User:Polaroidforever/Elina Brotherus

Elina Brotherus, born in Helsinki (Finland), in 1972, splits her time between Paris and Helsinki. After completing a M.A. in Photography between 1995-2000 (University of Art and Design Helsinki UIAH) she has explored many series’, that have followed her life experiences. In 1997 Brotherus married, then divorcing the following year. Many of her images are self portraits.

Shooting in her native country, France and Iceland she emphasizes place to provide more than an autobiographic ‘proof’ that she was in some geographic location. Brotherus’s early work is very introspective and personal including the Wedding Portraits and Divorce Portrait.

The period prior to her current work, which is almost devoid of any autobiographical element, was called Suites françaises 2 and was begun when she began living in France. Chronicling the experiences many people share living in a new environment with a language she didn’t speak, and complete lack of familiarity, Brotherus’s work during this time shows a deep loneliness.

Throughout her work she has examined the topologies of people and places, in nearly all of her work both the person and the placement are of equal importance.

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