Lena Modigh: Two Boys [signed]

The book is an exploratory narrative about Modigh's relationship with her two sons, Vincent and Finlay, but also about her own photographic practice.

"Throughout most of my sons Vincent’s and Finlay’s childhood, I have photographed them. The book reflects our relationship and my perspective as both a mother and a photographer. It has taken shape through a close collaboration with art director Matt Ryalls, with whom I founded the magazines Animae and Period. It was important to me to give Matt complete freedom in the design, as I wanted the book to develop its own visual language rather than feel like a family album.

I was probably never much of a baby person or the kind of mother who baked buns, and I think I found photographing my sons more exciting than playing with Lego or toy cars. I was perhaps a little obsessed, searching for something and trying to capture their distinct personalities.

In a way, my sons also became my guinea pigs, sometimes willingly and sometimes perhaps a little less so. Being both a mother and a photographer has not always been easy. There is always a certain feeling, and a tinge of guilt, that you might be crossing a line. Their privacy is more important than my need for self-expression.

As my sons have grown up, the photographs have changed too. Questions of trust and consent have become an important part of the work. What felt natural at a certain age may be experienced differently later on, when their views of the images may no longer align with mine.

The photographs were taken at home, on trips and in everyday situations. The book follows no chronological order but moves back and forth between different years, much like memories do. Images from different periods meet and are set against one another. Some changes only become apparent when the photographs are viewed together, while others are barely noticeable." -- Lena Modigh