The idealization of the North
has been nourished by the stories of Jack London, the films about the area's pristine tapestry, and even by the Northern Lights, which to this day have lost none of their spiritual fascination or magical appeal. The fast-paced, anonymous life of the urban environment offers neither the time nor space for individualization, nor the comforting place needed for belonging. And for some, the sense of freedom and interdependence intrinsic to a remote, Northern community makes it an idealized symbol of the Promised Land.
Sometimes, it is a search for identity that leads people to leave the beaten path. And for them, the quest for self-discovery becomes a journey in every sense of the word.
Individuation—the myriad of ways people struggle to belong yet be different at the same time—is a recurring theme in the work of Birthe Piontek. Her three major series, Terrain Vague, Sub Rosa, and her most recent, The Idea of North, all consider this uneasy tension between familiarity and reserve.
Piontek’s work has been exhibited internationally, in both solo and group shows, and has been featured in publications including The New York Times Magazine, Spex, Stern, Western Living, and Die Zeit.
