关于北欧，人们投射了太多想象。海盗、酒鬼、北极光、童话中的孩子、训斥男子的妇人、沉默严肃的牧师、唯美而忧郁的少女……

在这片由多种文化构成的大陆上，在语言的腾挪转移间，人们吃着不同的食物，守着相异的作息，却过着一种有点类似的生活，如同他们脚下特别而统一的土地。从一个好奇的外来者看去，这种同与不同，显示了一种魅力非凡的张力。人们愿意加入对其光怪陆离的想象和描摹，就像沉醉于它的神话和童话一样。

但对生长于斯的人们来说，他们固然能从独特的自然中获得启示，但也从没有消减与外部世界对话的愿望。在此次影展遴选的作品中，我们能看到专属于斯堪的纳维亚大陆的题材，也能获知创作者周游世界留下的足迹，而最终，它们呈现的是人性共通的东西，离我们既远，又近。

和对北欧一般性的想象不同，这些作品好奇又冷静。摄影师不少来自于媒体，他们既感到一种职业性的束缚，又得益于其带来的严谨。感性和逻辑性在其中微妙地共存着。

与其说这些年轻的摄影师将更新我们对于北欧的印象，不如说他们是在与我们交流对人生和社会的看法：生活不能只等待北极光，更多的时候，它处理的是劳碌的白日和漫长的黑夜……

背景资料:

《LENS.视觉》，一本关注人性的杂志。隶属于财讯传媒，以社会、文化、艺术和生活方式为主要报道范围，以图文结合的叙述方式，关注不断变化的现实和永恒不变的人性。“即使是一道最微弱的光，我们也要将它洒向需要温暖的生活……”

北欧纪录片电影节的宗旨是促进中国与北欧五国文化的交流和发展，繁荣记录片创作。北欧纪录片电影节每年通过不同主题将北欧纪录片创作的最新发展呈现给中国观众，同时也为观众提供交流的平台。 北欧纪录片电影是一个独立的非盈利组织，目的是推广北欧文化，通过放映记录片营造一个对社会，艺术和环境问题进行的探讨和交流的平台。电影节成立于2006年，最初是大山子国际艺术节的一部分。自2008年开始，北欧纪录片电影节开始与北京尤伦斯当代艺术中心合作。

Northern Europe evokes a lot of colorful imagery in the popular imagination: vikings, aurora borealis, children in fairy tales, women who scold their men, dour priests, gorgeous yet melancholy maidens…

In the process of the transferring of language in this multi-cultural region, despite differences, Nordic people lead similar lives, metaphorically related to the Nordic landscape itself: unique yet unified. From the gaze of a curious outsider, the similarities and contrasts manifest a fascinating tension, luring people to imagine and depict this exotic land, as they are enchanted by its myths and fairy tales.

But for the Nordic people themselves, apart from an inherent proximity to nature, they never hold back their desire to engage with the outside world. Through the images selected for this exhibition, we gain insight into the intricacies of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as the tracks of the photographers’ global travels. Consequently, these pictures present to us a common experience of humanity, geographically far away but sensuously intimate and close.

These images stand inquisitive and undisturbed. The photographers, most of whom share a media background, are both restricted by and benefit from a professional outlook and rigor. As a result, the pictures imply a delicate sensibility and inherent logic.   

It would be better to say the young photographers in this exhibition are communicating with us a view toward life and society, rather than merely updating our Nordic impression: life is not all about waiting for the aurora borealis, but more often, one has to face  the strenuous days and long dark nights of everyday life…

BACKGROUND:

LENS Magazine is the premier social and cultural magazine in China, producing in depth photo reportage on a wide range of issues. It focuses on the important aspects of the human condition in the varied fields of economy, culture, social, arts as well as defining moments in world history. Over the past 6 years, as a supplement of the influential business and financial news magazine-CAIJING, Lens Magazine has a circulation of 200,000 around China.

NORDOX is an annual meeting point for Nordic documentary films held in Beijing and attracts a high presence of Chinese as well as international audiences in Beijing.

NORDOX is a not-for-profit organization, established with the purpose of spreading knowledge on Nordic culture in China and to create cross-cultural dialogue on society, art and the environment. The festival was established in 2006 as a part of the Dashanzi International Art Festival. Since 2008  NORDOX has been organized together  with the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) at the 798 Art District in Beijing.