‘‘I originally started doing Rygar because it was fun for others. I like making people smile. But it also allowed me to act with little to no inhibition even without beer involved’’.

Finding a great source of inspiration while living in a society where desire for creative thinking and self-expression is constantly suppressed by a majority has always been a challenge. But ever since I met Ryan - Rygar the Viking - I knew that he will eventually become an integral part of my portfolio.

I got to meet him on the first day of Montebello Rockfest 2018 in June in a fit of a drunken stupor. I just remembered him as ‘‘The Viking Guy’’ I took a picture with at a rock festival. I didn’t know who he is, what he does and even what his real name was until recently. Back then I could not even imagine that we were even going to meet again.

‘‘My friends have kind of grown used to me over the years as being ‘‘that guy’’. That kind of swashbuckler conversationalist guy who is pretty laid back and finding ways to keep life as an adventure. Back when I worked in an EB Games I put a bunch of plastic bags on me and jumped around the store pretending I was an assassin.

Customers laughed.

Management was not happy.

Years later in a call center I started dressing like a pirate for work: eye patch, stuffed crocodile and all.

I got in trouble. This time not because management was unhappy - they said I actually boosted morale and they were fine with it - but because me breaking a dress code was an excuse for someone to came in wearing offensive clothing.

Then I got a different job, where I was surrounded by wonderful people. I built a cardboard robot and got stuck in it. So I did tech support as a big robot.

And I did not get in trouble at all, because it was just part of what working with Ryan was like.

Finally I ran a hobby store. One day, I decided to host some events as ‘‘The Mad Barbarian King’’. I drank out of skull. Everyone loved it and nobody was around to tell me ‘‘no’’ anymore.

At this point of my life I was 30 years old and really had dropped any last remaining pretense of caring of what others thought about what grown men and women should behave like. So I decided to have fun with it.

I boarded an airplane to the States for a business meeting in full Rygar costume. Got away bringing my prop hammer on the airplane. Border security lost their minds and let me pass through quicker than I’ve ever gone. Then I won the Halloween contest in Texas after my boss announced to all gathered North American managers in his southern drawl: ‘‘please be aware that Ryan did the entire trip like this’’ to which I roared and people howled.’’

To say that I was scared of going on a shoot with Ryan is an understatement: I was about to shit my pants two weeks in advance. He was a stranger. Dressed as a Viking. You don’t want to disappoint. But I learned that day, that no matter how thoroughly you planned everything out in your head it is never going to turn out the same way - but it is not necessarily a bad thing - it means that it might turn out even better. When you think of Vikings you probably imagine cold-hearted, ruthless warriors, screaming every time. But we did not get any of that: these photographs are reflections of real human emotions and peacefulness.

‘‘I have three favourite pictures. The little smile at the camera, because it feels like I’m looking at how I feel inside. Life needs you to smile at it through blue paint. In this moment I am very much every part of myself. It’s not a costume, it’s just me naturally, just letting you know that it’s me.’’

‘‘Here I’m looking out over the city as a juxtaposition of costume based on something ancient against something very modern. But there is no forced pose, nothing intense. In fact, just a very real sense of peace. Everything about this is as normal as it will ever be.’’

‘‘It’s always the last thing I put on. The helmet. It’s the heaviest part of the costume weighting about 15lbs, but it’s the cost of feeling perfect. By putting it on I’m ready to slam my shield, yell loudly at passerby and treat the world like one big party. I’m ready for a war with it. Rocking hard. Challenging everyone and everything. I accept the weight of it like a badge of honour. It’s always everyone’s favourite piece next to the drinking horn. From time to time I’ll go without it and let my hair go, but that’s always the peaceful side of Rygar between the noise when he just wants to relax and breathe.’’

I never really caught myself thinking that he is a weirdo, or an attention seeker who dresses in costumes to make himself feel better. Standing next to Ryan in his Viking outfit feels more real than with anyone else. That is just the way he is - ‘‘a conversationalist guy who is pretty laid back and finding ways to keep life as an adventure.’’ - and that what it feels like. The image of Rygar the Viking becomes invisible and there is no one else in front of you, but Ryan. Ryan Wellwood.

‘‘Life is short and society loves telling us what to do and how to behave. You’re going to be dealing with the world every single day until you die. You’re stressed because you’re working all the time, worrying about bills, relatioships, family. Hobbies and activities that you do for yourself for fun, or new skills you work on, people try to bring you down for too. And eventually it gets to the point where you won’t do something your heart wants to, because your brain tells you not to. Except…f*ck it. Take time off work to learn how to paint. Play with toy soldiers for fun. Wear that outfit people say your body is wrong for. Be fierce inside or out. Dress like a viking or be one inside. Don’t just survive, but live.’’

Fantasy Made Real: Rygar the Viking

‘‘I originally started doing Rygar because it was fun for others. I like making people smile. But it also allowed me to act with little to no inhibition even without beer involved’’.

At this point of my life I was 30 years old and really had dropped any last remaining pretense of caring of what others thought about what grown men and women should behave like. So I decided to have fun with it.