SILA is the latest multimedia project by photographer and film director Ciril Jazbec, created over several years in Greenland. The work is both a photographic series and a short documentary film, offering a nuanced portrayal of Inuit youth navigating the tension between tradition and change. Set on Uummannaq Island—600 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle—the project focuses on young Greenlanders who were raised in the Uummannaq Children’s Home, a unique foster community that has supported generations of local children.
Through intimate imagery and quiet observation, SILA captures moments of profound personal transformation. Marius learns to hunt seals on the sea ice, continuing ancestral practices while also experimenting with electronic music—a personal fusion of heritage and modern expression. Jane, preparing to leave the island for college, processes grief and anxiety through the art of Inuit drum dancing, drawing strength from the very traditions that root her.
At its core, SILA is a story of resilience. It explores how the younger generation seeks meaning and direction in a landscape both physically extreme and emotionally charged by the effects of global change. The Arctic has long been a symbol of environmental fragility, but this project shifts the lens toward the human stories unfolding in its heart. Rather than focus on melting ice or rising temperatures, SILA reveals the emotional terrain of a generation growing up with both the burden and the beauty of inheritance.
Photographed in close collaboration with local partners and with deep respect for Inuit culture, SILA offers a visual experience that is as poetic as it is urgent. The series invites viewers to reflect on the universal themes of identity, belonging, and the search for purpose—especially in times of uncertainty. It is a project about holding on and letting go, about finding your voice on the edge of the world.
