Tonje Thilesen (b.1991) is a self-taught photographer from Oslo, Norway, living and working in Brooklyn, NY. The North American independent and DIY music scenes were the impetus for their move to the U.S in 2016, where they were curating showcases at SXSW and shooting music events and festivals for Pitchfork. Tonje's work has since shifted to editorial, and they have worked with clients such as The New Yorker, Kate Spade, New York Times, SSENSE, Canon and more.

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I began following Tonje on Instagram in 2019 but was especially drawn to their work during quarantine. In a time when we were globally flooded with daunting news and imagery, Tonje’s work (while being quarantined in Medlline, Colombia) provided a visual respite with their soft depictions of daily life and tender moments with friends.

In September 2020, Pomegrante Press released “One Another” by Tonje, a collection of work shot between 2018-2020 between the U.S and Norway.

Artist Website

Interview by Lauren Roche

What inspired you to get into photography?

It started as a curiosity to be able see more than what the naked eye can see – quite literally: I was drawn to macro photography as a teenager, mainly insects and amphibians. There was a time I didn’t have many friends, so it certainly was a way to keep my mind off things and stay busy. I’m not religious (at all), but I was, and still am, completely in awe of the incredible beauty and symmetry that exists in nature, and there is still so much more to see when you go extra close.

A number of your images were shot during your quarantine in Medellin, Colombia. Did being in quarantine affect your photography in any way?

Sure! I think it gave me a lot more patience to try things that I would normally consider to be out of my comfort zone, like still life. I’m pretty impatient in unfamiliar situations, so it made sense to spend the extra time I suddenly had available on something productive. I’m not sure if I would have had I been in NYC during quarantine though, as it was mainly the access to nature, space, and great lighting that kept me inspired.

I feel you have a way of visually transforming subject matter that can often be seen as dark or gruesome into a tender, delicate moment. For example, the image of the two maggots and the dead bird in the palm of a hand. Can you explain this process?

I’ve never thought of those images as dark, actually, but that’s an interesting observation. I’m gonna be a total cheeseball here and say that death is just a process, and as much a part of ecosystem as anything else. I don’t discriminate.

I sense a seasonal flow throughout the book; from Spring to Winter. Can you explain more about this edit?

I have to give my editor at Pomegranate Press, Jesse Feinman, most of the credit for editing my book. I realized early on that I didn’t exactly have the eye of a photo editor. I think I’m OK at it, but it’s a lot easier to create a narrative when you’re looking at someone else’s work than your own. My photography professor at BTK, Katrin Thomas, helped me a lot in understanding this process and how to avoid your own predictable patterns when editing down work – but I still prefer to work with someone who isn’t as familiar with the images.

In Norway, and especially from the northern parts where my mom grew up (which is above the arctic circle), the winter is dark and long. There are months on end where you won’t even see the sun rise above the horizon, and there is only enough daylight to provide 3-5 hours of light, but with a similar hue to dusk and dawn at its brightest. It’s beautiful and eerie in its own way, but feels like a different world than the one we inhabit during the summer time; when it’s light out 24/7. I think that growing up with this amount of darkness each year makes me extra aware of the changing seasons. We always had to make the most out of the summer when I grew up, as it was the only chance to charge up on vitamin D – ha.

Who are some photographers that have inspired you throughout your career?

I was very focused on the music industry when I grew up and well into my 20s, and I think I drew a lot more inspiration from other art forms than photography, including comic books, video games, and illustration. It’s only recently that I’ve started spending more time looking at other photography and befriending more photographers, which has been a really uplifting experience. I’ve always loved Torbjørn Rødland, though!

What was the best part about working with Pomegranate Press?

I love all the Pom books & am a huge fan of the photographers they’ve published previously (Sam Youkilis, Kyle Berger, Tyrone Williams, Jackson Krule), so being in that company has felt very, very humbling.

Tonje’s book “One Another” can be purchased in the link below

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Nov 12 Tonje Thilesen

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