The Nordic World Ski Championship, which takes place over the course of 12 days in Holemnkollen, Norway, is the largest skiing event of the year. In 2011 renowned Norwegian photographer Tom Sandberg (born 1953) documented the proceedings in black and white and color, in his inimitably majestic style. Through Sandberg’s lens, events both off and on the arenas are lifted out of the ordinary. Cross-country skiers look like ballet dancers in the snow; ski jumpers seem to disappear into the crowds; One of Norway’s most important modernist photographers, Sandberg had his first major U.S. show at MoMA PS1 in New York in 2007. Using soft color tones and isolation in the picture frame, Sandberg imbues ordinarily unremarkable objects and scenes with a sense of wonder and mystery.

Text by: Henrik Langeland