Ole Marius Joergensen is a fine art photographer with a background in film. He combines humour and a Norwegian strain of surrealismin his work, and he finds his inspiration in the inner and outer landscapes of his country. He likes to shoot in the sparsely populated areas of the Northern regions. Many of his iconic images reflect the dreams and mysteries of his countrymen and raise questions of identity.
“Norwegians like their privacy and yet some peoples curiosity can be obsessive… Many times I have looked at windows and wondered whats going on behind those curtains. So, my project is an tempt to unravel mysteries.”
Your first contact with the art: My first real art discovery was in 1989 when visiting my uncle in California. I went to look for some Stephen King books and I found a photo book called «The red couch» . It was such a magical moment. It was a book with beautiful images but also funny and absurd. I didn’t have a look in that book until I bought it in 2003. I could still remember many of the images.
Your path through the art: I studied film for 2 years (1999-2001) and photography for 2 years(2002-2004). In 2004 I was ready for the art world. It took 4 years before something important happened. My first big solo show in a gallery. It’s all about hard work and the desire to make images/create stories.
Your inspirations: My inspiration comes from many different art forms. I love paintings and especially the ones by Edward Hopper, David Lynch, C.F.Friedrich and different Norwegian painters from the late 1800s. I love how films and series use light and set designs. I get a lot of ideas listing to music (sound tracks, classical, electronic).
Your favourite artwork (made by you): One of my favorite images is one I created during my project in an abandoned asylum. My first project «B-31». It represents it all.. dark,absurd and funny. My gallerist didn’t care much about it. She thought it was too far out but for me it was perfect: http://olemariusphotography.com/early-works/, the very first image you see.
Your favourite artwork (not made by you): A very difficult task… but one of my favorite artworks must be Hopper’s paintings «Nighthawks». It’s the mood, the use of light, the silence, the not knowing – how you have to come up with the story.
Your 3 favourite photographers and why:
Annie Leibovitz: She put me on track when it comes to use of light. Very cinematic and big scale production.
Gregory Crewdson: He took the Leibovitz track ten times further. I love everything about his images.
Erik Almas: He actually showed me how to make beautiful images and how important the blue hour is for texture and quality.
Why photography and your relationship with the other arts: I think it was my desire for film which pushed me in the direction of photography but if I could choose I would love to be a painter… there is something about the texture you get and also there is only that one painting you make which makes it more unique.
Suggest us an artist to discover/to feature on the PhotoPhore: Check out Anja Niemi, her work is amazing and she is really doing well.
Images courtesy of Ole Marius Joergensen
Discover: www.olemariusphotography.com
