Christer Strömholm Fundación MAPFRE Madrid – Sala Recoletos

“We cannot photograph the experience of others,” said Christer Strömholm (1918-2002), a Swedish photographer. This statement encapsulates his unique approach to photography, evident in a body of work that mirrors his eventful life, constant travels, and his enduring empathy in the face of human suffering and the complexities of existence.

Strömholm's compassionate and subtly... Show more

“We cannot photograph the experience of others,” said Christer Strömholm (1918-2002), a Swedish photographer. This statement encapsulates his unique approach to photography, evident in a body of work that mirrors his eventful life, constant travels, and his enduring empathy in the face of human suffering and the complexities of existence.

Strömholm's compassionate and subtly humorous perspective on life led to the creation of a distinctive and unmistakably aesthetic collection. While his significant impact on reshaping photographic language emerged later in 1968 with the exhibition "Nine Seconds of My Life" at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, he is hailed as a key figure in contemporary photography for the original subjectivity he brought to the existential documentary tradition.

This comprehensive retrospective explores every facet of his remarkable work, from his involvement with the German group "Fotoform" in the early 1950s to the assemblages of found objects in his later period. The exhibition spans his numerous journeys, street photography, and portraits of artists.