Karin Elsu – Portfolio

The concept of spring is vital to the Danish people. We are a nation of bi-polars. At the darkest time of year we have only eight hours of light while at midsummer it gets light at 5 a.m. and only barely dark by 11 p.m. In the winter we ground, bundle up, almost hibernate, and often tempers are as short as the day. In the summer we are transformed to outgoing people eager to make the most of every single moment of the gift of light.

The transition from darkness to light is marked by signs deeply ingrained in the natives. Every child knows the sequence of the flowers – eranthis, snowdrop, crocus – these milestones in measuring the progress. Every adult will stop and sniff the air through layers of winter clothes on the day of the undefinable turning point. And we all notice how the sun will finally both warm us to our chilled bones and mercilessly reveal the dirty windows and the dust piled up through the dark months.

Spring is a time of anticipation with summer still far enough in the future to promise to fulfill every dream we ever had.