Then and Now Project

Bryan Alexander has photographed in indigenous communities around the Arctic every year since 1971.

During the past few years, Bryan has been working on a new project, ‘Then & Now.’ This has involved him revisiting Arctic communities that he first worked in many years ago and re-photographing people. Some of them are Inuit hunters he travelled with on journeys by dog sled in Greenland, others are reindeer herders he met on migrations in Siberia. Some were young children at remote camps on the tundra when Bryan first photographed them.

Pairing up the early photographs of people with the recent images of them makes an intriguing and unique set of portraits that illustrate some of the changes that have taken place in their lives and in their communities.

 

Yamal – Siberia


(left) Albina Rocheva, a Nenets teenage girl photographed at her family's summer camp on the tundra in 2000. (Right) Albina photographed in 2017 at the studio where she works as a TV presenter in Nadym. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Christina Serotetto, a young Nenets girl photographed at a reindeer herder's corral in 1993. (Right) Christina photographed in 2017 in the office where she works as a lawyer in Salekhard. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Oleysya Serotetto, a Nenets teenage girl photographed at a reindeer herder's summer camp in 1993. (Right) Oleysya photographed in 2017 in the hospital where she works as a nurse in Yar-Sale. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Alexei Serotetto, a young Nenets boy, photographed holding a fish at a reindeer herders' summer camp in 1993. (Right) Alexei photographed in 2017 in Yar-Sale where he is the director of the Kharp reindeer herders' cooperative. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Valla Serotetto, a teenage Nenets girl photographed while cooking at a reindeer herder's camp in 1993. (Right) Valla photographed in 2017 unloading the dishwasher at her home in Yar-Sale. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Anastasia Puyko a Nenets woman with her baby daughter, Elvira, in a cradle. Photographed inside a Nenets reindeer skin tent in 1993. (Right) Anastasia with Elvira in the hospital at Yar-Sale where she works as a nurse, photographed in 2017. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Galya Serotetto, a Nenets woman, photographed during a Spring reindeer migration in 1993. (Right) Galya photographed in 2019 inside her family's reindeer skin tent. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Sergey Serotetto, a Nenets reindeer herder, photographed in 1993. (Right) Sergey photographed in 2019 walking amongst his family's reindeer. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Sasha Serotetto, a Nenets reindeer herder, photographed in 1993 as he checked his fishing net. (Right) Sasha, photographed in 2017, at his desk as the director of the Yarsalinsky State Farm in Yar-Sale. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Alexandre Serotetto, a Nenets reindeer herder, photographed in 1996 at his winter camp. (Right) Alexandre photographed in 2019 amongst his family's reindeer. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Neseynya Serotetto, a young Nenets girl, photographed in 1993 at her family's winter camp. (Right) Neseynya, photographed in Yar-Sale in 2018, where she works as the director of a Nenets cultural park. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Leova Serotetto, a Nenets reindeer herder, photographed in 1993 through the window of his family's reindeer skin tent at their winter camp. (Right) Leova photographed in 2017 holding a dead wolverine he killed near his family's reindeer herd. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(Left) Albina Serotetto in Nenets winter clothes at a reindeer herders camp. (1986) (Right) Albina Serotetto in Yar-Sale (2021). Yamal, Northwest Siberia
(Left) Vladic Serotetto in a cradle. (1996) (Right) Vladic Serotetto at a reindeer herder's camp. (2017). Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.

(Left) Dmitriy Khorolya standing by a reindeer corral. (1996) (Right) Dmitriy Khorolya in his modern apartment in Salekhard. (2021). Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.
(Left) Kosta Serotetto eating reindeer meat. (1993) (Right) Kosta Serotetto working in Yar-Sale. (2021). Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.

(Left) Pudako Serotetto at a reindeer corral. (1996) (Right) Pudako Serotetto at the Arctica sports copmplex in Yar-Sale where he works as a trainer. (2021). Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.
(Left) Olga Serotetto feeding a reindeer calf. (1996) (Right) Olga Serotetto outside the Yamal Reindeer company offices in Yar-Sale. (2021). Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.

