‘PARALLELS’ Exhibition at NP33 during SPEGLA photo festival
“In her personal projects Jenny Jacobsson often elevate images we only see when we close our eyes and through that visualizes the limitless possibilities we are provided with.” – SPEGLA
During the SPEGLA photo festival you could see my work through my ‘PARALLELS’ Exhibition in Norrköping, October-November 2017.
SPEGLA was filled with exhibitions, seminars, and workshops and through this special event the story behind and about the photograph were in focus. Images that tells a story, images that makes you feel, that make the world stop, and photos we just pass by. SPEGLA is highlighting it all and questions what we are depicting when we paint with the camera? And why?
I had the honor to be invited both for an exhibition and to do a half day workshop, and hopefully we’ll see each other there again next year?
PARALLELS October 20 – November, 2017 NP33, Norra Promenaden 33 Norrköping, Sweden Presented by Sandeng Art
Project published in book ‘INTERNATIONAL FLORAL ART 2016/2017’
When starting our collaborative journey together last year,
florist Sissel Willbro and I didn’t know where our creativity would take us. We knew we aimed at getting published in book International Floral Art 2016/2017, and that we wanted to deal with a subject very close to heart.
The project grew into highlighting the daily balancing act and struggle of young women between their own emotional integrity and the constant threat of falling for a skewed medial and distorted everyday pressure. The perishable organic plant arrangements are used to symbolize the fragile balance, and they merge with stories in the surreal worlds of my photographs to illustrate the mental landscape.
And now I’m happy to say, we are published in the book we aimed for (link to book):
“With 304 pages of the most striking floral arrangements, the International Floral Art 2016/2017 is another exceptional tribute to the wonders of floral art. An absolute favourite of many, the International Floral Art series has become an essential resource, reflecting the diverse and ever-evolving floral art scene. Over 200 international artists, both up-and-coming as well-established designers, sent in their best designs. It accounts for the extraordinary diversity and the refreshing mix of arrangements in this volume.
Packed with artful and inventive new designs and showcasing many contemporary styles and techniques, this is a must-have for anyone interested in floral art, from those with fingers itching to create, to those who just want to stand back and admire the incredible talents of others.
A massive THANKS to the wonderful women involved in the project so far. How impossible it would have been without you. You are OH so incredible. <3
Photography | JENNY JACOBSSON Floral Art Designer | SISSEL WILLBRO of Fröken Blomma Hair and Make Up Artist | SABINA SELIN of Style By S Models | ELNA NILSSON (umbrella), CHRISTINE GLANSBERG (ballerina), ANNIKA HOLMDAHL (masks), NAZANIN ZAREI (shield) & SOFIA SEGERSTRÖM (box)
A haze from sleepiness because now I’m a day overdue, and my body and mind have been ready day and night for weeks, for the wonder growing inside me to enter into this world. A haze from marvel, worry, bliss, doubt, and hopefulness, all mixed up into one foggy existence about how it will all turn out. And when I look at this image, created (now what feels like so long ago) just a few of weeks after we got the big positive news that we were expecting, I realize we’re still in that pending state. It’s just a bit different.
“The big news came with an indescribable happiness. And an itch to see what the future would hold and an eagerness to make the very best of it all. Yet it took about 2 seconds before some sort of sense of protectiveness set in. And angst. And I started to wonder how to possibly move forward the best way, and what would lie ahead, especially when time went by sooo slowly. And if this all could possibly be true when it felt so utterly unreal. It was a bit like living and moving slowly forward in a dreamlike state. Being wide awake, but the world still feeling so surreal.”
This mix of feelings, both great and less enjoyable, made the head spin a bit and to me, who really likes control and to know what to expect from the future, it was a bit difficult to grasp. We talked a lot, me and Andreas, and we noticed that we shared very similar feelings. And that we knew that together we can always face anything and move forward no matter what lies ahead.
“And so one very early summer’s morning, some might call it night, I woke him up to go for a drive to our nearby lake to visualize and capture the feeling of this pending state of expecting. To always remember this incredibly love filled, confusing, and wonderful time of life.”
(02)
I’m still pending. Expecting.
Now at the other end of the same pregnancy, but in a very different physical state, I’m still pending. Expecting. Not knowing exactly how to move forward, and what will lie ahead. And I just have to realize it’s part of life.
And that I need to let go of that control and just trust that my body and mind will take care of it the way it’s meant to do. I, being a biologist academically, have to trust my thoughts telling me that my body was built to do this and it will probably work out alright. My mother did this 3 times. My grandmother Lilly did this 8 times, although unfortunately only 7 turned out truly well. And my great-grandmother did this no less than 12 times! That’s some heritage to carry.
