snyder (1966 – )was released, along with an episodic video game, Watchmen: The End Is Nigh.

The 9th art was forced to consider: ideology, nationality, ethnicity, gender, society generally, as well as in terms of economics, politics, communication, sociology, cinema, anthropology, philosophy and semiotics and everything else that could be considered culture.

One of the most important theorists of comics is Umberto Eco (1932 – 2016), in Apocalípticos e integrados (1964) = Apocalypse Postponed, 1994, available in English in a partial translation. It reflects on mass culture by analyzing the following comics: Steve Canyon (1947 – 1988) by Milton Caniff (1907 – 1988), Superman (1938 – ) by Jerry Siegel (1914 – 1996) and Joe Shuster ( 1914 – 1992) from Toronto, and Peanuts (1950 – 2000) by Charles M. Schulz (1922 – 2000).

Terenci Moix (1942 – 2003) wrote a social history of the 9th art in Spanish: Los cómics, arte para el consumo y formas pop (1968). It has not been republished since. It is now regarded as cult book. Moix analyses this 9th art from a social and ideological point of view, considering them, along with films and songs, as suitable fodder for political, moral and religious manipulations by those in power. It must be remembered that Moix was living in a dictatorship under Francisco Franco (1892 – 1975). Particular attention should be paid to the works of post-war Spanish author/ illustrators including José Escobar (1908 – 1994) who created: Carpanta (1947 – ), a symbol of post-war Spain’s misery; Zipi y Zape = Zipi and Zape Zapatilla, two young, mischievous, energetic, football-obsessed twins who do poorly in school (1947 – 2000). José Peñarroya (1910 – 1975) created Gordito Relleno (1948), a single man, lacking a permanent job. His good intentions always ended in catastrophes. He is a frequent victim of scams and frauds of all kinds by heartless people. Moix’ analysis and demystification of Flash Gordon (1934 – 2003) created by Alex Raymond (1909 – 1956) and Li’l Abner (1934 – 1977), created by Al Capp (1909 – 1979) are also worthwhile.

Roman Gubern (1934 – ) in El lenguaje de los cómics (1972) wrote about the language of these works and their functions in society.

M. Thomas Inge (1936 – 2021) was an American professor of humanities who taught and wrote about Southern literature, especially William Faulkner (1897 – 1962) and culture, American humor and comic art (Dadism especially), film and animation and Asian literature.

It was then in the 1960s that comic strips began to build bridges with art thanks, among others, to artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, who made pop art the main motif of his works. That however is another topic to be explored at some later, unspecified date.

The 9th art will continue to be examined next week, looking especially at how some theorists have used the comic strip to explain comics. This will be followed by a more in depth examination of Tintin.

Objets trouvés = found objects

Sometimes my competitive spirit shows itself. Such was the case on Friday, 2024-09-20. Trish suggested that we go for a walk, then do our weekly grocery shopping. For once, I managed to suggest a place to walk that was acceptable to her: the sculpture trail in Straumen, mostly featuring the works of Nils Aas (1933 – 2004). Muustrøparken = the sculpture park, is named after Lorents D. Muus (1809–87). As Norwegians euphemistically say, Muus wore many different hats throughout his life. He was a merchant, banker, post office official and mayor.

On arrival, Trish began taking photos that told me she had decided to write a weblog post about it. When she admitted to me that she had taken a photo of the map in the park, I knew how that post would appear. Yes, it is amazing what one can imagine after knowing someone for just fifty years. That map would be at the top, followed by up to 20 photos of the artwork. Not so many words because, as everyone knows, each photo eliminates the need for 1 000 words. The works in the Nils Aas gallery and workshop would not be included, but some of the park environment (including buildings and the creek, natives call Granelva = the Gran river) would be.

… and so we return to that competitive spirit. Most of the photographs I took were found objects in the park. Some even had sculptural shapes.

Back at Cliff Cottage, I had begun to assemble these into a weblog post of my own. Then I thought it would be a good idea to check my emails, yet again. A column alert from Gloria, two replies from Art, then disaster …

Trish had been using Chat on G-mail to communicate with her sister, Aileen. A message came in: The Red Bridge in Kamloops has burnt down. (timestamp 20:42). I know the bridge well, since my childhood. In the summer there were always children diving off it. On Signal, I posted a photo of it in happier days (timestamp 20:45). This was followed by a photo sent by Trish of its smoldering remains (timestamp 20:47). The red bridge exists no more. There was a fire on 2024-09-17 that was put out. Then on 2024-09-19 a different fire roared to life. Arson is suspected.

