Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen: Eyes as Big as Plates

Eyes as Big as Plates is an ongoing collaborative photography and sculpture project by Norwegian-Finnish artist duo Karoline Hjorth and Riitta Ikonen (both born 1980).

Initially a play on characters from Nordic folklore, the series has evolved into a search for the human connection to nature. Hjorth & Ikonen work together throughout the process with their complementary skills (Karoline is the photographer in the duo, while Riitta works mainly with the creation of the wearable sculptures). Since 2011 the duo has collaborated with retired farmers, fishermen, zoologists, plumbers, opera singers, housewives, artists and academics. Each character inhabits the landscape in a wearable sculpture made from natural materials.

The book features portraits, field notes, essays and behind-the-scenes stories from many of the project’s 60 shoots. With international press coverage in the Huffington Post, the BBC, TIME LightBox, Life and elsewhere, plus a highly successful Kickstarter campaign attracting a large American audience, the series has developed into a project with universal appeal.