And I surely will do my best to carry it well. And I truly hope that next time I’ll write you I will be more knowledgeable. And less pending. And certainly, a really happy mother.
BEHIND THE SCENE: Testing the remote.
BEHIND THE SCENE: From the shore at Delsjön.
~Have you gone through something similar yourself? Feel free to write a comment below to share your thoughts and help each other out~ 🙂
EXHIBITION at Gothia Towers The Gallery – Jenny Jacobsson, Thomas Feiner, Johannes Berner & Johan Lund
And so it is time again! A selection of my work is in exhibition at Gothia Towers The Gallery in Göteborg Jan 15th – 31st, 2016, this time in the company of the wonderful photographers and artists Thomas Feiner, Johannes Berner, and Johan Lund. The description is:
“A photo experience beyond the ordinary is visiting The Gallery.“
The exhibition is presented by Sandeng Art and their team has set up an awesome display and still life in the gallery windows, and to my image The incongruity they have created an interpretation of the photo setting. Go check it out!
You can read more about the exhibition and us artists at The Gallery’s site. The Gallery is the beautiful art showroom of Gothia Towers, located between the hotel lobby and the Swedish Exhibition Centre (Svenska Mässan).
Fotomässan Stockholm is the biggest photo event of the year in the Nordic countries and Kamera & Bild interviewed fantastic photographers like nature photographer Mattias Klum, Pieter ten Hoopen, Emma Svensson (Rockfoto-Emma), LisaLove, and Sophie Odelberg. They were also showing the latest technique, and discussing photo trends. See my live TV interview above and check out the other interviews at Kamera & Bild.
I was invited to do 2 different talks during the event and the other one is a talk at the big stage for Moderskeppet on ‘The road to creative images that evokes emotions’. You can watch it here!
“PARALLEL WORLDS” – Solo exhibition at Gothia Towers The Gallery
It was a great honor having my solo exhibition, ‘PARALLEL WORLDS’ at Gothia Towers The Gallery in Göteborg Sept 22 – Oct 8, 2015.
“The photographic exhibition invites you into worlds we see when closing our eyes, conceptualized and told through Jenny Jacobson’s camera, creative image construction and strong narrative.
Included are 3 brand new, yet not shown, works. The exhibition is presented and produced by Sandeng Art, and we are all proud and eager to show you the beautifully and carefully made works.”
The Gallery is the beautiful art showroom of Gothia Towers, located between the hotel lobby and the Swedish Exhibition Centre (Svenska Mässan). And wall to wall simultaneously to the exhibit the largest fair of the year, Göteborg Book fair, took place, filling the gallery with a staggering amount of creative people. I couldn’t be more happy about the arrangement and the resulting event. ‘Parallel worlds’ is available for new venues and if you missed this one I hope to exhibit soon again, close to your location.
The last image in this blog post is from the opening, and it was filled with so much wonderful inspiring people, both new acquaintances and old friends. An incredibly warm thank you to all of you wonderful people, sharing the moment with me, for the incredibly nice conversations, and for all the shared passion.
‘THE ASCENT OF OUR DESCENT’ – imagining the effect our actions have on our environment
Just imagine what would happen if we continue like we do, and the sea levels rise.
Just imagine our coasts and their cities, whole islands and island nations, flooded. And with them ecosystems, entire species of plants and animals, in risk of endangerment when the ocean is claiming victims. It takes so little. Less than I personally had imagined. And it’s the result of our human-induced climate change. We are causing this risk. Isn’t it time for more of a global consequence thinking? We are all placed on this small planet. We only have the one. It’s about the choices we make today. We can not postpone acting.
‘The ascent of our descent – I’ and ‘The ascent of our descent – II’ are highly connected to the reflection about our environmental paradox I created in ‘The incongruity’. They are all part of my series ‘Parallels’ and can be VIEWED IN FULL SIZE ON MY ART PORTFOLIO SITE.
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I’m so proud of and incredibly fortunate to have gotten the chance to work with the team behind these two images. When minds alike meet up there can certainly be sparks flying! Love you guys. And thank you.
Award in PX3 WHITE: COLOR TRILOGY PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION, 2015
“Jenny Jacobsson of Sweden was Awarded for the entry entitled, “The sentence”. The jury selected winners from thousands of photography entries from over 85 countries.”
The prestigous PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris conducts a three-color themed competition and this year’s theme was white. The competition is inspired by and in tribute to polish fimmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski’s 1990s ‘Three colors’ trilogy.
I’m happy to announce that my image ‘The sentence’ from series ‘Parallels‘ was awarded with an Honorable Mention.
