ABOUT HÅKAN LUDWIGSON
The respectful warmth with which Håkan Ludwigson meets his subjects and the way he gives the individual a distinct place in the larger context is what characterizes Swedish photographer’s approach. The work is marked by a personal, precise style that elevates his essentially documentary images to a relevance far beyond their original context.
The international public became acquainted with this photographic expression through the extensive reporting, from close to 100 countries, as a contributing photographer to Condé Nast Traveler. A close partnership that lasted for 27 years.
The lifelong career and assignments in the advertising world is well known. The list of awards has grown over the years and includes the Swedish advertising prize Guldägget, Gold at the Art Directors Club in Miami, the Gold Pencil for Photography from the One Show in New York, the Silver Lion for Photography at Cannes, Gold at the Cresta Awards, as well as Bronze at EPICA and Eurobest Awards.
The photographs touches the viewer and explain the growing attention his work is garnering from the art scene.
Australia 1985
BOOKS
TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT
Steidl Verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-86521-082-1 (Sold out from the publisher.)
Photographs tends to be labelled differently depending on where it is seen or published. In this book the images from various assignments, from all over the world, is presented in a new way, to gain a life of their own.
The book was created from the exhibition, with the same name, at Hasselblad Center.
BALLS AND BULLDUST
Steidl Verlag, 2015, ISBN 978-3-86930-707-7 (Sold out from the publisher.)
The pictures were photographed during three months in the Australian "outback" in 1985 and above all depict the stockmen who chose extreme work in an extreme environment. Both the young people who endure a season or two in the dust and heat, but also images of those who remain in a world they love, or have difficulty leaving.
The project was also expanded with a web page, presenting the people with interviews about their life 30 years after the photographs were taken in the Northen Territory. www.ballsandbulldust.com
UNCLAIMED
Håkan Ludwigson / Lennart Grebelius
HATJE CANTZ, 2019, ISBN 958-3-7757-4546-8
Tombstones in Joe Byrd Cemetery near Huntsville, in Texas, USA. Approx. 450 prisoners die annually, around 100 of them are unclaimed and have to be buried in the cemetery. The simple design of the tombstones, the way they have aged, and the concise inscriptions give the stones an evocative and almost mythical appearance. The tombstones, made by prisoners, are presented in the book together with official information including the deceased's name, age, occupation, crime and cause of death. The mark on the tombstones shows e.g. whether the prisoner has been executed or died of other courses.
ASSIGNMENTS PUBLICATIONS
THEATERCAFÉEN
Assigned by Landströms Tryckeri, 1982
A personal and intimate way of portraying people at the famous restaurant in Oslo, where artists and writers have gathered with businesspeople in an almost mythical way, for over hundred years. The book was awarded with Silverägg in Guldäggstävlingen.
IMAGES OF POWER
Assigned by Volvo Trucks 2002
An images narrative of a Road Train through Australia, from Darwin to Brisbane.
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM AN OPEN CAR
Assigned by Volvo / Göteborgstryckeriet, 2006
Images depicting the proximity to nature, people and experiences when traveling in a convertible. Photographed from the passenger seat while traveling in Australia, the United States, Hong Kong and several countries in Europe.
PANTHEON
Assigned by Rolls Royce, 2011
Documentation of the then newly opened Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, Created by architect I.M Pei, for Rolls Royce anniversary book. Around ten internationally active photographers were invited to photograph their part on the theme of Modernity.
FAKTUMHOTELS.COM & FAKTUM KALENDER
Assigned by Forsman & Bodenfors/Faktum, 2013
Pictures for the fundraising page on the web for Faktum, the homeless newspaper in southern Sweden. The pictures of vagrants' sleeping places were also used for Faktum's 2013 calendar. The website was awarded Guldägg in Sweden for the images. Gold in the Art Directors Club Miami. Gold Pencil for the images in The One Show in New York, Silver Lion for the images in Cannes. Gold in Cresta Awards and bronze in EPICA and Eurobest Awards.
But that above all meant support and money for Faktum and their sellers!
EXHIBITIONS
2004 – Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, Taken out of Context. The exhibition later lent its name to the book concluding the project.
2008 – Abecita konstmuseum, Borås, Gemensamt.
2012 – Strandverket Konsthall, Marstrand, Två fotografer/två sekel, as well as Balls and Bulldust. The last one was extended to a book as well as a web page, that both bear the same name.
2013 – Clarion Hotel Post, Göteborg, Faktumhotels.com.
2014 – Sliperiet, Borgvik, My way of seeing, my way of telling.
2015 – Nordic Light Photo Festival, Kristiansund Norway, Balls and Bulldust.
2015-2017 – The Photogallery, summer exhibition in Halmstad and pop up-exhibitions in Göteborg, Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen.
2016 – Råda Rum, Mölnlycke, Metaforer och andra liknelser.
2018 – Åmål Fotofestival, Balls and Bulldust.
2018 – Vänersborgs Konsthall, Connecting the Dots.
2018/2019 – Landskrona Museum and Etnografiska Museet in Stockholm, A WAY – AWAY, a Swedish photo historical exhibition.
2020 Lydmar Hotel, Stockholm, Balls and Bulldust.