Livreddaren.

A portret of the old norwegian sheep breed.

The exhibition “Livreddaren” is a portret of the old norwegian sheep breed, spelsau. This breed is considered to be the original breed of sheep in Norway, and it is one of the Northern European short-tailed sheep breeds. It is well adapted to the climate and was a domestic animal from the Iron Age. The spelsau stock is about 22% of the sheep in Norway.

The wool from this spelsau has a special quality. In the older days people knew how to use the wool, a knowledge that is about to disappear. The sheep breed is fased out by sheep with wool that machines can process in a more productive way.  This kind of wool does not have the same qualities as the wool from the spelsau.

The exhibition shows us what we are about to loose because of this development, gene materiell, knowledge, the product as a resourc with these unique qualities.

By photographs, tekst and installation the public gets a presentation of an important part av our cultural biological history and how animals and people have been dependent from each other for ages.

Fotografs by Nils Olav Mevatne

Tekst by Øystein Rygg Haanes

Installation by Marit Adelsten Jensen and Else Tysse Bysheim

Brosjure “Livreddaren” last ned her   (the brosjure is in norwegian)