JANIH CH. LÜTHI
- ARTISTIC HUB MAGAZINE
- Sep 27
- 4 min read
SWITZERLAND
The Power of the Unspoken
In Janih Ch. Lüthi’s practice, everything begins with a spark, be it an idea, inspiration, memory, gesture, or a single image that grows into a theme strong enough to become a series. Her photography shapes emotion through light and shadow, while the unseen carries as much weight as what is revealed. Each project gives rise to the next with ease, never with pressure, and a portrait, for her, exists only in a moment of mutual trust and presence. Janih shares insights into her process in conversation with Artistic Hub Magazine.
Janih Ch. Lüthi, Artist
Your portraits often feel carefully composed, yet they never lose emotional spontaneity. How do you usually develop a concept for a series? Where do you begin, and when do you know a theme is strong enough to explore further?
My process often begins with a fragment of inspiration such as an image, a gesture or a memory that refuses to leave me. If it keeps resurfacing and starts connecting to other ideas, I know it has enough weight to explore further. A strong theme feels alive and it keeps pulling me back until I can no longer ignore it.
Photography is always a matter of choice: what to reveal and what to leave out. What matters most to you when deciding what stays in the frame and what you deliberately leave unseen?
What stays in the frame has to serve the emotion I want to convey. By leaving out anything distracting, the image can breathe. Often, what remains unseen resonates most deeply with the viewer.
Model/Muse: Katarina Sokolva
There seems to be a sense of continuity in your work, as if each series naturally grows out of the previous one. Do you follow a clear long-term vision, or does a new idea often surprise you and lead you in a different direction?
There is a thread of continuity, yes, but I don’t force it. Each project quietly teaches me something that leads to the next, like a stepping stone. At the same time, I try to remain open to surprise, because the most meaningful work often arrives unplanned, from an encounter or a moment I couldn’t anticipate.
Series like “Black & White Portraits” suggest a certain closeness and trust between you and the person in front of the camera. How do you build that connection before the shoot begins, and what needs to exist in that dynamic for you to start working?
I believe portraiture is built on trust. Before lifting the camera, I take time to listen, to talk, or simply to share a moment of silence. The subject needs to feel that I’m fully present with them, not just observing from a distance. When that mutual openness is there, each photograph becomes a collaboration, a shared moment rather than simply a captured one.
Model/Muse: Aleksandra Danchenko
Your images often carry a minimalist atmosphere, but nothing in them feels accidental. How do you approach the preparation for a session, from the space and light to your interaction with the model?
I approach preparation almost like setting a stage, but I try not to over-control it. I pay attention to light first, as it shapes the atmosphere and sets the emotional tone of the session. The space matters too, though I prefer uncluttered environments that don’t compete with the subject. But above all, the human exchange is central. I build trust and then give people the freedom to position and move themselves, without strict direction. That openness allows gestures, expressions, and movements to emerge authentically. Once that energy is present, light and space simply echo the natural rhythm of the moment we’ve created together.
Model/Muse: Priscila Guedes
Every long-term artistic path has a moment when something “clicks.” Do you remember when you first recognized your direction, and how did you know it was the one you wanted to follow?
My direction revealed itself gradually, not in a single revelation. For years, portraiture wasn’t even on my mind. I devoted myself to landscapes and wildlife, always seeking the silence of the mountains. But after an injury, I could no longer climb or hike as before, and I found myself sitting at home with the camera in my hands. That break forced me to look differently, to turn the lens toward people. Slowly, I noticed my images were no longer imitations of others; they carried something distinctly mine. That realization marked a turning point. Out of limitation came the confidence to embrace portraiture with intention.
Every series, every exhibition, every frame leads somewhere. What is currently waiting around the corner for you? Do you already sense the next theme, shift, or challenge taking shape?
The work ahead feels quieter, more distilled, and stripped to its essence. I’m interested in how we might photograph what isn’t there, the silences, the absences, the unspoken. I’ve been experimenting with stripped-down compositions where tension comes from what’s withheld rather than what’s revealed. It’s still undefined, and that uncertainty excites me. It usually means the next series is already taking shape, even if I can’t see it clearly yet.
Her answers reveal an artist who seeks authenticity, stillness, and shared moments through photography. Each series brings a new experience and guides her toward the next subject. The next cycle is already taking shape, quieter and more pared back, with a focus on exploring what remains unspoken. In that unseen space, her voice gathers strength, hinting that the most important chapters of her practice still lie ahead.
