Photo Stories
Hand crafted ÔI
t’s important for photographers everywhere that we find our style, find what we love to do. If you don’t find such a project, you wouldn’t go through with it. You need to care deeply. It makes my heart sing.’ Award-winning Norwegian photographer Anne Helene Gjelstad is talking about her reportage and book, Big Heart, Strong Hands published by Dewi Lewis. For several weeks at a time over 11 years, she has fastidiously documented the unique matriarchal society of old women living on the islands Kihnu and Manija, teardrops of mainland Estonia, isolated in the Baltic Sea. Anne Helene, with 25 years’ experience in fashion and design, had an idea for a book photographing the islanders and their handicrafts. While she was there, an old lady died and she was asked to photograph her funeral. ‘That changed everything, the handicrafts then became only a part of the project, the old ladies became the most important part,’ explains Anne Helene from her mountain home south of Oslo, the city where she grew up. Shortly after turning 50, Anne Helene turned to photography. In 2007 she was accepted on a two-year course at the prestigious Bilder Nordic School of Photography in Oslo. ‘When I started at the school I was older than the mothers of some of my classmates. I thought “I cannot learn this in 20 years, I have to learn now!”’ She learnt quickly photographing Big Heart, Strong Hands. In the beginning, there were lots of unsharp images, not realising she had to use a fast shutter.
difference and Anne Helene felt that she was ready to start putting the book together and looking for a publisher. Men are fleeting guests in the story, the images of Big Heart, Strong Hands are all about the old women. Captured in natural light on Canon and Nikon cameras, the lines on their faces are as detailed and cracked as the homes they live in. Their traditional dress have patterns of vibrant flowers, stripes and swirls that would inspire Op artist, Bridget Riley. Their Estonian blue eyes look deep into the past, an often difficult one of war, Soviet occupation, economic crisis, extreme weather, alcoholism and a depleted population as the island’s youth seek out opportunities on the mainland and abroad. ‘It’s understandable, if you want to stay on the island you have to earn money. You can’t live off the farms any more. In the Soviet times you could have a cow, have milk everyday and some of the women were even able to build a house from the money they earned from one cow. So it’s not possible for this old kind of life any more,’ clarifies Anne Helene.
Disappearing
Around 35 women were photographed – not all of them are in the book and now maybe only ten are left. ‘That’s the hard part, I care so much for these ladies, now they are disappearing and dying.’ Speaking a little German and Estonian, utilising local interpreters and using lots of hand gestures and hugs, Anne Helene made sure their stories would survive and inspire future generations. ‘The writing has been very important, to be able to address the old women directly. I got to Inspiration learn they have been working hard their whole As well as from the school, guidance came lives because the men go to sea, they need to from photographers Mary Ellen Mark and Cig plough the fields, to learn everything Harvey. ‘Mary Ellen encouraged me to take themselves, it’s a not-giving-up-culture for portraits in landscape format which made a them, doing the best they can.’ huge change. I could include much more of the And that can be applied to Anne Helene’s rooms and surroundings, everything that is photography. She has worked hard, didn’t interesting and not only a face.’ Towards the give up and has done the best she can to end of the project, Cig advised Anne Helene preserve a tradition and culture away from the she had to go back in winter as she only had city lives of big business and bottomless sunny pictures. ‘Of course she was right, so I brunches. Inevitably, if you visit Kihnu and pushed myself to go back. I needed to show Manija today, you will see they have adapted the really harsh conditions of old women out in their identity and customs for new the snow.’ The pictures made a significant occupation of the island – tourism. 28
ALL IMAGES © ANNE HELENE GJELSTAD
A new book explores a society of strong matriarchs in Estonia. Peter Dench chats with the photographer to find out more
