Føroyskur Ungdómur - Faroese Youth(s) - Series extracts - 2020 - in progress
Located in the heart of the North Atlantic, between Iceland, Norway, and Scotland, the Faroe Islands are a tiny territory home to a rapidly changing population, driven by a youth seeking renewal. In this archipelago of barely fifty thousand inhabitants, mentalities are polarized between secular and deeply religious views, and are influenced by both conservative currents and more liberal demands. It is within this tension that the new generation, along with a few older pioneers, is trying to find its place.
New ideas are emerging and developing in line with global ideological trends: a more environmentally and socially conscious approach to consumption, and greater visibility and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ people, whose identity is gaining social and political recognition, as evidenced by the adoption of consent laws, adoption rights for same-sex couples, and the repeal of discriminatory laws.
For several years, I spent time with this diverse generation of young people, sharing their daily lives and seeking to convey their stories through my photographs. This project began six years ago with an initial visit, followed by a longer stay to observe and experience this transformation firsthand. However, this evolution is neither uniform nor homogeneous. In this archipelago of eighteen islands, closely connected to the Western world yet deeply attached to its traditions, changes first manifest themselves in Tórshavn, the capital, and its surrounding areas. Elsewhere, geographical isolation and strong cultural roots slow down and shape these transformations differently. The Faroese remain very attached to their ancestral villages, their Christian roots, and their families—essential elements of identity that sometimes make the integration of new ideas difficult. Thus, while Tórshavn presents itself as an economic, cultural and social engine, gradually influencing the rest of the population, each island and each community experiences this transition at its own pace.
Images and texts subject to rights: ©Lucas Frayssinet
