SANCTUM
2021
Fine art archival pigment print
120 x 150 cm

Sanctum means holy in Latin, and a sanctuary is a "refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution, or other danger". This new series is centred on exploring the concept rather than the reality of a shelter. Small huts made of sticks don't offer much protection at all, and thin, white cloth doesn't provide any warmth for the body, but a safe space can be a mental space - an inner sanctuary full of warmth and love. For the artist, the forest is her shelter and refuge from all the stresses of life in London, a place where she can reconnect with nature, but also herself.

BRIAREUS
2020
Fine art archival pigment print 
90 x 115 cm

In ancient Greek mythology Briareus was one of three giant brothers who had 50 heads and 100 arms. They were considered to be the personifications of storm winds. At the time of the birth of Briareus and his brothers, Uranus their father was the supreme god of the cosmos, but he was afraid of his giant sons. Fearful that he might be overthrown, Uranus imprisoned these Hecatoncheires, as they were called, into Tartarus. The tree is completely hollow yet still alive and standing strong, that was what drew Hjorth-Johansen to this magnificent tree.

CRONUS
2020
Fine art archival pigment print
90 x 115cm

In ancient Greek mythology Cronus was a Titan, in other words a giant of great power and strength. He was banished Tartarus along with his other Titan siblings by his father Uranus who felt they were a threat. Cronus was a patron of the harvest, and he is often depicted with a sickle. It was the curved shape of the sickle that made Hjorth-Johansen think of Cronus, as well as the huge size of the hollow tree trunk.​

ELECTRA
2020
Fine art archival pigment print
90 x 115cm

Electra was a Danaide in ancient Greek mythology, one of the 50 daughters of Danaus. They were all, apart from one, thrown into Tartarus for killing their husbands on their wedding night. It was their father who forced them to kill, in order to prevent their marriages to his brother Aegyptus' 50 sons. These poor women were helplessly caught up in this power game between the two brothers. For Hjorth-Johansen this tree shows a suffering, trapped woman, surrounded by guards on all sides.

PHOEBE
2020
Fine art archival pigment print
90 x 115cm

Phoebe mean 'shining' and she was a Titaness in ancient Greek mythology. She, along with her 11 siblings, were thrown into Tartarus by her father due to the threat of their size and strength. The Titans were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and his mother, Gaia (Earth).
Hjorth-Johansen was struck by the look of power and also a certain vulnerability of this tree as it opens up, revealing its glowing insides.

TETHYS
2020
Fine art archival pigment print
50 x 60cm

In ancient Greek mythology Tethys was a Titaness, the mother of river gods and wife of Oceanus. She was often depicted in baths and pools. The Titans were all banished to Tartarus, the place of torture in the underworld, by their father Uranus. He felt threatened by their size and power.
This stub of an old tree in Epping Forest caught Hjorth-Johansen’s eye because it looked like an elegant and beautiful sculpture. She lit it with blue and golden yellow, giving it a glow of vitality and youth despite its old age.

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About Grete Hjorth-Johansen

​Grete Hjorth-Johansen is a London based Norwegian photographer, working on both commissioned and fine art projects. In 1999 Grete received her BA in Fine Art at the Southampton Solent University. Prior to this she studied Graphic Design at the Oppegård VG Skole in Norway. Grete has also taught photography and darkroom techniques at various colleges. In her practice, Grete bridges the gap between photographic and painterly aesthetics, using a vibrant colour palette of lighting to explore and describe the moods, emotions and atmospheres that she experiences in her environments.

​Head on over to her website:
https://gretehjorthjohansen.com

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And make sure to follow her:

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About the Curator

​Averil Curci is an art advisor, curator and artist mentor based in London. She holds a BA in Art History from Boston University, and has over 15 of years of experience working within the art world internationally. She began her career in New York as the director of Hamburg Kennedy Art Advisory & Projects. Following this, she became the director of Brancolini Grimaldi, a contemporary photography gallery based in Florence, Rome and eventually Mayfair, London. There she worked closely with both emerging and established artists — curating exhibitions and art fairs, developing special projects, events and publications. She was Curator and Head Artist Liaison with online emerging art platform and incubator Kovet.Art from 2019 to early 2021. Averil has been a judge for the Ashurst Emerging Art Prize since 2018.



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​​Head on over to her website:
https://averilcurci.com

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See more...

​See more about Grete Hjorth-Johansen's practice in the Shortlist 2021 Uncovered videos on The Art Prize's YouTube channel. 

Stay tuned to learn more about Grete's exhibition Tartarus also coming to The Art Prize's YouTube channel soon!