julia mejnertsen

CV

Julia Mejnertsen (b. 1983)

Julia’s work explores family mythologies. Through her practice, she unravels the intricate stories and narratives that shape our familial connections, revealing the profound impact they have on our identities and perceptions of self. Julia’s exploration of family mythologies is sometimes a journey that start from self-discovery and introspection, inviting viewers to reflect on their own familial experiences and the profound human connections that define us all. Through her work, she exposes the falsehoods, paradoxes, and oppressive nature of learned narratives, while employing visual storytelling to subvert and critique their enduring power. Julia’s ideas challenge conventional norms and ignite crucial conversations about race, identity, and power dynamics. With each photographic project, she invites viewers to reevaluate their understanding of history by reminding us that the way we see is a function of our individual condition.

All photos on these pages are for viewing only. the copyrights belong to Julia Mejnertsen and cannot be printed elsewhere without consent.

julia(at)mejnertsen.dk


//exhibitions//

2022

<petrichor (the smell of rain)>

Uncertain Covers, Gallery Vasli Souza, Oslo, Norway

2020

<petrichor (the smell of rain)>

september - october 2020. braga, portugal. finalist in encontros da imagem’s discovery award 2020, exhibited at the festival at Mosteiro de Tibães

<the year, copenhagen 2018>

april - june 2020. online. curator of the exhibition ‘året, københavn 2018 / the year, copenhagen 2018’ on fotografisk center’s online exhibition space “on the go”.

january - may 2020. copenhagen, denmark. curator of the exhibition ‘året, københavn 2018 / the year, copenhagen 2018’ at dgi byen

2019

<the year, copenhagen 2018>

june 2019. copenhagen, denmark. curator of the exhibition ‘bag om året, københavn 2018 / behind the year, copenhagen 2018’ at copenhagen photo festival

january - february 2019. copenhagen, denmark. part of the group exhibition ‘året, københavn 2018 / the year, copenhagen 2018’ at nw gallery

2018

<the year, copenhagen 2018>

february 2018. dublin, ireland. curator of the exhibition ‘året, københavn 2018 / the year, copenhagen 2018’ at the library project.

<M.M.>

“M.M.” photobook dummy exhibited around the world as part of kassel dummy award 2018-exhibitions

2016

<steel, steam and wool>

december 2016. aarhus, denmark. part of the group exhibition '...for Christmas' at gallery grundstof


<heartbeat>
november 2016. montreuil, france. part of the group exhibition 'addiction à l'ouvre' at les roches


<how to flatten a mountain>

july 2016. dublin, ireland. photoireland / how to flatten a mountain group exhibition at rathfarnham castle - handmade photobook

 

<search for me in plain sight>

june 2016. copenhagen, denmark. part of the juried exhibition 'copenhagen photo festival juried exhibition 2016' at museumsbygningen

march - april 2016. copenhagen, denmark. part of the juried exhibition 'charlottenborg spring exhibition 2016' at kunsthal charlottenborg

 

2015

<highway 202 to karatsu>

september 2015. itoshima, japan. solo exhibition at studio kura

 

<search for me in plain sight>

nov. - dec. 2015. copenhagen, denmark. part of the juried exhibition 'the artists' autumn exhibition 2015' at den frie

july 2015. tokyo, japan. solo exhibition at 3331 nishikicho studio

 

<dark ops>

nov. - dec. 2015. swansea, wales. part of shortlisted participants for espy photography award 2015 showing at elysium gallery

july 2015. copenhagen, denmark. collaborative exhibition 'the remnants' with photographer trine lee at the bunker

january 2015. copenhagen, denmark. exhibition at gallery krebsen as part of fatamorgana's winter exhibition 2015

 

<tell me, how do you pronounce a hyphen?>

november 2015. guatemala city, guatemala. part of guatephoto 2015 photobook open call exhibiting the handmade photobook dummy

september 2015. tokyo, japan. part of group exhibition at reminders photography stronghold

 

<club med>

june 2015. copenhagen, denmark. part of the juried exhibition 'copenhagen photo festival juried exhibition' in carlsberg byen 

 

<laundromat>

easter 2015. aarhus, denmark. part of the juried exhibition 'the artists' easter exhibition' at kunsthal aarhus


//honors and publications//

2023
HUN
Fiebre Dummy Award 22 - winner
LUMA Rencontres Dummy Book Award Arles 2023 - Special Mention by the Jury
Kassel Dummy Award 2023 - shortlist
Images Vevey Book Award 23/24 - shortlist
FE+SK Book Award 2023 - shortlist

