Schaanning’s Eggs 

White clay, wood, Dry pastel on paper 
Exhibited at Terminal B, Pikene på Broen, Kirkenes 

2024 

During the period 1899–1906, the ornithologist Hans T. L. Schaanning collected bird eggs in Sør-Varanger, Norway. These eggs were sold, among other places, to the Natural History Museum in Oslo to finance his extensive documentation of birds in the Pasvik Valley area.

The installation Schaanning’s Eggs consists of 36 replicas of these eggs and is displayed alongside a color chart in dry pastel inspired by the red-orange pigment protoporphyrin IX and the blue-green pigment biliverdin. These two pigments create the color and pattern variations in all bird eggs.

The color of eggs may also serves as thermal regulation, with light blue tones protecting against overheating and dark red tones enhancing warming. Light-colored eggs are therefore more commonly found in warm climates, while darker eggs are seen more often in cooler climates.

The artwork was created based on photographic documentation at the Natural History Museum in Oslo, with heartfelt thanks to the collection manager, Dr. Lars Erik Johannessen.