Álfkona

• Photographer
  Malcolm Lobban
• Prizes
  Bronze in Fine Art/Nudes

In Icelandic folklore, álfkona are otherworldly, beautiful and seductive residents of forests, meadows and mires. She is often a young beautiful female, and one can sometimes see her dancing in the mist. They are skilled in magic and illusions. Sometimes they are described as small fairies, sometimes as full-sized women and sometimes as half transparent spirits - appearing suddenly out of the rain and mist, friendly and enticing to the point that no man can resist her charm. They were very powerful spirits closely linked to the seid magic.

Born in 1959, Malcolm is an architect with a passion for photography. As a student studying architecture he was drawn to the black and white street photography in Paris and New York City from the 30’s-60’s in particular the photographs of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sophie Calle, Raymond Depardon, and Robert Doiseau. While studying photography at the Ontario College of Art and Design and the Ryerson School of Image Arts, he became interested in the black and white fashion/portraits/fine art photographs of Lillian Bassman, Imogen Cunningham, Peter Lindbergh, Irvin Penn, & Deborah Turbeville.