Eirik Storesund

I am a US based writer, artist and scholar of Old Norse from the barren and salt crusted coasts of West Norway. After many years of running the influential blog and podcast Brute Norse, I started Troll Cat Press as a more physically oriented outlet for the same archaeological, artistic and philosophical vision.

My methods and style have been described as mischievous and iconoclastic. At risk of seeming bizarre, I use mnemonic devices inspired by the surreal, vulgar and humorous aesthetic of Viking Era skaldic poets to freshen up the the discourse on Scandinavian history and culture. Like the Medieval Scandinavians themselves, I am deeply fascinated by the numinous and burlesque intersections of perceived opposites: high/low, tradition/modernity, urban/rural, real/imaginary, culture/nature, civilization/barbarism, philia/phobia, past/future.

I truly do believe that the past is always with us whether we acknowledge it or not. I believe heritage is not just limited to our curation: it is also unruly and atavistic. 

Academically, my research interests include drinking culture, religious experience, sorcery, ethics and taboos in the Iron Age, Medieval and Early Modern Scandinavia, as well as reception of Scandinavian cultural heritage in modern society, extremism and counter-culture.

  • I hold a Master's Degree in Old Norse Philology and a Bachelor's Degree in Nordic Language and Literature from the University of Bergen, Norway, where I graduated in 2013 with the MA thesis Þrunginn Móði: studier i den norrøne tordengudens ambivalens under the supervision of Eldar Heide. It focused on attitudes towards the Scandinavian thunder god Þórr, contrasting primary and comparative evidence with his depictions in modern handbooks of Norse Mythology.

    During my time in Bergen I also studied museology, archaeology and religious studies.

    Before I migrated to the United States, most of my professional experience has been in the field of cultural historical education as well as tourism, where I had the pleasure of representing some of Norway's most important archaeological and historic sites (Including Avaldsnes and the medieval palace in Bergen). Some of these positions include:

    • Nordvegen History Center / The Viking Village. Host and Tour Guide. Avaldsnes, Norway.

    • Bymuseet. Guide, Museum Attendant. Bergen, Norway.

    • The Place-Name Collections at the University of Bergen. Scientific Assistant.

    • The University of Bergen, Dept. of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies. Teaching Assistant (Old Norse).

    Additionally, I have worked as a professional translator and software localizer, and teacher (Norwegian as a second language). To make rent, I was briefly a bootlegger in my twenties. For a while I was one of two wine buyers for Whole Foods in the State of New York. More importantly I occasionally do freelance consulting work, art exhibits and lectures.


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  • Here follows a list of some of the projects I have participated in.

    • Collaboration with Odd Bird Brewing, Stockton, New Jersey, for their botanical farmhouse ale "Vandreren" (2024)

    • "Vikings or Winos?" Lecture on beverages in Norse culture. Vesterheim, The National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, Decorah, Iowa (2024).

    • "Snuskete runesteiner fra det ytre rom". Lecturer. Kjettersk Kjeller, Oslo (2023)

    • Collaboration with Unchanged Mind Records: Scandinternational Hot Dog Pop-Up / David E. Williams concert, Lambertville, New Jersey (2023)

    • “Love & Fornication in Norwegian Folk Magic”. Lecture. The Victor Wynd Museum / Last Tuesday Society, London (2023)

    • “Love Spells from Norwegian Grimoires”. Lecture. Vesterheim, The National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, Decorah, Iowa (2023)

    • Norwegian Pronunciation Consultant for Audible Inc. ”Lords of Chaos” Audiobook (2019)

    • Segment on Travel Channel’s ”Viking in a Bottle” episode on Booze Traveler, filmed in Bergen, Norway (2018)

    • Norwegian translator and pronunciation guide on the EP ”Blodbylgje” by the musical project RÁN (2018)

    • Artist,"Ludacrium". Collaboration with Rasmus Hungnes, Gabriel Kvendseth, Eirik Storesund, Erin Sexton, Connor Sherlock. Kreuzberg Pavillon, Berlin (2018).

    • “1010011010”. Lecture/guerrilla-academic assault/collaboration with Rasmus Hungnes. Galleri Christinegaard/Mon Plaisir, Bergen (2017).

    • "How the Norse-Satanic Axis of Evil Trolled the Heavens and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt". Lecturer. Catland, Brooklyn, New York (2017)

    • “Chaos emerald forest”. Lecturer. Collaboration with Rasmus Hungnes. The Bergen Academy of Art and Design Library (2016).

    • “Coincidence of Opposites”. Curator and artistic director. Bergen Kunsthall/Landmark, Norway (2016).

    • "Thee Temple of Deep Desires / GREAT WORK!” Interactive installation. Galleri bokboden, Bergen (2016).