… and so unexpected events deflect the focus of one’s life. The bridge was built in 1936, so anyone remembering that location before the bridge, will probably have to be 93 or older to have it persist in their memory. Yes, there were two other bridges at the same location. The first from 1887, was flood damaged in 1909, and replaced in 1912. That second bridge was destroyed by fire caused by a spark from a passing steamer in 1934.

There was one photo I did not take in the park. I thought of taking it, but didn’t because I knew it would still be there the next time I visited. With the bridge fire in Kamloops, there is some urgency to take it now. I know where this photo will be used: Shrinking the Garage, a weblog post currently scheduled for publication 2025-10-29. It is more than a year away, and so I have time. One always has time, until one doesn’t.

An eager photographer in action, taking photographs of legitimate artwork.

A potential sculpture hiding in the bushes.
One of the park’s many wide eyed beggars, asking anyone passing by for a handout.
Not everything in the park is a work of art, but many plants have aesthetic values.
A camouflaged micro-hydro-electric-turbine that should be producing electricity, but isn’t!
The park is a place for friends of different heights to meet, ranging from a shy, but tall pole vaulter, in the top left of the photo, to a short manhole (personhole) cover, in the foreground.
Muusbrua = The Muus Bridge was built in 1816.

Vaasa

63°06′N 021°37′E

Vaasa is a city in Finland on the west coast, on the Gulf of Bothnia. Its population is almost 70 000. Vaasa is a bilingual municipality with Finnish and Swedish as its official languages. The population consists of: Finnish speakers = 65%; Swedish speakers = 23%; People with other mother tongues = 12%. Surrounding municipalities have a clear majority of Swedish speakers. Thus, Swedish maintains a strong position in Vaasa. This makes it the most significant cultural center for Swedish-Finns.

Industrial Art

Industrial art means different things to different people. I use it in a general sense to refer to products made through industrial processes that result in something attractive, not necessarily beautiful. Textures produced by industrial processes are an example. Thus, in Vaasa, I decided to document the variety in textures found on the streets.

Maintenance hole = manhole covers are another example of industrial art. These are removable lids over the opening of maintenance holes, that are access points large enough for a person to pass through. They are designed to prevent anyone or anything from falling in, rainwater excepted, in some cases. I take photographs of them, but expand my collection by collecting photographs taken by others.

A weblog post on industrial art is being prepared, for publication on 2024-09-21.

Nieminen Valimo = Nieminen foundry, was founded in 1928 by Väino Nieminen (1879 – 1958), in Harjavalta, in south-west Finland. Its location is strategic for production: on sandy ground, next to the Kokemäki river. It is the only maintenance hole and cover foundry in Finland. It is now owned by the Norwegian Cappelen group.

Sculpture

Three statues are presented, along with a comment about a fourth work not included.

Street art is not always appropriately labelled, or even labelled at all. Such is the situation in Vaasa, with the following three works. It took time, measured in hours, to find the title of each work, its constructor/ sculptor along with birth and death dates (where appropriate) year it was made, and other details about each work. This is one reason encountering street art is so much fun.

Erkki Kannosto (1945 – ), Varjoja metsässä (Finnish) = Shadows in the Forest. Unveiled 2006.
Erkki Kannosto, Syvä jano (Finnish) = Deep Thirst. Unveiled 2005.
Hannu Leimu (1969 – ), Auringon Lapsi (Finnish) = Child of the Sun. Unveiled 2010.

Political comment 1: Centaurs are mythical creatures, part human and part horse. This composition has led many to treat them as liminal = intermediate beings, caught between two natures. Like all mammals, they come in both male and female = centaurette, varieties. I see Leimu’s work as being in direct opposition to the centaurettes appearing in Disney’s film Fantasia (1940). Originally, the animated centaurettes had displayed their breasts, but that was deemed too offensive for audiences, so these were quickly covered with garlands of flowers. Finnish sauna culture means that the human form, in both of its common varieties, is frequently seen and accepted as natural.

On two occasions, and for several minutes both times, I contemplated photographing Suomen Vapaudenpatsas (Finnish) = Finlands frihetsstaty (Swedish) =The Statue of Liberty, a monumental bronze sculpture. I decided against it, but would include an appropriate link. The height of the work with its pedestals is 14 m, the bronze statue at the top is 6 m. The sculpture was designed by Yrjö Liipola (1881 – 1971) and Jussi Mäntynen (1886 – 1978). It was unveiled in 1938.

