Tikiusaaq: A species of Arctic flower that begins to appear when the snow retreats in Greenland.

The Arctic, a mythical and legendary space, has fueled my imagination for a long time—with its sublime landscapes, its perpetual snow, and its silence. Living in a Mediterranean area, I have often wondered how one can connect with such a harsh and extreme environment, and what kind of bonds can be formed with a landscape that seems so inhospitable. This curiosity led me to undertake an artist residency in the spring of 2023 in Ilulissat, western Greenland, supported by the Arctic Culture Lab (https://www.arcticculturelab.no/). There, I began to explore these questions through a photographic project that addresses themes of identity, landscape, and territory.

This residency, a collaboration with the Climate Narratives artist residency at the University of Bergen (https://climatenarratives.w.uib.no/), focused on creating narratives around climate change, particularly in the Arctic, offered me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of the environmental and cultural complexities of the region.

During my stay in Ilulissat, after adapting to the rhythm of the land and its people, I formed relationships with teenagers from the community. It was through these interactions that I began to see how similar their experiences were to the Arctic landscape: both in a state of transition and fragility. Like icebergs, which appear stable and robust but are inherently fragile, the cultural and psychological forces that shape these teenagers reflect the pressures of the environment around them. Icebergs, like young people, are shaped by powerful, invisible forces, and although they may appear motionless, they are in constant change and evolution, sculpted by unseen currents.

The effect of the environment on icebergs—causing them to crack and dissolve into the ocean—can serve as a metaphor for the psychological pressures that influence identity formation. These pressures, like the external forces acting upon ice, have been present long before we were born, shaping us in ways that are often invisible but deeply influential. Adolescence, as a stage of transition and fragility, is when these pressures are felt most intensely. Just as ice can be a protective shield, the emotional distancing and isolation that teenagers sometimes experience can serve as a defense mechanism against external pressures in identity formation. We apply cold to soothe wounds.





This photographic project seeks to create a visual narrative that captures the fragility, confusion, and uncertainty of adolescence, framed within the mysterious, silent, mystical, sublime, hostile, and unique landscape of the Arctic. My aim is to explore the interaction between landscape and identity, focusing on how these forces shape each other. Through a poetic lens, I seek to highlight how the cultural and environmental forces of the Arctic not only shape the landscape but also influence the adolescent experience—a fragile and transitional stage marked by both strength and vulnerability.

The project also addresses broader environmental concerns. Recently, I read an article discussing the role of art in the fight against climate change, pointing out that didactic art—intended to incite immediate action—often has minimal impact on our awareness. Our lives are short, and it is difficult to think long-term about a problem that may not directly affect us. We are already aware of the consequences we face and the urgent need for change. However, works that confront us with our limitations and the broader ecological context have a deeper and more lasting impact. These pieces do not demand immediate action, but instead expand our psychological capacity to act. With this in mind, I aim to approach this project from a perspective that reflects on the temporal and fragile nature of both the Arctic environment and the identity of Greenlandic teenagers.

Through this photobook, I hope to offer a unique and poetic perspective on the interconnectedness between landscape, identity, and the deep, often invisible forces that shape both.



RB