Greete Altrof ^{Emerging artist}

Artist's country of origin: Estonia

Greete Altrof (born 1997) is a freelance fine art photographer based in Tartu. She graduated from the Pallas University of Applied Sciences with a Bachelor’s degree in photography in 2023 and has participated in several group exhibitions, the most notable being the exhibition “My story is my story is my story is…” held at Tartu Aparaaditehas’s Ag47 Gallery. Her installation, “Kui läheb inimene kaduva teed, siis mingu fotod ka” (When a person goes down the path of oblivion, let the photos go too), placed the exhibition visitor into the role of decision-maker – which photo from her grandmother’s photo box to let pass through the paper cutter? Is it the last picture of someone nobody remembers anymore? A photo of someone`s great-grandmother’s birth, wedding, or funeral? Her wish is that a photo carries forward the story and value across multiple generations. Her thesis topic, “Vananemine ja vananemisega kaasnev kaamerahirm oma perekonna näitel” (Aging and the Camera Fear Associated with Aging in My Family), investigates what causes the fear of the camera that comes with age and whom it affects. By exploring her maternal family, she attempts to understand the various aspects and causes of camera fear. Are the fears of people raised in the same family with shared values similar or different? Is camera fear hereditary? Does talking about fears help overcome them? The work revealed that when a younger person is among an older crowd, they can feel old even if their ID says otherwise. A 12-year-old participant, Emily, admitted that at one point, she felt she had grown older and as “proof,” she noticed grey hair in her head. Therefore, it can be argued that the feeling of “aging” is influenced not only by external and physical changes in the body but also by communication and social interactions in general. Greete considered her grandmother the most challenging interviewee and subject to photograph. While her grandmother gave consent to participate, she had doubts at every possible moment. Photography had always been an unpleasant experience for her, so she did not hesitate to express her displeasure and fear. Since her grandmother was the very first participant in the thesis, the photographer quickly realized the difficult task she had set for herself. Photographing people who are so strongly opposed is not easy, but it provides an opportunity to develop the aspects that are crucial for being a good photographer. Currently, Greete is working on creating her first solo exhibition.