Political Comment 2: I find the celebration of war distasteful, and this statue is a tribute to the Whites in the Finnish Civil War in 1918. This work is an adulation of one person, General Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (1867 – 1951), who is displayed three times life size. The Red Guards, composed of industrial and agrarian workers, controlled the cities and industrial centres of southern Finland. The White Guards, composed of land owners and those in the middle and upper classes, controlled rural, central and northern Finland. The offensive part of this work is that is fails to unite the Red and White factions after the end of the war, but focuses on one side’s victory.

Oulu

65°00′51″N 25°28′19″E

Oulu is located on the northwestern coast of Finland, at the mouth of the River Oulu. It is the largest Finnish city with a sub-arctic climate: cold and snowy winters; short and mild summers. The name Oulu derives from the Finnish dialectal word oulu, meaning floodwater, related to the southern Sami åulo = melted snow, åulot = thaw.

Oulu has a large population (215 000). It is also important as one of Europe’s living labs, where residents experiment with new technologies, such as near-field communication (NFC) tags and ubiquitous computing (ubi) screens on a community-wide scale, often involving thousands of users.

Street furniture

Yes, there are four of these units, all in a row: green, yellow, pink and blue. None of the stalls were in use, so it was not possible to know, with certainty, the intended use. One suspected use is a place for mooring/ hitching a bicycle.
Some bicycle hitching posts were in use. At the far left of the photograph, one can see Tiernapojat = Star Boys sculpture. It is discussed at the end of this weblog post.
It is suspected that these two components could provide seating, but only if some other components, including a back and seat, were installed.

Corporate Identity

Alasdair and I ate our second sushi dinner of the trip at Luckie Fun’s Sushi Buffet.
I have managed to survive the first 75 years of my life without a tattoo, and have no intention of enduring one now. However, I find tattoo parlor names and signs interesting. I collect images of the signs.

Statues

Kaarlo Mikkonen (1920 – 2001), Toripolliisi (Finnish) = The Bobby at the Market Place, Oulu. Unveiled in 1987. Photo: Tve4 (2006-05-26). The translated title is a bit too British for a north American. I would have preferred it to have the title: The policeman at the market place.
Yes, an image of birds, possibly four herons. However, I have not been able to discover the artist, or time period for its construction, or even its title.
Sanna Koivisto (1955 – ), Tiernapojat = Star Boys. Unveiled 2014, moved to its permanent location 2016.

Tiernapojat, or star boys, is a song play based mainly on the Gospel of Matthew. It tells about the journey of three wise men from the East to the baby Jesus and about King Herod, who orders his soldiers to kill all the little male children, hoping to then also kill the newborn Jesus, the King of the Jews. The performance is estimated to be a centuries-old tradition, but the first reliable written record of the Oulu tiernapoika tradition is from 1873. The song came to Oulu from Sweden.

Haparanda – Tornio – Kemi

Haparanda, Tornio and Kemi are three municipalities in Bothnia Bay, the northernmost part of the Gulf of Bothnia, which is in turn the northern part of the Baltic Sea.

During winter it is possible to get around the gulf with: ice skates, sleds, skis, snowmobiles as well as by car on the ice roads over the gulf to the larger islands. There are 4 001 islands, with an island defined as a landmass surrounded by water, larger than 20 m².

Freshwater rivers mean that the bay has brackish water with extremely low salinity levels (0.2-0.3 %). This can be compared with the world’s oceans where the salinity level is around 3.5 %. Most salt-dependent sea species cannot survive in the bay. Ringed seal, grey seal, cod, herring and salmon are found here, along with freshwater species such as the pike, whitefish and perch.

Further south is Merenkurkku (Finnish) = throat of the sea (literal translation) = Kvarken (Swedish) = Quark Ridge (English) a narrow region separating Bothnian Bay from the rest of the Bothnian Sea. Here, the distance from the Swedish mainland to the Finnish mainland is around 80 km. The maximum water depth is about 25 m. Land is rising at 8 to 10 mm a year. Within 2 000 years this will create the largest lake in Scandinavia to its north. There are 5 600 islands in Kvarken.

Summers are mild for a coastal location so far north, and winters are normally not extremely cold in spite of the relative proximity to the Arctic Circle. Trish and I first visited this area ca. 1979-12-10. Alasdair and I visited it almost forty-five years later on 2024-05-12.

Haparanda 65°50′N 024°08′E

Haparanda, for historical reasons, is often still referred to as a city despite its small population, about 5 000 people in 4.43 km2. It is Sweden’s most easterly settlement.

