Strange Lands

by Ingela Stenberg

This photo essay is an exploration in national and cultural identity; how it is to live in between two countries - the country of birth and country of choice. It investigates the longing and the guilt, as well as the otherness, and the wish to connect spiritually and physically. I am using my body as an object of investigation in the relationship between the human figure and the Irish land; I am a part of the land yet a part of me will always be gazing away, to the home left behind. The landscapes are like a loving mother holding and nourishes her child while simultaneously punishes and neglects it. The physicality of the performance act helped me to find a connection and reach deeper into the symbolic journey I am on. I resonate with Cuban artist Ana Mendietas qoute:

My exploration through my art of the relationship between myself and nature has been a clear result of my homeland during my adolescence. The making of my silueta in nature make the transition between my homeland and my new home. It is a way of reclaiming my roots and becoming one with nature/the maternal source."