Christer Strömholm is acknowledged as a prominent figure in 20th-century European photography. Renowned for his black-and-white imagery, he skillfully portrayed his surroundings with integrity, subtle humor, and a distinctly personal aesthetic. Demonstrating an unmistakable sensitivity to human suffering, rooted in his own experiences, he charted a new course for photography. Sean O’Hagan, in his writings for The Guardian, hails him as “the father of Swedish photography” for both his enduring influence and his role as an educator.
Hailing from Stockholm, Strömholm’s journey into photography began through graphic art in the late 1940s. Living predominantly in Paris during the 1950s and 60s, he honed his unique style of street photography. It was in the streets of Paris that he created his masterpiece, Les amies de Place Blanche, a homage to a group of young transsexuals who became his friends, sharing their lives over an extended period. These individuals, marginalized and reliant on prostitution for income, were captured in iconic photographs taken at night, bathed in available light. Strömholm blended street photography and portraiture, portraying them as the close-knit friends they were, through intimate and sincere portraits that transcended the spectacular or speculative.
Les amies de Place Blanche delves into profound themes of sexuality and gender, encapsulated in Strömholm’s words, describing it as “about obtaining the freedom to choose one’s own life and identity.”
In the early 1960s, Strömholm embarked on photographic expeditions worldwide, exploring places like Spain, Japan, India, and the USA. Early in his career, he began teaching in Stockholm, eventually establishing the legendary Fotoskolan, graduating approximately 1,200 students between 1962 and 1974.
While Strömholm’s work has inspired numerous generations of photographers, it wasn’t until 1986, with a major exhibition at Moderna Museet in Stockholm, that he gained broader public recognition. Strömholm passed away in 2002.