Jacob Aue Sobol in Vienna

• © Jacob Aue Sobol, From the Series ‘James’ House’, Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland, 1999–2002
• © Jacob Aue Sobol, From the Series ‘James’ House’, Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland, 1999–2002
• © Jacob Aue Sobol, From the Series ‘James’ House’, Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland, 1999–2002
• © Jacob Aue Sobol, From the Series ‘James’ House’, Tiniteqilaaq, Greenland, 1999–2002

On March 23, 2023, the exhibition ‘James’ House’ by Magnum photographer Jacob Aue Sobol opens at Leica Gallery Vienna – the evening reception starts at 18:30.

‘James’ House’ was published in 2022 as the second book in Sobol’s ‘Greenland Trilogy’. While part I of the trilogy – ‘Sabine’ (2004) – revolved around the photographer’s life with his Greenlandic girlfriend, ‘James’ House’ tells a love story of a different kind.  

During his time in Greenland, Sobol befriended James, an Inuit man who taught him to spot seals and use the tools of a hunter. James’ home seemed like the centre of the universe: a place of warmth and belonging, where laughter, tears and silence were freely shared. James no longer lives in this house: after his wife passed away, he and his children moved to the nearest town.

What does it mean to truly feel at home? To be – or to become – part of a family? ‘James’ House’ explores these questions from a diverse range of perspectives.

Jacob Aue Sobol (b. 1976 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is a member of the Magnum Photos agency. In addition to multiple book publications, his work has been extensively exhibited. Sobol is renowned for his expressive black and white images, which place a focus on the universal nature of human emotions and the search for love in often harsh environments.

On March 24, the gallery will host an artist talk (organised by Leica Akademie Austria); the photographer will also hold a storytelling masterclass, set to take place on June 3 and 4, 2023.

Two extensive portfolios of Jacob Aue Sobol’s work have previously been featured in LFI 4/2012 and M Magazine no. 3.