Book

LEVELD

Book:
Self published 2018
All photographs and text by Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard
Design by Anette L’orange
Edition of 700

“When are you moving back home?”

LEVELD questions what makes a home a home and if one should move back home or not.

My hometown is Leveld. 300 people live here. I grew up on a farm that was built by my great great grandfather and that has been passed on to the oldest son of the family for five generations. This inherit rule is in norwegian called “Odel”.

It was seen as a duty to keep the farm alive for the next generation. For most people it was a natural choice. Today girls can have the odel too. In my family that is me. And I’m the first to have a choice.

This is a project is about home, about ones roots and ones identity. Everyday life, attachement and detachement. About those who stayed, those who left and those who moved back. And about a choice I have to make all by myself.

LEVELD was nominated for the Author book award at Rencontres d’Arles 2019, got honorable mention in IPA 2019, won third place in picture of the year - documentary Norway and has been shown at Plat(t)form - Fotomuseum Winterhur, Nordic Light Festival, Lofoten International Photofestival, Trondheim Dokumentarfestival as well as multiple venues around Norway.

Hey, grandma? __________ Yes? __________ Can’t you tell me once again how you met grandpa? __________ Oh, it was at the local sports ground when we were kids. The girls from Leveld were so proud of my achievements in long jump. They said your grandpa was the only one to beat my record, but it didn’t really matter because he had such long feet. __________ So you didn’t get together then? __________ No, you know, that takes time. I don’t know if you are sure about that stuff until you’ve gotten to know the person, you know? __________ That’s impossible for me to know. __________ So you don’t have a boy down there in Oslo, then? __________ Not right now, no. __________ Oh, you have plenty of time. You’re young, you know. __________ Yeah, but you know I have turned 28. __________ Oh! You’re 28? Well, then I guess you just have to see how it goes. I mean, maybe you can find one back home? __________ I don’t know, but I have thought a little bit about that. About home. You know, I am the oldest daughter. __________ Yes you are. __________ Yeah, and now girls can inherit the farm too.__________ Yes, that was not possible when I was a kid. __________ How would you feel if none of us wanted to live there? __________ Oh, that would be strange. It runs in the family, you know. __________ What do you think I should do? Should I move home and live on the farm? __________ You know, it has to be up to you. Yes. You have to really think about it and then do what you feel, like and want. __________ But grandma, that,s the worst answer.

These pictures are of my hills and my mountains. Of neighbors and friends. Of childhood adventures. The village and the farm. Grandma, grandpa and my family.

Maybe I want to make them proud.
Or maybe I just want them and it to live forever.