The Originals Before Us
“When you turn 80 years old it’s guaranteed that you, as a character in society, will be portrayed as a weak and very dependent individual. But we are not weak! We are walking and talking and living. We, who have turned 80, have just the same urge as you to feel empowered; Wanting to be portrayed as powerful individuals. Not always photographed sitting or leaning on a walking frame so we won’t fall.” – Merete and Ingrid
This February, Danish artist and photographer So e Flinth photographed her grandmother Merete (just turned 82) and her best friend Ingrid (turning 88) during another restrictive round of lockdown. So e Flinth recently returned to Copenhagen after graduating and earning her BFA in photography at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Through portrait photography she explores themes such as nostalgia, vanity and perception of reality. Her photographs are always centred around a female character, often herself or women close to her. This series takes place in the apartment of her grandmother, in a small town outside of Copenhagen.
When stumbling upon The New Originals for the rst time, what caught my eye was their unisex tracksuits. To me, a tracksuit can be worn by anyone. Regardless of your age, sex or class. It’s timeless and the design has survived throughout genera- tions. My grandmother has been wearing her favourite red velvet tracksuit on Sundays for almost 50 years now. This notion became the seed of the idea to introduce an older cast wearing the design of TNO.
Due to Covid-19, The New Originals and I decided to focus on our nearest surroun- dings and the people close to us. We turned to my grandmother who invited us into her private space that became our studio. My grandmother and her friend are not only taking part as the models but takes ownership in their styling and attitude. The series came to life with the intention to shed light upon hidden characters and empowering their self-image. It’s a celebration of our past generations that are certainly–to this day– still standing.
Photographer: Sofie Flinth
