Where are we?

Where are we? Maria Holm-Jacobsen presents the Faroe Islands through her photographs, yet the subjects appear almost foreign. They give us the opportunity to see our surroundings in a different way.

Where was the photo taken? That is often the first thought when one sees a picture of the Faroese landscape. Although we recognize the subjects in the exhibition HER—signs, fences, rooftops, etc.—the images do not aim to be site-specific. Instead, lines and surfaces step into the foreground. The perfectly straight compositions make the subjects seem surreal, almost like stage sets.

'I really like it when people ask me what it is they are looking at. Whether it’s real,' says Maria Holm-Jacobsen. 'It means that the image shifts the thought of where we are.'

A certain restlessness comes over us through these photos. We don’t recognize our surroundings, and that feeling allows us to see the country with different eyes.

One of the photos was featured in the St. Olaf’s Day (Ólavsøka) Exhibition at the National Art Gallery of the Faroe Islands in 2025.

The photo exhibition is open until August 1st. And as always, admission is free.