Congressional Art Competition 2021

Isabella Kafka
The Bifrost
A response to “Rolandskvadet,” a medieval Norwegian ballad

Isabella Kafka is a high school junior currently completing AP Art. She has been in at least one art class almost every year since middle school and has been interested in pursuing some form of art in college as well, whether it’s writing, music, or visual art. Her piece, The Bifrost, is a part of her Sustained Investigation in AP Art, which is focused on a cultural study of music from different times and places. As with many cultures all across the world, the Norwegian culture is unique in its mythological/religious beliefs, architecture, clothing styles, and its usage of natural landforms. The piece is a response to “Rolandskvadet,” a medieval Norwegian ballad telling the story of the famed hero, Roland. Similar to the rest of the pieces she has created, The Bifrost makes use of many facets of the Norwegian culture, including a traditional stave church, the fjords of Norway, and the Aurora Borealis, a natural wonder that for many years was believed by the Nords to be the mythical Bifrost, the bridge between the nine realms. Isabella will continue to study music from different cultures and how people across the world experience that music, but for the time being, she is excited to enter her piece in the Congressional Art Competition.