2025 SPE Annual Conference: Adaptations
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print this pageSkookum: Defining Alaska's People through its Landscape
Lightning Round: J. Jason Lazarus
Saturday, September 14 - 9:00AM to 9:15AM
ELIF 301
"Skookum" started as a simple post-graduate exploration into the frigid landscapes of Alaska — but over the course of the last four years, this work has morphed into a project that inspires conversations on Alaskan identity, defining a sense of place, and tending to personal mental health.
The awe-inspiring work of Ansel Adams did much to define what Alaska looks like to the outsider and his vision continues to be inspiration for thousands of photographers that visit the state each year. But for the seasoned Alaskan, these idyllic renderings of vistas permanently locked in a summery glow do little to define what keeps us here during the bitterly cold winter months. "Skookum" represents a rarefied Alaska, showing Alaska not at its best, but at its most common — by focusing on the frost-covered taiga and tundra during dimly-lit winter months. Inspired by the defining traits of the Chinook-jargon word, "Skookum", this series focuses on elements that represent silent strength, resilience, boldness, endurance and resolve.
After the first year of working on this project, I started to see "Skookum" not just as a way to redefine Alaska for Alaskans, but I also began to see Alaskans, in all of their curious ways, inside the landscapes that I captured. I continued to develop this project beyond a mere post-graduate exploration because I also found myself rediscovering my love for the state that I called home. Whether it is the eight months of winter, the geographic isolation, or the seasonal affective disorder caused by less than four hours of sunlight, Alaska's winters challenge even the most resilient soul to love it. What was once an idle exploration has become a much-needed exercise in mental health, resetting myself, and finding harmony in my surroundings.
speaker
J. Jason Lazarus
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