Inuuteq Storch: Rise of the Sunken Sun

The exhibition Rise of the Sunken Sun by Greenlandic artist Inuuteq Storch was shown at the Danish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2024 and will be presented at Fotografisk Center in 2025 in an adjusted format. The critically acclaimed exhibition has already been recognized as an important contribution to both art history and history: Storch was both the first artist from the North Atlantic part of the Kingdom of Denmark and the first photographer to have a solo exhibition at the Danish Pavilion. The title of the exhibition is inspired by the Greenlandic flag, which symbolizes the Arctic sun over the white, icy landscape, referencing traditional Inuit beliefs.

Storch challenges the long-standing tendency for outsiders – rather than Greenlanders themselves – to shape the visual history of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland's native name). In Rise of the Sunken Sun, Storch presents a multifaceted view of Kalaallit Nunaat through six thematic photographic series. The exhibition includes Storch's intimate and poetic portrayals of daily life in his hometown of Sisimiut, images from his family's photo archives, as well as a digitized compilation of historical photographs by John Møller, the first professional Greenlandic photographer. The newest works consist of photographs from Qaanaaq, the northernmost town, as well as the almost spherical, transparent images in the series Necromancer.

Rise of the Sunken Sun weaves personal narratives together with a broader exploration of Greenlandic identity, history, and daily life. Through both his own works and archival photographs, Storch creates a nuanced portrayal of life in Kalaallit Nunaat, while also revealing the subtle traces of the country's colonial history. Themes of decolonization and the decolonial potential of the camera emerge as underlying threads, as Storch develops his own unique approach to the photographic medium.

Storch himself states: "Greenland and its people have been photographed extensively since the mid-1800s. However, most of these photographs have been taken by visitors to Greenland and often serve as a form of documentation or recording of the country, its people, and its culture. As a result, people around the world have developed a fixed and very limited view of Greenland, shaped by the non-Greenlandic perspectives reflected in these photographs. With my artistic practice, the exhibition, and my works, I want to help change the prevailing perception of my country. The exhibition is an invitation – an opportunity to explore Greenland through my lens. I invite the public in and welcome them to visit my home and experience the nuanced narrative of Greenland that I want to convey through my art."

Rise of the Sunken Sun was originally commissioned by the Danish Arts Foundation, Committee for Visual Arts Project Funding, which selected Inuuteq Storch to exhibit at the Danish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2024. Rise of the Sunken Sun is curated by Louise Wolthers, Head of Research and Curator at the Hasselblad Foundation in Gothenburg. The exhibition at the Venice Biennale was funded by the Danish Arts Foundation and received additional support from Kvadrat, the New Carlsberg Foundation, Eqqumiitsuliornermut Aningaasaateqarfik (Greenland’s Art Fund), and the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces.

The exhibition at Fotografisk Center is generously supported by the Danish Arts Foundation, the Augustinus Foundation, Dronning Margrethes og Prins Henriks Fond, Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond, Knud Højgaards Fond, William Demant Fonden, Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond and Beckett-Fonden. The exhibition at Fotografisk Center has been developed in collaboration with the Hasselblad Foundation, that will show the exhibition in 2026.

The exhibition is presented in a special partnership with Politiken’s Forhal, which will present the exhibition Pooq & Qiperoq with Inuuteq Storch during the same period where Storch with his own works and selected photographs from the extensive photo archive of JP/Politiken Hus will explore the relationship between Greenland and Denmark. The partnership includes a joint opening and a series of events where the many facets of Storch’s artistic practice will be highlighted. Read more about the exhibition in Politikens Forhal here.

In connection with the exhibition, the book Rise of the Sunken Sun was designed by Spine Studio and published by Strandberg Publishing. In addition to a comprehensive presentation of Storch's photographic series, the book includes an introduction by Louise Wolthers and an essay by Heather Igloliorte.

Image credit: Inuuteq Storch, Soon Summer Will Be Over, 2023. Courtesy of the artist and Wilson Saplana Gallery.