MANJA WACHSMUTH
WATER MELON and ROCK MELON
FROM THE SERIES BURST
Returning to Denmark, my home country, for a visit in August 2022 for the first time after the lockdowns and 4 years of separation was a brutal reminder of how utterly homesick I was. I had completely forgotten. Reconnecting with family and friends, most of whom had never even met my youngest son, was incredibly precious but at the same time also heartbreakingly painful, because a holiday just wasn’t enough time to truly re-connect.
Back in New Zealand, what followed was a time of feeling completely disconnected and lonely. Despite having my husband and children around me, the need to rebuild intimate relationships back home sent me into a desperate spiral of trying to solve an unsolvable situation.
This series explores quite literally the shape of things as they burst, but also metaphorically the shape of my heart as an expat. A feeling of brokenness. A feeling that “post” pandemic life has presented to a myriad of people. The feeling of being split will always be with me, regardless of where I live, thus now I must aim to build a bridge that connects the new world with the old.
ABOUT MANJA
Award-winning, Danish-born photographer Manja Wachsmuth has spent the last 20 years in the professional photography industry shooting campaigns, packaging and content for clients across Scandinavia & Europe. Running her own business in New Zealand for over a decade, Manja confidently works across the spectrum of photographic challenges.
Now living in Auckland with her Kiwi husband and their two boys, Manja has established herself as a sought-after food, beverage and lifestyle photographer, working with agencies, lifestyle brands, publishers & top chefs.
Her Scandinavian heritage is reflected in the clean and simple style of her photography, which is evocative and beautifully lit, like the long summer nights and sharp winter days of her native Denmark.
Manja brings a direct approach, clear vision and a strong sense of purpose to every shoot. Her goal is always to create authentic images that are beautiful in their detail, which serve as an invitation to intimate moments of honest connection and a pause from the chaos of everyday life.
Manja cares deeply about emotional well-being and sound mental health and often dedicates her personal work to exploring the hidden pockets of the female human mind and how women find their place in life.