(Left) Leonid Khudi om a boat naer Kutop-Yugan. (2000) (Right) Leonid Khudi on a modern boat in the harbour at Salekhard. (2021) Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia.
(Left) Sovietskaya Street in the Nenets village of Yar-Sale in 1993. (Right) Sovietskaya Street photographed from the same position in 2017. Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia

Avanersuaq - North Greenland

(left) Magssanguak Imina, an Inuit boy doing a traditional string puzzle called the tent in 1971. (Right) Magssanguak doing the same string puzzle 48 years later in 2019. Qaanaaq, Northwest Greenland.
(Left) Eqilana Simigaq, a young Inuit woman,wearing traditional clothing of the Thule region, carrying her young son, Peter, photographed in 1980. (Right) Eqilana photographed in 2019 inside the Lutheran church in Qaanaaq where she is the Priest. Northwest Greenland.

(Left) Thomas Qujaukitsoq, an Inuit boy, photographed in 1971 at a hunting camp near Qaanaaq. (Right) Thomas photographed in 2019 with 'Pluto' one of his dog team that he uses for hunting in the winter months. Qaanaaq, Northwest Greenland
(Left) Sofie Jensen, a young Inuit girl from Qaanaaq, wearing a fox fur hood photographed in 1987. (Right) Sofie photographed on the beach at Qaanaaq in 2008. She is wearing the traditional woman's clothing of the Thule region of Northwest Greenland.

(Left) Otto Simigaq, an Inuit teenager photographed in 1977 during a tea break while out hunting with his father.(Right) Otto photographed near Qaanaaq in 2019. Northwest Greenland.
(left) Qajoranguaq Alatak, an Inuit boy, photographed in 1980 on a dog sled while out hunting with his father.(Right) Qajoranguaq, out hunting in his boat during the autumn in 2019. Northwest Greenland.

(left) Qarkutsiaq Kristiansen, an Inuit hunter, out seal hunting in his boat during the autumn of 1987.(Right) Qarkutsiaq, working at his job at the Pilersuisoq shop in Qaanaaq in 2019. Northwest Greenland.
(Left) Saufak kiviok, an Inuit woman, hangs up a sealskin to dry at a hunting camp at Narsarssuk in 1980. (Right) Saufak inside her come at Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland.

(Left) Qitdlaq Duneq,an Inuit hunter, out hunting in his sealskin kayak in Inglefield Fiord in 1977. (Right) Qitdlaq photographed in Qaanaaq in 2019. Northwest Greenland.
(Left) a portrait of Arnanguaq Qujaukitsok, a young Inuit girl, wearing a traditional fox fur hood in 1998. (Right) Arnanguaq photographed in 2019 wearing a store bought parka in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland,

(Left) Ituko, an Inuit hunter from Moriussaq, photographed while out walrus hunting in the polar night in 1980. (Right) Ituko's grave in Moriussaq. Photographed after his death in an accident while travelling by dog sled on thin sea ice in 1990. Northwest Greenland.
(Left) Anike Simigaq Odak sitting on her mother's knee at a camp near Siorapaluk. (1971) (Right) Anike Simigaq Odak photographed in Qaanaaq, Northwest Greenland.(2021)

(Left) Jacobine Have with her parents on an ice floe near Qaanaaq.(1971) (Right) Jacobine Have, at work in the office of the hospital administration in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland. (2021)
(Left) Tukumeq Qaerngaq carrying her daughter, Maria.(1985). (Right) Tukumeq Qaerngaq, vice-principal of the school in Qaanaaq.(2021). Northwest Greenland

(Left) Jens Danielsen hunting at the floe edge near Cape York. (1986) (Right) Jens Danielsen outside his home in Qaanaaq. (2021)
(Left) Kigutikkak Kivioq,making tea out hunting near Qaanaaq. (1971) Kigutikkak Kivioq ouside his home in Qaanaaq. (2021) Northwest Greenland.

(Left) Mamarut Kristiansen out hunting near Cape York. (1980) (Right) Mamarut Kristiansen at Qaanaaq. (2021) Northwest Greenland
(Left) Navarana Eliassen (1980) (Right) Navarana Eliasen at Qaanaaq. (2021) Northwest Greenland

(Left) Panigpak Daorana waiting at a seal's breathing hole. (1980) (Right) Panigpak Daorana at work as head of administration in Qaanaaq. (2021) Northwest Greenland
(Left) Patdloq Henriksen at her home. (1971) (Right) Patdloq Henriksen at Qaanaaq. (2021) Northwest Greenland.

