IRLAPANTO is a visual story about a boy and his wild and authentic relationship with mother earth. The world he explores is a far away scene full of wondrous wilderness, hidden trails, steep mountains, rough seas, ancient rocks and magical skies. The young man is a wild and brave one and nature is where he finds his home.

The word IRLAPANTO was first used by my son when he was running around in an autumnal field of colourful ferns. He instinctively shouted this non existing primal scream: ‘Irlapanto! Irlapanto! Irlapanto!’ It became his expression for moments where he feels completely himself, free and one with nature.

Already from a young age I noticed that something remarkable happened when my son discovered nature. Somehow this savage character arose from his wiry body. Running around like a wildling, screaming unintelligible sounds, battling demons in trees and having endless conversations with the sea. A trancelike state where time stood still and everyone around him vanished. It felt like he had always belonged there and at that moment connected with his core self. As if he was more in tune with all the sensory experiences that nature had to offer then other people. As if he still had some primordial bond with our universe that most of us had lost through ‘civilization’.

I decided to document these moments in a poetic way; my son moving freely, the landscapes he wanders in and the wondrous things he sees and uncovers. With whichever camera I have with me. Without interfering with his state of being. And by collecting the treasures he finds in nature. Because I fear he might not recollect these precious happenings once he matures. Or worse even; in case we would fail to preserve the vital natural parts of the world we live in.