Máze, the subject of the show you have up now, is so intriguing. It’s a place I’ve never seen or heard of before. Can you explain a bit about the history and location of Máze?

Máze is a small village located far above the Arctic circle, in Norwegian Lapland. Its 300 inhabitants are Sámi people, the indigenious people of Scandinavia. To sum it up briefly, Sámi people are spread over Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. They used to be nomadic people, living with reindeer, but they are all living in houses now and are “normal” citizens of each of the four countries. Most of them are “mixed” with Scandinavian people nowadays (many of them might just ignore they have Sámi blood, especially in southern Scandinavia), and only few places like Máze are keeping the Sámi culture very vivid. Most of Máze people are still reindeer herders today. This village has a very peculiar history, very symbolic. It should not be here today, [it should be] flooded with waters of a hydroelectric dam project that Norwegian government planned in early ‘70’s, and was fortunately aborted, thanks to Sámi people’s protests and resistance. So I feel I am picturing a place that was spared once, but that will undoubtly change during the next century, due to global warming and growing cultural integration. Máze is thus a symbol of resistance and helplessness, and among many other things, that fact fascinates and interest me a lot.

How did you first find out about Máze, and how did it become the subject for your work?

I have been interested in Lapland since my childhood, and started to travel there in my twenties. As a photographer, I was looking for a place to settle down for several months in Norwegian Lapland, and this is how I found Máze… The place was perfect to start a project on Lapland and reindeer herding (which was my first purpose).
But I fell in love with the village, its history and people, and decided to focus only on Máze itself for my pictures. Day after day, I got in touch with many people there, and most of them became my friends… Since my first trip in 2005, I try to go there once a year, and this place is not a photo project to me anymore, it is entirely a part of my life now.
 
What are your plans for the near future? Any upcoming shows?

“Máze” will be out as a book at Photolucida (USA) in few weeks!