Anna Jäämeri-Ruusuvuori (1943 – ) Separation. Unveiled 2005, 60 years since the end of world war II. A memorial to the approximately 80 000 Finnish children who were sent to Sweden during the war. The artist was herself one of the war children in Sweden. They were sent to Sweden to be spared the suffering that the war brought to Finland. Most war children returned to Finland after the war, but several thousand remained in Sweden.
Bo Holmlund (1935 – 2013) Broar = Bridges. Located in the marketplace in Haparanda. It was erected in 1992 on Haparanda city’s 150th anniversary. Until the border was drawn in 1809, Sweden and Finland were a common country. After the Finnish war (1808 – 1809) between Sweden and Russia, Russia took over Finland. Bridges were broken and the countries went their separate ways. Sweden has had a relatively stable history, while Finland has suffered from both world wars and civil wars. Now it is a new time, the border is increasingly disappearing.
Hanna Kanto (1981 – ) with Oday Shalan, Yazan Jbour, Mamoon Al, Diamond Eagle, Masoud Karimi. Strandad = Stranded (2016). The sculpture is made of old boats that have been used on the Torne River. It visualizes old traditions and contemporary events in the Torne Valley.
Victoria Andersson (1971 – ) The Struve Triangle (2012). The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of survey triangulations stretching from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea, through ten countries and 2,821.853 ± 0.012 km, which yielded the first accurate measurement of a meridian arc. The chain was established and used by the German-born Russian scientist Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve (1793 – 1864) in the years 1816 to 1855 to establish the exact size and shape of the earth. The Struve Geodetic Arc was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2005.
Map of the Struve Geodetic Arc. The 34 red dots are places registered in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wilhelm Struve was appointed European Surveyor of the Year 2014 by the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors (CLGE). Image: Badock, Wikimedia commons.
Along the Torne river one finds numerous unusual crosswalk signs (but no crosswalks). There is a person displayed, but walking does not seem to be appropriate. In the future, I intend to replace this sign with a composite that merges at least four signs. I will also attempt to find the person, or people responsible.
Anja Örn (1972 – ) Transit: Brevduvor på bord = Transit: Homing pigeons on the table (2016). A small aerial lift (zipline) was built in 1916 over the river to transport mail, because during parts of the year the ice was too strong for boats and too weak or too split up for walking. This artwork celebrates the zipline. Note the culture vulture eying the pigeons from the background.
Mats Wikström (1954 – ), Järnvägsbrons beskyddare = Protectors of the Railway Bridge (2012). These squirrels protect the bridge, and perform spiritual actions according to various religions.

Tornio 65°51′N 024°09′E

The delta of the Torne River has been inhabited since the end of the last ice age, 16 settlement sites have been found in the area, similar to those found in Vuollerim (c. 6 000 – 5 000 BC).

Tornio is unilingually Finnish with a negligible number of native Swedish speakers. Large numbers are bilingual, speaking Swedish as a second language, with an official target of universal working bilingualism for both border municipalities. Much of the economy is related to stainless steel products.

The Torne River Railway Bridge is 405 m long, and was built as a swing bridge in 1919. It was converted to a fixed structure in 1985. It is a dual gauge railway bridge between Haparanda, Sweden and Tornio, Finland; the bridge can be used by the 1524 mm broad gauge trains, usually Finnish using rails 1 and 3 counting from the left, as well the 1435 mm standard gauge trains, using rails 2 and 4. While we were visiting we could see the bridge being modified to increase its height. It will then be electrified together with the railway line from Laurila in Finland. The electric railway will be in operation by the end of 2024. The bridge is painted white from the Finnish (near) side to the international border, and is blue from there to the Swedish (far) side.
Nina Sailo (1906 – 1988) The Aino statue (1959), Located in Aino park, is a belated representative of classic handicraft style. Unveiled in 1959. Alasdair is standing with his left foot (on the right of the photo) in Tornio, Finland, while his right foot (on the left) is in Haparanda, Sweden. There is no physical infrastructure at the border, showing just how free the movement is between countries.
Niilo Savia (1898 – 1977) The Jaeger Monument. Unveiled in 1965. At Helsinki University, many Finnish students wanted Russia out of Finland. However, it had no army of its own. Finland pleaded with Sweden to train its troops, but Sweden used its neutrality, to deny this request. However, Germany as an opponent of Russia, agreed to train Finnish troops. The German government financed the journey of recruits to the Lockstedt training camp.
Pekka Isorättyä (1980 – ) and Teija Isorättyä (1980 – ) Särkynyt Lyhty = A broken lantern, unveiled in 2013. It shows cult figures from Tornia, such as the priest of Kalkkimaa and the album cover of the band Terveet Kädet. The work uses local steel and steel objects collected from individuals and companies in the area.
Pekka Isorättyä and Teija Isorättyä, Kojamo = Shed. It is a steel salmon statue commissioned for Tornio’s 400th anniversary in 2021.

