Boxer

Nicolai Howalt

'Boxer' is a photographic portrait project about young men between 11 and 17 years of age. The starting point of the photographs is young amateur boxers in Denmark. The photographs are shot in sets of two, one before the match and one just after.



Their faces show no signs of victory or defeat. The project, as an initial point, is not about winners or losers, likewise the match is secondary. It is rather about expectations, consequences and transformation. It is about establishing a sense of identity during the age of puberty and the consequences that either victory or defeat has on young men of that age. They are boys and young men who aim to live up to cultural ideas about masculinity. They risk a lot more than the trophy or a blue eye. A sense of ambiguity appears within their childish naivety and an aura of brutality, alongside pride, courage and dreams.

venue: The Courtyard