2022 “Flatten”, TLP Editions, published by PhotoIreland '

2021 ”figure | ground”, contributing photographer, published by Numbered Editions, Ireland
2021 "Petrichor (the smell of rain)” ,
shortlisted for Getxophoto solo-exhibition/PH Museum
2021 "Petrichor (the smell of rain)” ,
shortlisted for BUP Book Award 21

2020 "Petrichor (the smell of rain)”, feat. and cover of Uncertain States Scandinavia, No. 13

august 2020. finalist for the discovery award, encontros da imagem. “petrichor (the smell of rain)” exhibited in Braga, Portugal at Mosteiro de Tibães

february 2020. artist book “M.M.” included in the Manuscripts and Rare Books/Artists' Book Collection of the Bavarian State Library, Munich, Germany 

febuary 2019. artist book “Tell me, how do you pronounce a hyphen?” included in the Manuscripts and Rare Books/Artists' Book Collection of the Bavarian State Library, Munich, Germany                                                   

april 2018. shortlisted for kassel dummy award with photobook dummy “M.M.”

february 2018. featured in "året, københavn 2018" / "the year, copenhagen 2018" photobook

2017. danish arts foundation grant recipient

2017. illustrating an essay about the queen's of nordic noir litterature in the book 'Nordisk Kvindelitteraturhistorie - over alle grænser 1990-2015', published by university press of southern denmark

november 2016. picked for situations/der greif

august 2016. “How to Flatten a Mountain”, editors' pick on LensCulture

2016. danish arts foundation grant recipient

september 2015. “Dark Ops” shortlisted for espy photography award 2015

september 2015. shortlisted for guatephoto 2015 photobook award - Tell me, how do you pronounce a hyphen?

fall issue 2015. note fashion magazine - personal essay 'en ode til tokyo' / 'search for me in plain sight'.

april 2015. “Dark Ops” shortlisted for gomma mono vol. 2


//residencies and workshops//

july/august 2020. participant in double dummy/atelier noua workshop “The Camera as Political Apparatus : An Unromantic take on Documentary Practice” run by sergio valenzuela escobedo and mathieu asselin.

july/august 2018. assistant to yumi goto and jan rosseel at issp. 

november 2017. berlin, germany. participant in berlin photo kiez' john gossage/brad feuerhelm workshop

october 2017. enniscorthy, ireland. cow house studios/the map is not the territory artist in residence

october 2016. paris, france. participant in atelier smedsby bookmaking workshop with christian caujolle

may 2016. enniscorthy, ireland. cow house studios/how to flatten a mountain artist in residence

january 2016. bologna, italy. participant in intensive book-making workshop with teun van der heijden and sandra van der doelen at toscana photographic workshop

aug. - sep. 2015. fukuoka, japan. studio kura artist in residence

june 2015. tokyo, japan. 3331 arts chiyoda artist in residence

may 2015. tokyo, japan. participant in 'staples and stitches' handmade photobook workshop with jan rosseel and yumi goto at reminders photography stronghold


//education and experience//

2020-2021 - paris, france. atelier smedsby (jh engstrom and margot wallard)

july/august 2018 - ISSP summer school, latvia. assistant to yumi goto and jan rosseel 

oct. 2018 - copenhagen, denmark. guest teacher at CPH FILM & PHOTO

feb/march/may/oct. 2018 - copenhagen, denmark. guest teacher at fatamorgana, the danish school of art photography, masterclass

january 2018 - dublin, ireland - the library project. curator on exhibition and launch of "året - københavn, januar 2018 / the year - copenhagen, january 2018"

october 2017 - copenhagen, denmark, founder/editor independent publishing company Blankt Papir Press

may/october 2017 - copenhagen, denmark. guest teacher at fatamorgana, the danish school of art photography, masterclass

2016-2017 - paris, france. atelier smedsby (jh engstrom and margot wallard)

october 2016 - february 2017. paris, france. assistant to artist/curator veronique bourgoin

august 2016 - sep 2016. copenhagen, denmark. assistant to photographer marie hald

october 2014 - april 2015. copenhagen, denmark. assistant to photographer mette frandsen

2014-2015 copenhagen, denmark. fatamorgana, the danish school of art photography

2011-2013 stockholm, sweden. marketing executive, philip morris international

2010-2011 monterrey, mexico. tec de monterrey EGADE, graduated with a master in international business

2009-2011 copenhagen, denmark. copenhagen business school, graduated with a master in international business

2004-2008 copenhagen, denmark. copenhagen business school, graduated with a bachelor in japanese and asian business studies