Kemi

About 10 km south of Tornio is Kemi. It is a deepwater port for the north of Finland. Known for its ice and snow. Famous for its winter ice castles, rebuilt annually, and regarded as the largest in the world.

Kemi is world famous, at least in Finland, as the home of the snowman, with this concrete example living outside Kemi’s city hall. Part of the reason for this focus on snow people is that Rovaniemi, located 117 km further north and closer to the Arctic Circle in the northern interior of Finland, has become the home of Santa Claus, since 1985. The city hall was first completed in 1940, but expanded in 1965–1969. The building also serves as the water tower for Kemi.
A Martin’s type anchor from the Russian cruiser Asia, left in Kemi in 1905, in front of Kemi’s City Hall. Height = 3 m, mass = 3 500 kg. It was unveiled in 1969 as a memorial to the city’s founding in 1869, by a regulation issued by Alexander II (1818 – 1881), giving it the rights of a staple town, which allowed overseas trade, the collection of tree/ merchant charges, property taxes, port, bridge and load charges, as well as port and weigh house taxes. In addition, the city had to build infrastructure for the port = a bonded warehouse, a weigh house, a storage warehouse. This privileged right was cancelled in 1995.

Luleå

65°35′4″N 22°9′14″E

Luleå is considered the world’s largest brackish water archipelago with 1 312 islands, several rivers and vast forests.

The Luleå region has become the Node Pole, because of its northern location, and its role as a data traffic hub in Europe. The region offers stable, low-cost electricity that is 100% renewable. In addition, because the region is one of the coolest in Sweden. This means it is easier and cheaper to keep server centres cool! Sweden’s long political stability is cited as another long-term benefit of the location.

Cityscape

All of the cities in Sweden resemble each other. There seems to be an architectural standard for each type of structure, that lasts about a decade, before it is replaced.

Framework.
Umeå University School of Architecture, The Waterfall that went silent (2023)
Foodora Market, delivery unavailable.
Taco Bar since 1983
Drinking water: 20th century
Drinking water: 21st century
Sculpture, repurposed as grafitti

Wildlife

Plastic seals.
Cement bears.
Playful monster.
Playground giraffe.

Kiruna

67°50′56″N 20°18′10″E

Kiruna, a short, practical name that could also be pronounced by Swedish-speaking inhabitants, means rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta), a type of grouse, in Sámi and Finnish.

The area around Kiruna has been inhabited for at least 6 000 years. For centuries the presence of iron ore at Kiirunavaara and Luossavaara had been known by the local Sámi population. Despite finding large amounts of ore, no mining was started because of the remote location and harsh climate. Some ore was extracted in the 19th century.

In the 1880s plans were made to construct a railway from Narvik to Luleå. It was built by 1903. Mining started in the early years of the 20th century. It provides 80% of Europe’s iron ore.

In 2010-06 Kiruna municipal council decided that the town would be moved eastwards (to 67°51′1″N 20°18′2″E), in the direction of Tuolluvaara, because the Kirunavaara mine undermines the existing town centre. A denser city centre with a greater focus on sustainability, green and blue infrastructure, pedestrians and public transport rather than automobiles, is being constructed. We are using this last opportunity to stay in the old town.

In the old city, abandoned buildings have their windows covered up with original works of art. Some are by unidentified artists.

God Jul! = Merry Christmas! (Jul is pronounced exactly like Yule.)

Many works are by Kena Kriström (1953 – ), born in Östersund. She is especially noted for her ice sculptures in Jukkasjärvi, 20 km east of Kiruna.

Some works are by Carina Kero Esberg (1990 – ) originally from Kiruna, now living in Luleå.

Some parts of the old city have been taken over by wild animals!

Note: Today, we had to take a train replacement bus about 72 km = 1h 10m from Narvik to Björkliden. From there we took a real train about 104 km = 1h 30m to Kiruna. On the trip Alasdair used his Blue Square app. This used his Samsung phones GPS system to tell us the speed of the train. At one time it showed 99 km/h, at another 112 km/h. We also had to wait for iron ore trains to pass.

