TRINE SØNDERGAARD

Words by Caroline Ryan 

Curated by Emil Nissen

There’s an exquisite tension in Trine Søndergaard’s photographic work. Her poetic composition married with a keen precision makes for compelling viewing. Through a documentary-style approach, Trine delves into what it means to be human, while her loose interpretation of past and present lends a perennial feeling to her imagery. 

How do you choose your subjects?

I rarely choose my subjects, they are more often the result of coincidence rather than something pre-defined. For example, the works that I will be showing at "UNDISCLOSED" in the Martin Asbæk Gallery in October came to be through a collaboration with the Greve Museum. Students from local schools could participate as models in the series and I photographed all the students that volunteered. It was not until afterwards that I began to edit, select, and bring the project together. In this case, who or what I chose to include depended on more than just the person in front of the camera, it also depended on what happened in front of the camera, what they were wearing and what was available from the museum’s collection. 

I do not decide on too many details beforehand as I would rather keep the process open. With the works from the series "Arkiv", I wanted to connect the time and place with Kunsthal Gammel Holtegaard, where they were first exhibited. Gammel Holtegaard was built in the late 1700s, so I was looking to connect myself and my work with that specific time and place in history by finding and photographing something from the same period. In this case, I found three old silk dresses that I was able to photograph. So, in that way, this series stems from a concrete search or entrance to a more abstract concept: time.

Could you talk me through your work process?

My process starts with a question or with something that I’m working my way through myself. This can be an emotional subject, but it can also be quite concrete, such as the photogravures, now part of my retrospective exhibition 'WORKS' at The national Collection of Photography. In these black-and-white works, I have portrayed older women with their faces hidden behind long, greying hair. This project takes its starting point in where I am in my life as well as more general questions regarding ageing, the role of women, and their presence in society, but my work process depends on the project.

In some of my artistic projects, I am looking to get access to historical textiles, which is something that can take a long time. In these projects, the process from idea to finished work can be long and it depends on other people as well as institutions. My work process has always been project based, but I can still work on multiple projects at the same time. Being self-employed, I always try to create a framework for myself with some boundaries and guidelines that make it possible for me to focus on the work process. For that same reason, I prefer to work towards a deadline, such as an exhibition. This means that I use the time available, and it gives me something concrete to work towards.

Portrait Photgraphy by Lizette Mikkelsen