YLÄKERTA | 19.7.-5.8.2025
‘By the Water’s Edge’ is a new photographic exhibition by British-born, Finland-based visual artist Daniel James Court.
The series explores the culture of swimming in Finland, where abundant lakes and vast stretches of archipelagic coastline make water part of everyday life. Through quiet, observational photographs, Court examines swimming outdoors as both a cultural norm and a personal act of reconnection — a way to slow down, breathe deeply, and re-engage with the physical world.
“In a time when digital distractions dominate our lives, swimming allows you to feel present,” says Court. “It clears the mind and shifts your attention to what’s immediate, cold water, movement, breath.”
The work responds to the increasing challenges brought on by constant connectivity. Rather than focus on spectacle, the images dwell in the ordinary, often overlooked moments — a swimmer entering the water, standing alone on a dock, or resting at the edge of a lake.
Photographed over the last few summers, the exhibition ‘By the Water’s Edge’ speaks to the need for stillness, presence, and contact with the natural world, not as escape, but as an essential part of living.
Daniel James Court (b.1990) is a British-born, Finland-based visual artist working primarily with photography. Focusing on quiet encounters between landscape and everyday life, his work examines the relationship between people and their environments, and how landscape can shape individuals, communities, and cultures. He completed his BA at Bath Spa University, UK, and his MA at Aalto University, Finland. His work has been exhibited internationally and featured in a range of publications.