ABOUT Px3: The “Prix de la Photographie Paris” (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Website: px3.fr
‘Forty Faces’ – Self Portraiture Art Exhibition at Sandell Gallery
Last week the doors opened to Sandell Gallery and the exhibition »Forty Faces«, a fantastic collection exhibition with a motley crew of art pieces themed Self Portraiture. 40 artists, 40 self portraits, different media, and me and my ’The unveiling’ from series ‘Parallels‘ is one of them.
“Self-portrait is the only motif that has stood the test of time. Almost all artists in the last five hundred years have sooner or later chosen to paint his own face and his own body.”
Welcome! ____________
FORTY FACES July 10 – 22, 2015 Sandell Gallery Göteborg, Sweden Curated by Christina Sandell ____________
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Agneta Dalnäs | Aleksandar Sekara | Alex D. Enerskog | Anna Blennow | Anna Östberg-Casanova | Caroline Brems | Christine Jansson | Daniel Wirgård | Elin Andersson | Ellen Artling | Eva Wirén | Helena Gyllensvärd | Håkan Aludd | Jan Eneroth | Jan-Erik Stålnacke | Jenny Jacobsson | Jenny Mårtensson | Jesper Dickell | Julia Cederqvist | Katarina Krebs | Karin Grisejente Jansson | Karin Persson | Krister Kern | Lisa Lans | Lisa Persson Baagøe | Lotta Larsson | Maria Lindbeck | Martin Elgueta | Mathilda Sjöström | Mats Mattsson Boström | Mia Andrésen | Patrik Andersson | Romel Ilarde | Rune Lans | Shanti Wernersson | Sofia Bergman | Sofia Wallner | Steve Bettman | Therese Ljungh Lindberg | Vivianne Otsa
The opening on July 10th was jam-packed with loads of wonderful and enthusiastic art indulgers. Thank you for the wonderful conversations you guys! Here are some images from the event:
ENJOY THIS TEXT FROM THE EXHIBITION BOOK (in Swedish):
Ett självporträtt, en bild av sig själv. En avbildning av sin själ. Sitt yttersta och sitt innersta. Att kunna berätta och blotta är en konst. Att framställa sig själv. Det krävs mod och självinsikt.
Hur visar vi oss själva? Ett ansikte. Rätt upp och ner eller med ett kommatecken däremellan. Vad är det som är just jag? Kanske en symbol, ett uttryck eller ett par intensiva ögon – en blick som säger allt. Eller allt annat utom det. En dansande bild på dig på en äng. Något som visar energin. Självporträtt, avbildningar, har funnits i alla tider. Några av historiens mest kända konstverk är just självporträtt – Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci och van Gogh. I dagens läge är vi våra egna konstnärer. Vi skapar självporträtt utan att kanske tänka på det. Knäpper av ögonblick. Avbildar oss under en förändring. Exponerar oss på internet. »Jag ska bara ta en selfie.« Bekanta och obekanta gör tummen upp och hjärtar våra ansikten.
I forty faces har 40 konstnärliga personer blottat sina själar. Skapat och exponerat. 40 konstnärliga personer från olika delar av världen. Med mod och självinsikt.
Text by Ronette Svensson
Welcome to ‘Forty Faces’ – Self Portraiture Art Exhibition at Sandell Gallery!
‘THE ELATION’ – unique work created and auctioned off for Barnsjukhuset (The Children’s Hospital)
A month ago I got a request that made my eyes overflow, my knees turn weak, and I think my hands went straight to my heart. Barnsjukhuset (The Children’s Hospital, Drottning Silvias Barn- och Ungdomssjukhus) is yearly doing a charity event called Barngolfen (The Children’s Golf), and the foundation wanted me to create a unique piece of art to be auctioned off on behalf of the hospital and their activity… And I couldn’t feel more honored.
Each year 500 000 people goes through this hospital. 130 000 children is treated. For these people a lot of the time is spent waiting. And when a child is sick that time can be soooo long and sometimes unbearable. And to make the time there go a little faster and help the sick children forget the pain, at least for a little while, they need funds. It can be to have a computer available for the kids to keep in touch with their friends, to be able to participate in musical therapy because music puts a smile on their faces, to play in a real garden, or to get a break from the hospital for a few hours and go to Liseberg. The foundation also gives support to the families of the sick children who faces many challenges that a stay in the hospital means.
And that possibility, to put a smile on a child’s face, is part of the healing process. And that’s why this year’s hashtag was #glädjeläker (happiness heals). And the commission to create the image was founded on this message. And let me tell you, it was the hardest challenge I’ve gotten so far. Ever. But challenges truly makes you grow as a person and have gone through the creative process to make something special to help the kids out, I felt completely exhausted emotionally but stronger and prouder and happier than ever before.
