Words Images Thoughts Objects (2017)

Words Images Thoughts Objects is a site specific audio guide made by Vilde Salhus Røed for the Fine Art and Design Library, the University of Bergen Library. The audio guide takes you around the library, with Dewey Decimal Classification System as framework, and with Vilde’s personal experiences and fields of interests in the library as point of departure:

The problem of structuring and classifying all knowledge. How to classify that which by definition is in the forefront? i.e.: The art as avant-garde. What is the relationship between art education’s integrity and academization? The art library as a lens to look at art history. The materiality of art is inevitable. How does the physical book relate to digitization? What does digital and physical relocation do to the books, the library and how we use it?


The audio guide is an app that consists of 10 chapters, most of which are audio tracks, as well as a few video tracks. You can choose to hear as many chapters as you want, and save the rest for next time you visit the library. Whilst listening to the guide, you can choose to pause at any time, for example if you need more time to find the place or the book that is being talked about.

iPads with the audio guide are available for use in the library, and it is recommended that you use these. If you want to use your own smartphone, tablet or other device, make sure it does not go to sleep. 


Manuscript: Vilde Salhus Røed
Manuscript consultation: Julie Lillelien Porter/Lydgalleriet
English translation: Julie Lillelien Porter
Narrator: Vilde Salhus Røed
Other voices, in order of appearance: Christian Christiansen, Ragnhild Ingedatter Gjøen, Mattias Arvastsson, Elise Alexandersson, Klara Sofie Ludvigsen, Sandra Perez Møystad
Book covering: Aurora Solberg
Sound recordings: Vilde Salhus Røed
Sound editing: Thorolf Thuestad, Vilde Salhus Røed
Video recordings: Mattias Arvastsson
Video from youtube.com: «A Voyage on the North Sea» by Marcel Broodthaers (London 1974)
Video editing: Mattias Arvastsson, Vilde Salhus Røed
App design and programming: Stian Remvik/BEK - Bergen Center for Electronic Arts

Many thanks to Sigrun Ask, Trond Søbstad, Aurora Solberg, Klara Sofie Ludvigsen and Kari Fauskanger at the Fine Art and Design Library, the University of Bergen Library, Lars Ove Toft and BEK - Bergen Center for Electronic Arts, Stephan Meidell, and Davide Bertolini at the Grieg Academy – Department for Music, the University of Bergen.

The project has been realized with kind support from The Audio and Visual Fund, Arts Council Norway, Bergen Municipality and Hordaland County.