Lena Gudd

In my work, I explore human entanglements within a more-than-human world — comprising other animals, the lands, weather forces and such. Driven by a holistic approach, I tackle these connections through the prisms of photography and feminist environmental humanities especially in what is commonly called the North. Building upon observation and participation during long-term field work, my research engages with the visible and invisible aspects of interwoven places and beings, translating their very materiality into text and image works. Situated at a fine line between narration and documentation, the latter are always also an investigation of the ethics of research and ways of knowing. Mainly working through the lens of my analogue medium format camera, I also incorporate my phone camera in the creation processes and continue transforming some of the resulting materials through collage techniques. Currently, I engage with plant-based photographic processes, ranging from fermenting my film rolls or film souping them, to developing the negatives in organic homemade developers and making contact prints with plant juice. Weather phenomena, hands, water, salts, berries and bacteria help to think through issues like sustainability, preservation, economics, or ethics concerning both our plant companions as well as photography. Originally from Germany and based in Northern Norway today, I have an academic background in European Studies and am a self-taught photographer.