Svalbard People
Exploring Life in the Arctic Circle Through Portraits
by Graeme Chesters
Graeme Chesters, winner of Amateur Photographer’s MPB sponsored ‘Rising Star Bursary’, captures the unique stories of Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost settlement. As an artist-in-residence in this remote Arctic town, Graeme created a powerful collection of 30 portraits alongside 50 hours of audio interviews with local residents. His work reveals the beauty and vulnerability of life in this harsh wilderness, where encounters with polar bears are possible, and the sun vanishes for months. Reflecting on his experience, Graeme says, “Listening to people is a privilege, and I couldn’t think of anywhere better than that small room, high up in an old building, beneath the possibility of the northern lights.” Through his lens, he shares the intimate moments and challenges of those living on the edge of the world.
