2022-2024

I have photographed portraits of childhood friends over seventy, and moments with young people where the sense of belonging becomes unmistakably present.

In his project, Jari Silomäki has photographed moments that visualize symmetry of human feelings either in a direct or symbolic manner. This includes portraits of childhood friends, who are now over 70 years old, as well as scenes with young people, whose shared fragile experiences form their identities.

The series began when Russia attacked Ukraine, a dreadful move that has radically challenged the sense of security in Europe. This development shaped Silomäki’s approach to observe events more softly than ever before. The war also affects the way we consume art and, especially photography, in which a human gaze is at the very core of the medium.

In the portraits of childhood friends, people are looking at each other’s eyes through decades of friendship. And, as a photographer, Silomäki is looking at them. The direct look of a life-long friend is a deep and multifaceted experience. The friend’s gaze can be seen as a tool with which we understand and communicate experiences and feelings. It can also remind us of the passing of time, change, respect, and love.

In the scenes with young people, cityscapes glow with warm light. Here the feeling of togetherness and belonging is palpable. Shared experiences are an essential part of our understanding of the world. They emerge when people are capable of deep empathy towards each other. The warm cityscapes attempt to witness that very moment. They share with the portraits similar emotional terrain. For instance, the image Silent Teenagers is juxtaposed to an image, in which ripe, soft plums rest on cold, hard tarmac. They tell us a story of time, fragility and are full of memories.

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