Untitled (Forest Janks)
inkjet print on polypropylene. 160 x 120 inches.
2016

This photograph was staged in Finland during a two-month research residency in which Janks Archive also traveled to Latvia and Lithuania collecting “janks.” They learned several jokes in various languages related to the forest. Four are presented here (Left to Right):

Romanian: inalt ca bradul si prost ca gardul
English: Tall as a pine tree, stupid as a fence
collected: Vaasa, Finland (12-17-2015)
origin: common Romanian expression

Latvian: Ej bekot!
English: Go pick boletes (mushrooms)
collected: Riga, Latvia (08-01-2016)
origin: traditional/classic Latvian insult, equivalent of “get lost” or “buzz off”

Lithuanian: prilipęs kaip lapas prie šiknos
English: clung like a leaf to the ass
collected: Kaunas, Lithuania (01-10-2016)
origin: old and common Lithuanian joke – a way to call someone annoying

Finnish: Hiuksesi ovat niinkuin metsä, eivät yhtä tiheät mutta yhtä täynnä elämää.
English: Your hair is like a forest. Not as thick but as full of life.
collected: Vaasa, Finland (12-19-2015)
origin: told to him by his father when he was a child.