Artist Statement
(draft)
Nude photography has always fascinated me. Not the posed, purely superficial nudes, even tho they of course too have an aesthetic value. But rather, how timeless one become without clothes, how much easier it is to be honest, personal, just be oneself.
Later the sensual became the main focus. How it can be seen and experienced, not from the outside or as something ”created”, but as the private/intimate and naturally beautiful between people.
It’s exciting trying to show this, as a photographer, standing outside looking in. As a photographer I find the process itself fascinating, how as a photographer one is both a participant (have made the setting, the ideas, communicates with the subject) and observer. I have explored this aspect a fair bit, with self timer and video, by physically and actively going in and out of a photo shoot, add points of views of a third person that in reality isn’t there… To see how this changes the journey.
It’s about being brave, sharing secrets (the sensual), and show trust.
And also how it doesn’t matter whether one is male or female, old or young; the sensual is blind to this, at its best it is always about real emotions and honest sensuality.
Many are not comfortable with their own bodies and own sensuality. The sensual and nude are often shown in a distorted way, as something dirty, fake, repressive, sexist, negative, and so on. Either hidden behind the romantic and the passively accepting, or made pornographic and repressive (and many more things, but none of them good). Especially for women this is a big problem. I want to show sensuality and nudity as I see it, natural and beautiful.
With my projects I have met a fair amount of obstacles, including prejudices and moral and artistic value judgements from other photographers/artists. Models that were at first very open and free, but later, got shy and did not wish to stand for the pictures.
This is the reason I make these brave ”forbidden” projects to begin with, because i am tired of seeing sensual art being hidden behind closed doors as if it’s a dirty secret…
I am tired of people being shameful about their bodies and sensual adventures.
project
Road to Adventure : Acceptance and Daring
suggested soundtrack: Eno, Tom Waits, EMA, Sigur Ros, 80s electro pop
project
Road Of Knowledge : Safe Now?
suggested soundtrack: broken social scene, feist, magic numbers
