Hurricane Lamp

"An Afternoon Stillness"

A single axe driven deep into a stump. Just before it lies a piece of split firewood. Has the work of chopping only just come to an end? Light filtering through the trees of a forest catches the blade of the axe in a faint, white glow. The tools have come to rest, and around them hovers a quiet air. An artwork that captures a fleeting moment within a certain afternoon.

Wood Chopping

Chopping wood is a practice that has accompanied human life ever since the discovery of fire. In the Nordic countries, where winters are especially harsh, the work of splitting and stacking firewood remains a seasonal tradition to this day. Both Sweden and Norway have produced books devoted to the subject, and the Norwegian writer Lars Mytting's 2011 book Norwegian Wood, a careful study of tree species, the timing of felling, and methods of splitting, stacking, and drying, became a bestseller around the world.

Chopping wood also calls for a knowledge of trees. Hardwoods such as oak and beech burn slowly and steadily, making them the mainstay of fireplaces and wood stoves. Softer woods like birch and pine catch fire quickly and are prized for kindling. Once split, the wood is stacked in a well-ventilated place and left to dry for six months to a year or more, before it finally becomes good fuel. To warm a room, to heat a meal, to boil water: the fire that firewood brings to life still quietly supports the daily lives of many people around the world.