Icy Prospects by Jorma Puranen | Photo Book

Puranen (born 1951) is one of Finland's most renowned photographers, known for his conceptual work. In his recent series, *Icy Prospects*, he draws on old Nordic-themed images from archives, providing counter-designs to their objectifications. Inspired by the fascination of explorers and modern tourists with the Arctic landscape, Puranen painted a board with glossy black acrylic varnish and photographed ice landscapes reflected on its surface using long exposures. The resulting images are painterly, aesthetic fragments of nature where background, brushstroke, and reflection are inseparably intertwined. Through this, Puranen connects the philosophical concept of “sublime terror” in the face of nature with his own experiences, symbolizing the North as a canvas for fantasies and imaginations.

Print Length: 120 Pages

Language: English

Publisher: Hatje Cantz

Published in 2009

ISBN: 978-3-7757-2472-2