18 September 2008

Invited Guest: Thomas Wågström

Wågströms photographs are a personal reflection on conditions such as vulnerability, obsession and fear and have a narrative character, combining an artistic expression with a documentary story. His photographic projects have been exhibited in various forms such as books, exhibitions and stills for Swedish television. Who are you, who am I? Shall I take care of my brother? Those are the words of the Swedish poet Marie Lundquist, quoted from Wågströms book ”The Inner Side of Earnest” (1994). For two years he followed a unit from the Swedish Special Forces during their education and was amazed by the almost ritual form of gravity in which they tackled their difficult trials.

In the book ”Boxers” (2000), Wågström continued to investigate the question of male identity. His photographs of boxers describe the conditions of contemplation and an inner struggle, rather than the real fight that takes place in the boxing ring. He is interested in the introspective expression, a sort of state of emergency of the soul, which he considers as the essence of boxing.

His latest book published in 2006 is titled ”The Zero Moment”. There is by way of explanation at the end of the book a paragraph quoted from the book by Italo Calvino ”If on a winter´s night”. The first line reads, ”I would like to erase the consequences of certain events and restore an initial condition.” This sets the mood for the images which have a dream like sequence, a borderland between wake and sleep where different kinds of fears and mental obsessions become visible.

Please find out more on his website
Invited by Mikael Jansson

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fantastic images! Your photobok "Boxare" is, as well as your other work, amazing!
- F.

Rhonda Boocock said...

extraordinary photographs...very inspiring!

Mikael said...

Yes its amazing images that captures my mind and soul!
A Big Thanks for sharing these with us!

Anonymous said...

so great and so interesting!
a very deeply inspired work.
very beautiful photos!

Anonymous said...

Superb indeed, I really had to look for a long while, just taking in. Sometimes the dreaded internet is just too small (pixelwise), isn't it?
-Christian

GC said...

superb work.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photos, I especially like the one with the knife.

pracapraca said...

brilliant images!!!!

Exposed Material said...

Yep, brilliant.

Anonymous said...

Excellent work!!

M Jenemark

Anonymous said...

fantastic, I am impressed by freezing inner tension in those pictures, great

Anonymous said...

very interesting work

Anonymous said...

very interesting work