Narvik

Tjeldsund

Tjeldsund Bridge in Troms county. Opened 1967-08-22 after 30 months of construction. Photo: Alasdair McLellan.
Coordinated public transport is not a priority in Norway. This was our shelter from the drizzle, after the first bus from Harstad, in Troms county, dropped us here. It remained parked until after the arrival of our connecting bus to Narvik, in Nordland county, 70 minutes later. The first bus is part of the Troms county bus system. The second bus is part of the Nordland county bus system.

Cityscape

The distance from Narvik to other places in the world, including the north pole. The old coat of arms with an anchor is shown at the top. Cliff Cottage is not listed, but it is 810 km south of Narvik.
City Hall wall.
City Hall coat of arms
City Hall anchor, formerly on the coat of arms.
A Hotel we didn’t stay at.
Syglede = the joy of sewing. All around the world, including Narvik, people like to sew!

Sculpture

Lille Petter = LIttle Petter/ Peter by Jozef Marek (1922 – 2020). Acquired in 1961.
The sculpture Fred er løfte om fremtid = Peace is the promise of the future made by Håkon Anton Fagerås (1975 – ) was unveiled on 2006-08-06, 61 years after the USA dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
Narvik Freedom Monument, Liv opp av kaos = Life out of chaos made by Gunnar Olaf Finn Eriksen (1909 – 1970). Unveiled in 1956.
The relief is a copy of the relief that was unveiled on 1960-05-28 at Place de Narvik in Paris. As a tribute to the French war veterans’ association, Paul Landowski (1875 – 1961) made the relief. French veterans from the battles at Narvik handed over a copy in plaster to Narvik 1960-07-17. Narvik municipality had the relief cast in bronze and placed it on the front wall of Narvik City Hall on 1962-08-20. The relief has the following text: In memory of the allied forces who in May 1940 succeeded in the first landing in Norway, in the Narvik area, where they won a victory which they were ordered to renounce.Town
Jenter i vinden = Girls in the Wind, by Tone Thiis Schjetne (1928 – 2015).

Background: 68°25′14″N 17°33′36″E

Narvik began as a bronze age settlement. In the 1870s the Swedish government began to understand the potential of the iron ore mines in Kiruna, Sweden. Port facilities were Kiruna’s one major challenge. Luleå, the closest port, was: covered with ice all winter, far from the mine, suitable for only medium-sized bulk freighters. Narvik was developed as an all-year ice free port for the Swedish iron ore mines at Kiruna and Gällivare. Gällivarre Aktiebolag, a Swedish company, built the 298 km iron ore railway line (Malmbanan) in Sweden to the Norwegian–Swedish border. The 43 km Norwegian Ofotbanen railway line connects Narvik to the border.

On 1940-04-08, Britain attempted to lay anti-shipping minefields around Narvik in Norwegian territorial waters. On 1940-04-09 Germany invaded Norway. The Battles of Narvik were fought from 1940-04-09 to 1940-06-08, as two naval battle in Ofotfjord and a land battle in the surrounding mountains. Although the Germans were defeated at sea, lost control of Narvik and were pushed back towards the Swedish border, they eventually prevailed because of the Allied evacuation from Norway in 1940-06.

Since then, Narvik has called itself the city of peace.

This is an example of a snubblestein = trip stone, found all over Norway, but in this case on a street in Narvik. Each commemorates an individual killed in the Holocaust. This one reads: Here worked Jacob Caplan, year of birth 1903, deported 1942 Auschwitz, killed 19.3.1943.

Harstad

Foreground:

Cityscapes

The hotel we are staying at, is the tall building on the left.
A room with a view.
Cityscapes for seagulls and children

Architecture

Windows at the local medical centre.
Architectural wonders
The port authorities (1904)

Machinery

Mechanical relics 1
Mechanical relics 2
Repurposed energy/ gasoline station

Sculptures

Dragonfly
Waterworks
To rom = Two spaces, made by Harald Oredam (1941 – ) in 2003. On the Norwegian Arctic University campus.
At the harbour.
Skarven = The Cormorant,, a sculpture made in 1976 by Hans Gjertsen (1917-2006).

Background: Harstad at 68° 48′ 0″ N, 16° 32′ 45″ E is in Troms county, on the coast, in the north of Norway. The surrounding area has traditionally been among the most productive agricultural regions in the county. Isostatic rebound, after the last glaciation, has caused the old seabed, now dry land, to rise up to 60 to 80 metres above sea level. This creates fertile soil, well-suited to farming.