HUN, Julia Mejnertsen

HUN is Julia Mejnertsen’s long-term photographic research about our perception of nature. Through her mother’s hunting practice, the Danish photographer reflects both on the complex family bonds we build and the psychological aspects of our failed relations with other living forms.

Through nine chapters, the book depicts her relationship with nature, animals, and hunting —with sketches of elephants, photographs of animals and nature in the Zoo, snapshots from the photographer’s family album, hunting scenes, a conversation between mother and daughter and more—. Julia Mejnertsen tells us a story about how, in her own words, “white, western societies have structured and shaped the world’s cultural understanding of nature”.

The book includes an essay by French naturalist Grégoire Loïs (CNRS, CESCO, MNHN – France).

HUN has been published thanks to the Fiebre Photobook’s 2022 Dummy Award in collaboration with Dalpine, Artes Gráficas Palermo and La Troupe.

HUN won the Fiebre Photobook 2022 Dummy Award, was awarded a Special Mention by the Jury of LUMA Rencontres Dummy Book Award Arles 2023 and won the Kassel Dummy Award 2023.

In her work, Julia Mejnertsen (b. 1983) explores family mythologies. Through her practice, she unravels the intricate stories and narratives that shape our familial connections, revealing the profound impact they have on our identities and perceptions of self. Julia’s exploration of family mythologies is sometimes a journey that starts from self-discovery and introspection, inviting viewers to reflect on their own family experiences and the profound human connections that define us all. Through her work, she exposes the falsehoods, paradoxes, and oppressive nature of learned narratives, while employing visual storytelling to subvert and critique their enduring power. Julia’s ideas challenge conventional norms and ignite crucial conversations about race, identity, and power dynamics. With each photographic project, she invites viewers to reevaluate their understanding of history by reminding us that the way we see is a function of our individual condition.

Published by Dalpine / Fiebre Photobook
Softcover
268 pages
170 x 230 mm
ISBN 9788409586776