FFor the past two years, Mark Aitken has been working on a series of photographs in Lapland. “It’s called Presence of Absence“, he says, “and explores the liminal and sometimes strange boundaries between life and death experienced by people living in this extreme climate and landscape.”
Aitken, who was born in New Zealand, grew up in South Africa and has lived in London for years, took this photograph in spring this year on a sheep farm. “Kukkola is a border village in Finnish Lapland, on the banks of the Tornio River, close to Sweden. The farm has been running for 20 years and this lamb is one of 100 that are born in March and April,” he explains.
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The young lamb doesn’t have a name, but the curious collie does. “He’s a lively young male called Possu – his name means little pig. I had gone to the barn to meet one of the farm owners, Jaana, to arrange an appointment to have her portrait taken when I came across the two animals interacting.”
Aitken often works with 35mm film; he likes to spend time preparing to take a photograph, especially when the subject is people. “When the right atmosphere, light and mood are achieved, I press the shutter. I like the discipline involved in this process. This process extends to the darkroom print. Only then does the memory of the moment connect with the photograph.”
He didn’t have his camera with him that day, but he did have his iPhone SE. There, in front of him, the subject of his series was reflected in a completely new way. “I felt a sense of wonder and curiosity about interspecies relationships. Possu was trying to herd the lamb, but he couldn’t. The lamb hadn’t yet learned to be afraid.”