Presents Helene Schmitz_s photographic explorations of the power balance between man and nature _ and what happens when it goes off kilter . Helene Schmitz_s photographs aim to shed light on the relationship between ownership and exploitation of natural resources in the Nordic countries, a part of the world not usually associated with the term _colonialism_. Schmitz contends that the colonial project never came to an end _ it only changed appearance. Globalization and contemporary technologies have instead allowed for a shift in the source of neo- colonialist projects, from nation-states to multinational corporations. She has photographed landscapes that represent a fervent neo-colonialism where the notion of a wild landscape, untouched by humans, has ceased to exist. By addressing this through her photography, she has sought to question and renew the image of landscapes _ thus allowing them to be viewed as testimonies of the human being_s relationship with nature concurrent with the global, highly industrialized transformation of landscapes. Artificial landscapes with geothermal powerplants, manmade mountains and brand new lakes _ all depicted through a large format camera, a slow and ceremonious work process which renders photographs with high detail and sharpness.
Helene Schmitz: Thinking Like a Mountain