Open Doors Gallery are delighted to reveal a major new exhibition from Maria Lax which is now on display at VB-Valokuvakeskus, Finland. Spread over five rooms, The Other Crowd brings together a collection of spectacular prints from three series which address a recurring theme in Marias work, folklore. Iconic prints from her breakthrough series Some Kind of Heavenly Fire as well as brand new work from her latest project, Blessed Folk, and her ongoing series, Kankurang.
Maria Lax | The Other Crowd
Exhibition Dates | 27 Sep 2024 — 19 Jan 2025
Kuninkaankatu 14-16 • 70100 Kuopio • Finland
The majority of the artwork on display at The Other Crowd exhibition has never been exhibited before. For Maria Lax [b. 1987] this is the first time her breakthrough series, Some Kind of Heavenly Fire has been exhibited in the country in which his was captured. Shot in a remote region in Northern Finland, this series was based on the stories and ‘sightings’ of unexplained phenomena commonly shared amongst the inhabitants of the region, and recorded in her grandfathers notebook. Whilst the origins of the series are with UFO’s and local folktales, the series also uncovers feelings of social unease for the communities in the region. Creating a link between the fears and pressures experienced over time and the resulting stories being shared over the decades. Capturing these tales with her influential cinematic style and trademark in-camera techniques.
Folklore is the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth. It records the stories of people who have had ‘history done to them’, rather than playing a significant part in the unfolding of major events. Stories told over and over again start to form portraits of a community, of a nation, of the fears, hopes and dreams that echo through decades and centuries. Will I ever feel less lonely, why do we suffer? Even with all the knowledge available today we seek answers as much as ever. What unites us regardless of our homeland is our eagerness to make sense of our luck and our sorrows; perhaps we seek to obtain control by surrendering it to forces beyond our world because chance just seems too cruel, too plain an existence.
In this brand new series, The Blessed Folk, OD Artist Maria Lax delves into the fairy tales of rural Ireland and an exploration of the mythical landscapes found there.
Prints from this series are available now. Reach out for a full catalogue of available work now.
A publication of this work will be released in early 2025.
Exploring similar themes, The Other Crowd also brings together a selection of beautiful prints from an ongoing series, Kankurang. Supported by perfume brand Maya Njie, the series explores the Kankurang community and their spiritual traditions. Combining landscapes, street work, and portraits of the ceremonial costumes used, the series employs Marias eye for colour.
Maria Lax is a Finnish photographer and director based in London and Ireland. Her projects have been widely exhibited internationally. She has created commercial work for clients including Apple, Channel 4, Vogue Italia, Virgin Records, British Telecom and Samsung.
Maria Lax | The Other Crowd
27 Sep 2024 – 19 Jan 2025
OPEN: TUE-FRI 12-18, SAT-SUN 11-16, MON CLOSED
CHRISTMAS 23.-26.12. CLOSED, NEW YEAR 30.12.-1.1. CLOSED
