Tráðleysir nalvastreingir (wireless umbilical cords)

Tráðleysir nalvastreingir (wireless umbilical cords) is a photo series about motherhood on the Faroe Islands. The documentary photo series shows the life of people with small children and the culture of the country.

The Faroe Islands have the highest birth frequency in Europe, and the average age for women to have children is young in comparison to the rest of Europe. While one could think this is only due to a conservative framework, the Faroe Islands have the same welfare society as the other Nordic countries. Faroese parents can place their 10-month-old child in daycare, which helps create equality amongst the genders in the work industry.

Thematically, the photo series addresses a social phenomenon evident in the Nordic countries: the tension between the progressive welfare state systems and the conservative majority living in them.

My goal with this photo series is to create an eclectic and diverse view of motherhood on the Faroe Islands, and by that, I focused on parents with different backgrounds and living situations. The photos show the everyday life of people with small children and the close physical contact children have with adults. On the Faroe Islands, it is evident how the upbringing of a child lies on the shoulders of more than just the parents. Having a family and a large lineage is highly valued. But simultaneously, it is visible that the conservative society with mainly heteronormative gender roles is being challenged by a modern society, where change is happening that includes minorities. During the time the photographs were taken, the Faroese coalition fell apart due to a matter of co-mothers. One can ask themselves: Who has the right to motherhood?