New Ways of Understanding and Embodying Femininity

Intimate portraits of people and spiritual rituals by Elin Berge tell the story of female awakening movements in Sweden where new dialogues are surfaced linking the subjects of belief, power, and gender.

Intimate portraits of people and spiritual rituals by Elin Berge tell the story of female awakening movements in Sweden where new dialogues are surfaced linking the subjects of belief, power, and gender.

Swedish photographer Elin Berge set out to investigate whether it’s true that Sweden is one of the world's most secularised countries. She went out to look for God. To her surprise, she met a Goddess instead.

This series is a poetic depiction of a loosely organised awakening movement made up of women who believe in the return of divine feminine power. They believe that our culture has oppressed sacred femininity and disparaged women’s bodies and sexuality, making women forget their innate power. They believe that it is time for all women to remember who they truly are and to heal, to be able to lead the way into a future of peace between people and balance between humans and the planet. The delicate photographs provide insight into a world where women engage in spiritual rituals, magic, and sisterhood. This spiritual arena may appear peripheral, but in many ways, it reflects its time. It shows women attempting to create new ways of understanding and embody femininity. An intense search for alternative ways to live.

The series has been published as a book in March 2020 by Max Ström Publishing.

Words and Pictures by Elin Berge.

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Elin Berge (b. 1978) lives and works in Umeå, Sweden. Her stories embrace the topics of women's realities, identities and beliefs. She has made four photo books and a documentary film. Her work has been widely exhibited and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants. Find her on PHmuseum and Instagram.

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This feature is part of Story of the Week, a selection of relevant projects from our community handpicked by the PHmuseum curators.

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