Stockholm, Sweden, Things to do

Visiting Fotografiska – Stockholm’s museum of photography

RiA
25 April, 2019
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If you enjoy photography you should visit Fotografiska, Stockholm’s Museum of Photography fotografika.se. It was at the top of my to do list.

It was founded in 2010 and also has museums in London, New York and Estonia. The photography museum has four major exhibitions and up to 20 minor ones a year. It’s very popular with locals and those visiting the city. The exhibitions are created by both well-renowned and established artists and each have their own story to tell.

However, across three floors of Fotografiska Stockholm, you’ll find more than just exhibitions.

Photography Academy

Fotografiska has its own photography academy. It offers those who want to enhance their skills, or people just starting out, the chance to take part in lectures, workshops and courses. You can continue as an amateur or go on professionally.

Studio Live

Be it a concert, sessions on poetry and art or listening to live music, you can spend time in Studio Live. Fotografiska creates a cool place to relax while you’re at the museum. The program changes frequently so make sure you look in advance.

Sustainable innovation and inspiration

Fotografiska aims to inspire people to be more conscious of the things around them which can be taken for granted. Sustainability underpins a lot of the museums ideas, creativity and innovation. To complete your trip, you can stop at its restaurant. Here you’ll find it blends a mix of healthy, good quality food with inspiration to help visitors think more about the food and produce they consume.

My favourite exhibitions

I spent more time than I expected to at the museum as there were a couple of the exhibitions that really stood out for me. They were Kirsty Mitchell’s Wonderland and Jörgen Hildebrandt’s Smile. I enjoyed the very different styles of photography from both but also the amazing stories behind their work.

Kirsty Mitchell

Wonderland Exhibition dates: 7.12.2018 – 3.3.2019 The exhibit that captured my attention the most was Kirsty Mitchell’s Wonderland. As a fine art photographer, Kirsty created a truly emotive and personal photographic project series following the death of her mother from a brain tumour.

All based on memories of stories that were read to her by her mother, Kirsty’s grief was swept up into a fairytale wonderland in her mother’s memory. In a video during the exhibition, Kirsty said she likes to call herself ‘an artist with a camera’. She designs all of the costumes, props and sets herself.

It’s amazing how her photos capture your attention – I’m sure you could not pass without the urge to stop for a closer look! Through her work you see the passion and pain but also fantasy as it blends effortlessly with her grief in the real world. It helped fill the void left by her mother.

She puts everything together so well. Not only are the costumes crazy-cool and beautiful, the settings encapsulate her feelings wonderfully.

Jörgen hildebrandt

Smile – Fotografiska For Life Exhibition dates: 22.11.2018 – 3.2.2019.

Award-winning photo journalist Jörgen works in conflict areas. With a humanitarian mission in mind, he set out to help change the lives of people in low income or middle-income countries. His focus was to help those born with a cleft lip or cleft palate (CLP). A CLP can be easily removed in less than an hour. Did you know that roughly every three minutes a child is born with a cleft palate or lip?

Jörgen’s work over the course of a year, follows six children and three adults across Ghana, Mexico and the Philippines.

Smile and the rest will follow!

Operation Smile offers free surgeries and has become active in more than 40 countries. The project has changed many lives with the help of 6000 medical volunteers completing a whopping 290,000 free operations worldwide! Face the world with a smile and it smiles back at you. Smile and the rest will follow.