Kristoffer Unga Pirak

I was raised along the dammed shores of the Lule River, in a place that is more of a geographical area than a pinpoint on a map. A place that felt distant from the rest of the world.

I create conceptual worlds, primarily as part of the artist duo Johdet Pirak. We see what we do as a tribute and declaration of love to the place we call home, to the practical rural life of the north.

Kristoffer Unga Pirak; Self-portrait, heritage, and testament is a framework I have developed and to which I relate. The trinity in my cosmology. Coming from my home regions, the places with all its beings, culture, and stories. I see what I do as part of the storytelling tradition that is still strong north of the Arctic Circle. A tradition where knowledge is passed on from one generation to the next through stories, craftsmanship, and observation. Art becomes a tool to preserve and refine the tradition. A constantly ongoing project that also becomes an approach to viewing the world—with new eyes, retaining curiosity for life, and the path toward the longest hibernation.

Image: Kristoffer Unga Pirak