We had the opportunity to ask Daniel Court a few questions about photography and his project, Watersong, currently on view at our annual outdoor exhibition, Vision(ary): Portraits of Cultures, Communities and Environments.
An interview with the artist follows.
Daniel James Court is a British photographer based in Washington DC, USA. He received his BFA in Visual Communication from Bath Spa in 2012 and his MFA in Photography from Aalto University of Arts in 2021. His series ‘Neither Here Nor There’, documenting the closure of the Calais ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in Northern France, was exhibited at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford in 2019 and was featured in Storytelling Exhibitions: Identity, Truth and Wonder, a book by Philip Hughes (Bloomsbury UK). His graduate series ‘The Place of No Crows’ received a ‘Finalist’ award from Blurring the Lines 2021 and was featured in their annual publication. He had his first solo show at Hippolyte Korjaamo, Helsinki, in June 2021. His photographs have been exhibited in Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Turkey, and the UK.
Website: www.danieljamescourt.com
Instagram: @danieljamescourt
Daniel, let’s imagine we traveled all the way to Finland to accompany you on a shooting day for your project Watersong. (Thanks for inviting us!). What drew you initially to document the culture of wild swimming?
I grew up in London, where swimming basically meant going to an indoor swimming pool. I moved to Helsinki in 2016 and experienced a completely new kind of swimming culture. Finland has a large archipelagic coastline and nearly 200,000 lakes, so you are almost always close to a body of water. Swimming in nature is, therefore, a huge part of the culture, whether its combined with the sauna as a more social activity, or a solitary morning swim before work.
Initially, I overlooked swimming as a subject, even though I often photographed my partner and friends during sauna and swimming sessions. Over time, as swimming became a more significant part of my daily life, it became a kind of respite from the overstimulation of technology, work and the urban environment. When I started to think about swimming in this way, and why it was so meaningful for me, I began to consider that there was an interesting project here.
What are your photo essentials to capture a day of swimming?
Camera, towel and bathing suit (optional).
We are met by a lake upon arriving (or is it a coastline?). What’s the first thing we do to immerse ourselves in the environment and prepare for a day of shooting?
In and around Helsinki, it’s most likely the sea; if we’re more inland, then it’s a river or a lake. Whenever I’m swimming with friends, I’ll almost always make some portraits but since last summer, I have started to actively seek regular swimmers to photograph. When I work this way, meeting people for the first time, we usually just talk and swim together first, before I begin taking any photos. I try to keep photo shoots somehow as natural as possible.
What pose should we do, if any, if you wanted to take a portrait of us?
I’ve never been great at posing, I usually try to just observe people while I am with them until there’s a moment or an action that feels like it could be a photograph. Of course, I might move the subject to better compliment the lighting or scenery.
The wind echoes. The conversation deepens. You begin to tell us: How has your exploration of Watersong impacted your understanding of the human-nature relationship in combating the “extinction of experience,” as you mention in your artist statement?
The ‘extinction of experience’ posits that technology and urbanization have led to a disconnection from natural environments. And as people have less direct contact with nature in their daily lives they tend to have less concern about environmental destruction. So it’s important that nature remains tangible and accessible, for both personal and environmental well-being.
Spending time in nature is a big part of the Finnish identity and culture; therefore, I think it’s no coincidence that the natural waters in Finland are said to be some of the cleanest in the world. There’s generally a deep respect for nature and a strong discourse around the idea that nature should be accessible to all (every man’s right). This relationship is very a positive one and it’s something I wanted to explore in this project.
We take a moment to absorb the water sounds around us. Would you recommend photography as a way of reconnecting with nature?
In the past I have struggled with anxiety and depression and both photography and being in nature have helped in a really profound way. But during times when I really wanted or needed to be in nature, it was the intention of going to take a photo that got me on my feet and out the door, so I think photography can be a great catalyst for engaging with nature.
Lastly, could you share some memorable moments or locations that have left a lasting impression on you during the creation of Watersong?
My partner’s family are originally from Eastern Finland, very close to the Russian border. Behind her grandparents’ old house, a short walk through the forest they have a sauna by a small lake. The lake is surrounded by extremely dense undergrowth that comes right up to the water’s edge, so the lake is almost completely inaccessible apart from a small clearing by the sauna. It’s one of my favorite places to swim in the evenings, especially when the sun is setting, it’s quiet, the water is cold and the light is amazing. I recently made a few photographs here which I am excited to show in the near future.
