Erik Johansson’s photographs take us into a world where reality meets the absurd. His dreamlike staged images are visual enigmas that play with the viewer’s perception and often reference important issues such as the environment. As we walk through the exhibition, we move from light to shadows inhabited by strange visions, before returning to the familiar forms of a real landscape.
In just a few years, Erik Johansson has carved a niche on the international photography scene and has exhibited his work at important institutions such as Fotografiska, Sweden’s leading photography space. At a time when everything can be created on screen, he continues to physically create all his props and sets, using the computer as a tool for composing and finishing his images. The videos and sketches on display provide an insight into the way he works. “For me,”, he says, “creating an image means creating a place which at first seems familiar but which has special features that spark a reaction in the viewer”.
When he began to design his images in 2007, Erik Johansson wanted to see how far he could distort reality without losing the impression of realism, in a similar way to the perspectives created by the Dutch artist M.C. Escher. In time, narrative began to play a central role in his work, though the technical dimension remained as important as ever. Colour and light increasingly serve the narrative and the emotions it seeks to give rise to. A single image must be capable of telling an entire story.
The exhibition presents twenty photos, most of them in large format. Several are being exhibited for the first time.
Website: www.erikjo.com
Going further…
- Micro-guided visits: every Sunday at 4 pm, listen to a short introduction to the exhibition before continuing your visit on your own. Duration: 15 minutes.
- Collaborative workshop open to all: take inspiration from the way Erik Johansson plays with scale and perspective to create a collective, on-going surrealist mural!
Useful information
- Admission free, prior booking not required
- Wednesday – Sunday / 12:00 – 18:00