Daria Endresen’s Mysterious Portraits in Norway’s Daunting Landscapes (NSFW)

Daria Endresen’s father had been a photography enthusiast since way before she had been born. Watching him spend a lot of time in his own darkroom, seeing the film developing process from up-close, quickly sparked her own interest in photography. Her father noticed it, bought her her first DSLR, and “a camera has been my constant companion” since then, she tells Resource Travel. Endresen grew to develop a very surreal style of photography, heavily intertwined with and influenced by her home country of Norway.

I’ve always felt a strong connection and an incredible sense of belonging to this land. I think it’s reflected vividly in my visual universe. There is also a certain dark side to all the Nordic countries, which I try to depict with elements of severe climate, lack of light, remoteness and perhaps the general reserved nature of the people.

Endresen always enjoyed the strange and the surreal,. As a child, she was influenced by her parents’ impressive collection of artbooks, mainly about the Renaissance, in which she could get lost for hours. The deepest impression undoubtedly was left by Memling’s Last Judgement – “his demons terrified and captivated me at the same time.” But Endresen also seeks inspiration in contemporary digital artists, and notes the “profound impact on my style” by Karina Marandjian, a.k.a. Daunhaus.

Your pictures carry a lot of gloominess, and your website reads that you draw inspiration from your most intimate, personal stories. Would you consider yourself a tormented soul?

That’s probably a bit of an exaggeration. But I do have a certain inner restlessness, and being creative is just one of the ways to deal with it. It’s also true that I tend to be fascinated by the darker side of life.

 

It appears you don’t mind incorporating some nudity into your work. How does that help tell your stories?

I find nudity straightforward, and to me it conveys a certain feeling of openness and vulnerability. I also think human body is beautiful.

Your models mus be pretty brace to bare all in the Norwegian cold?

For the models – certainly. I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for those who agree to work with me. I’d hardly dare pose for someone like myself!

Endresen freely admits she engages in a lot of post processing, but considers it “enhancing” rather than a way of “cheating” on reality, because she doesn’t consider herself to be a documentarian. She tells Resource Travel that that’s not a style she ever aspired,  “quite on the contrary actually,” and therefore she thinks there are no other rules or limits then her own imagination.

What does your future hold?

I try to go with the flow and not plan too far ahead. I probably won’t exhibit a lot next year – which I’ve never been a fan of, because of all the hassle involved – and rather focus solely on creating. There are also several exciting collaborations planned, and I hope I will have the opportunity to fulfill them them all.

Speaking about creating, Endresen also has a side-project called “Thrjar,” a jewelry line with a lot of similarities to her photography, heavily inspired by runes and nature. She’s currently preparing the release of her second collection, which you’ll be able to order right here when it’s there. As for the artist’s photography, you can find more of that on her website, Facebook, Tumblr or Instagram.