The year 2025 marks the centenary of the birth of Hans Hammarskiöld (1925–2012), one of the most influential figures in Swedish photography. To commemorate this occasion, Fotografiska Stockholm presents Hans Hammarskiöld: A Life of Highlights, an extensive retrospective that explores over sixty years of photographic work defined by clarity, experimentation, and refined composition.

Born in Stockholm on May 17, 1925, Hammarskiöld began his career in 1949 and soon established a reputation for versatility, seamlessly transitioning between genres. His work spans fashion photography, abstract still lifes, portraits of prominent cultural figures, and urban scenes, all unified by a keen sense of light, form, and spatial tension. His photographic language is distinguished by its modernist sensibility, compositional rigor, and emotional subtlety.

“Hans approached photography with both intelligence and empathy,” states Niclas Östlind, professor of photography and co-curator of the exhibition alongside art historian Joakim Geiger. “He developed a unique rapport with his subjects, and this is evident in the honesty and intimacy of his portraits.”

The exhibition features works from Hammarskiöld’s time in 1950s London, where his attention to architectural rhythm and everyday detail is particularly striking, as well as fashion images produced for British Vogue between 1954 and 1956, characterized by elegance and innovation. A significant portion of the exhibition is dedicated to portraiture across five decades, including depictions of artists, writers, and figures from the avant-garde scene of the 1960s, to which Hammarskiöld was closely connected. Also on view are experimental photographs that move toward abstraction, as well as documentation of the groundbreaking 1966 exhibition She – A Cathedral, presented at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. In 1958, together with Georg Oddner, Rune Hassner, Lennart Olsson and others, Hammarskiöld co-founded the group Tio Fotografer (Ten Photographers), which played a pivotal role in redefining Swedish photographic aesthetics in the latter half of the twentieth century. By the time of his death in 2012, he was the last surviving member of the collective. “The group brought a bold, documentary style to the forefront of Swedish photography and introduced a spirit of experimentation that departed from the conventions of the previous generation,” says Lisa Hydén, Director of Exhibitions at Fotografiska.

The exhibition Hans Hammarskiöld: A Life of Highlights is curated by Niclas Östlind and Joakim Geiger, in collaboration with Fotografiska and the Hans Hammarskiöld Heritage.

About the Author

Hans Hammarskiöld (1925–2012) holds a prominent place in the history of Swedish photography and earned international acclaim for his work. Throughout his career, he explored a wide range of photographic genres. While he spent many years working in industrial photography, he became especially renowned for his striking portraiture. His professional breakthrough came during the 1950s, a decade in which he traveled extensively and worked across the globe.
Over the course of his life, Hammarskiöld took on multiple roles within the field and worked across numerous photographic disciplines. Notably, in the 1950s, he contributed to Vogue, engaging with the world of fashion photography.
He was also the last surviving member of the influential group Tio fotografer (Ten Photographers), which played a major role in shaping Swedish photography for generations, particularly through their collaborative work under the agency Tiofoto.
In 2009, seventy of Hammarskiöld’s portraits were presented in an exhibition at the National Museum in Stockholm. These portraits were later gifted to the National Swedish Portrait Gallery.
A comprehensive look at Hammarskiöld’s body of work reveals the breadth of his vision and stylistic range—balancing traditional approaches with a willingness to explore and innovate.

Hans Hammarskiöld: A Life of Highlights
through 5 Oct 2025
Fotografiska Museum Stockholm – Sweden

More info:

https://stockholm.fotografiska.com/
https://www.hanshammarskiold.com/