Tangled

We are surrounded by plastic. Every day, we are exposed to plastic particles, even though we don’t always see them. However, they pose a serious threat to entire ecosystems and human health.

Charlotte Clemensen started her work Tangled in September of 2022 to raise awareness of the harmful effects of plastic waste. The inspiration came from her research into marine life at risk of getting entangled in plastic. Over time, the project has widened to also include other more personal topics.

Charlotte Clemensen meets individuals outside in broad daylight. She gives them a plastic bag and encourages them to get entangled. They slowly open a hole through which they can see the photographer. The intense portrait sessions evoke unique reactions and feelings; they show glimpses of what it feels like to be tangled or untangled - twisted into a messy mass or caught in a complexity, but also with the possibility to break free.

In addition to telling individual stories, the ongoing Tangled project opens up a space for different forms of expression, experiences and interpretations of contemporary entanglements. The people who were first observed and portrayed by the camera lens are now observing the viewer of the images through the self-made hole in the plastic bag.

 How does that make you feel?