Inuuteq Storch

Soon Will Summer Be Over. The photographer grew up in Sisimiut within the Inuit community and has returned to the land of his childhood to document the ways of life and the changes taking place in the region, particularly in the face of climate change. Qaanaaq is an isolated community in the tundra, shaped by extreme seasons and the colonial history involving Denmark and the United States. In the mid-20th century, the entire population of Qaanaaq was displaced from its historic site to make way for the expansion of Thule Air Base. The artist’s intimate knowledge of local rhythms and traditions, combined with his critical eye toward archival materials, enables him to explore the role of colonial histories in shaping perceptions of his homeland. Storch weaves together personal and collective memories using analog and digital techniques, family cameras, and archival documents. His narratives, which he presents as layered and nonlinear, challenge the dominant perspectives still at work in the region and highlight the deteriorating ecological conditions. His intergenerational and contemplative photographs shed light on the close ties between identity, history, and landscape. They reveal the fragility, strength, and quiet poetry of a community in the eternal light of the far North.