(Left) Paneeraq Alataq with her son Ijaaja bathing at a hunting camp near Moriussaq.(1989) (Right) Paneeraq Alataq with her son Ijaaja in Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland (2022)
(Left) Qavigarsuaq Danielsen photographed in Moriussaq. (1987). (Right) Qavigarsuaq Danielsen in Qaanaaq. (2022)

Numto - Siberia

(Left) Andrey Moldanov, a Khanty reindeer herder from Numto photographed out on the tundra in 2000. (right) Andrey Moldanov photographed outside his home in Numto in 2020. Khanty Mansiysk, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Sveta Pyak, a Khanty woman, photographed out on the tundra with three of her draught reindeer in 2000. (right) Sveta Pyak, photographed with 'Ava' a pet reindeer, photographed near Numto in 2020. Khanty Mansiysk, Northwest Siberia, Russia

(left) Vassilly Pyak, a Forest Nenets reindeer herder, photographed in 2000. (right) Vassilly Pyak, photographed photographed near Numto in 2020. Khanty Mansiysk, Northwest Siberia, Russia
(left) Vikka Pyak, a Forest Nenets teenage girl, resting during a journey by reindeer sled, photographed in 2000. (right) Vikka Pyak, photographed photographed at Numto in 2020. Khanty Mansiysk, Northwest Siberia, Russia

The Sami of Kautokeino (Guovdageaidnu), Norway

(Left) Berit Logje reading her daughter, Inger Anne's school report in 1972. (Right) Berit Logje with her daughter Inger at home in Kautokeino (2022)
(Left) Berit Logje walking in a reindeer corral near Kautokeino (1985) (Right)Berit Logje in her home on Kautokeino (2022)

(Left) Ellen Magarethe,a Sami woman, being dressed for her wedding (1985) (Right) Ellen Margarethe making a traditional Sami man's Gakti (tunic) (2022)
(Left) Inger Anne with her aunt, Karen Anne Gaup (1972) (Right) Inger Anne with her aunt, Karen Anne Gaup (2022)

(Left) Inger Anne Triumf with her baby daughter, Inger, in a traditional Sami cradle at her Christening (1990) (Right) Inger Anne Triumf with her daughter, Inger, at their home in Kautokeino (2022)
(Left) Inger Anne, leading a draught reindeer at the start of her family's Spring migration near Kautokeino (1972) (Righ) Inger Anne in her office where she works at the Sami University of Applied Sciences in Kautokeino (2022)

(Left) Karen Anne Gaup tending her young son, Aslak Anders, during their Spring Migration (1972) (Right) Karen Anne Gaup with her son Aslak Anders (2022)
(Left) Mikkel Eira being held by his father, Johan (1985) (Right) Mikkel Eira holding his son, Ole Matheo (2022)

(Left) Nils Johan Siri with his wife May Torill (1996) (Right) Nils Johan Siri with his wife, May Torill (2022)
(Left) Nils Johan Siri leading a draught reindeer at the start of the Spring migration near Kautokeino (1972) (Right) Nils Johan Siri feeding some of his reindeer near his home in Kautokeino (2022)

Canadian Arctic - Ulukhaktok

(left) Cora Joss photographed at 8 years of age in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (right) Cora Joss photographed in Ulukhaktok 32 years later in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada
(left) Susie Malgokak, a Copper Inuit artist photographed at the print shop in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (right) Susie Malgokak photographed sewing at her home in Ulukhaktok in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada

(left) Emily Kudlak, a Copper Inuit woman, with her daughter Mona and son Jonathan in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (right) Emily Kudlak photographed at a drum dancing practice at Ulukhaktok in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada
(left) Elsie Klengenberg, a well known Copper Inuit artist, photographed at the print shop in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (right) Elsie Klengenberg photographed at her home in Ulukhaktok in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada

(Left) Drum Dancing practice at Ulukhaktok in 1991. (Right) Drum Dancing practice at Ulukhaktok in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada.
(Left) Parents collecting their children from the Helen Kalvak school in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (Right) Parents picking up their children from the Helen Kalvak school in Ulukhaktok in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada.

(Left) Passengers disembarking from a First Air Hawker Siddeley HS 748 at the airport in Ulukhaktok in 1991. (Right) Passengers disembarking from a Canadian North ATR42-500 aircraft at Ulukhaktok Airport in 2023. Northwest Territories, Canada.