Images from Barnsjukhuset
And when the gala dinner went down on Monday and the unbelievable mix of wonderful people from supporting companies, celebrities, golf pros, sport stars, and even our amazingly warm and kind Her Royal Highness Princess Birgitta (who I’m thrilled to have got introduced to and to meet personally), collected 2 750 000 SEK (about € 310 000) the excitement was HUGE.
Print proofing
And to see my piece of art, as a big 112,5 x 75 cm print mounted beautifully on aluminium by the incredibly amazing crew of Sandeng Art och Fotolab in Göteborg (I absolutely adore you guys. Thank you for the fabulous collaborations), help that cause… well… I don’t think my words can explain it. And I can’t wait to see those money turn into something great for the children.
If you want to help out it any way to make the wait for the kids better, visit the link Barnsjukhuset and read what to do there. And remember, happiness heals.
‘THE INCONGRUITY’ – a reflection about our environmental paradox
It hits me all the time.
It hits me when I’m in the forest and see that shiny container sticking out from the green moss. Or when at the seaside and that garbage bag is waving back and forth between the sand and the water. Back and forth. Back and forth…
Like that plastic, glass, or metal ever would decompose.
It strikes me all the time. The incompatibility between our ways of consumption and our will to live environmentally friendly. The way we are using up our Earth’s resources even though we all know that our way of living is utterly unsustainable. I know it. You know it. Yet we all still together don’t do enough to change it. Not. Enough. We should not fool ourselves. Only we can change it. We all live with it. Act on it. Dress in it. The environmental paradox. The incongruity.
“Our mission is to salute the achievements of the world’s finest photographers, to discover new and emerging talent, and to promote the appreciation of photography.” IPA ~ int’l photography awards ~
IPA (International Photography Awards) creates one of the most ambitious and comprehensive competitions in the photography world today, conducting an annual competition for professional, non-professional, and student photographers on a global scale.
On September 30, 2014 the International Photography Awards competition (IPA) announced Category Winners of 2014 Competition!
“This year, IPA received over 27000 submissions from 104 countries across the globe and is pleased to declare that Jenny Jacobsson was awarded Honorable Mention in a Advertising – Fashion Category in the 2014 International Photography Awards (IPA) Competition for the winning entry ‘The space that is and isn’t – I’.”
Selection from the series The space that is and isn’t
Feature and interview for Kamera & Bild – PORTRAIT SPECIAL
“PORTRAITS IN ANOTHER WORLD Jenny Jacobsson swapped a career as a DNA analyst to one as a portrait photographer. But she shoots no ordinary portraits. Instead her images holds stories and dreams that have been developed in close cooperation with the person being portrayed. The result is often not just an image but also a friendship.”
I’m so thrilled to see this wonderful and comprehensive article about me and my photographic work in KAMERA & BILD, one of, if not the, biggest photography magazines in Sweden. It is released today in every well-stocked store with magazine.
This issue’s theme is Portraits, and is focusing on what makes a portrait good, how to think as a photographer when creating it, and gives tips about how to develop yourself together with your portrait images. I’m honored to be one of the professionals they asked to give my point of view.
The interview was done last month by reporter Ola Jacobsen and I want to give a shout out to Ola for such a nice collab! Above is the headline and introductory of the article.
‘HIDE AND SEEK’ – The story behind the portrait at Sandsjöbacka
South of Göteborg is a nature reserve we drive by
each time we go visit my parents-in-law. It’s right there next to the highway, stretching out in all its glory, a heathland making my mind go absolutely wild. I’ve been thinking about shooting there since 2009 when I started to pass it by when I met Andreas. This summer it was time… This is the story behind the portrait at Sandsjöbacka.
I remember sketching the idea out in the middle of a sleepless night. I snuck out of bed at about 2 or 3 am while Andreas was sleeping, snatching a notepad out of the dark on my way into the bathroom. Sitting there with bare legs on the cold tiles I wrote pages about a constant search through life, questions about truths not always visible, and actions taken.
Notes and sketch of concept
The story of ‘Hide and seek’ is heavily based on the transition I have done in life. Being part of my series ‘Parallels’, it carries the research I so often revisit in my work.
The idea is also heavily influenced by something I remember my grandmother say when I was a child…
“If you bring heather inside the house, you bring death in with it.”
That old superstition was the foundation of this exact location and for me, a big part of this story.
Behind the Scenes of the shoot
To get to the location we had to park a couple of kilometers away and hike on one of the trails. Fortunately I’m blessed with the kindest most patient husband, and assistant, ever. So we took the photo gear we needed on our backs together with the shovel, and off we went. On the way there we passed through some truly lovely forests that I just have to go back and shoot in at another time. Maybe for a portrait of any of you out there?
Map and meadow | Sandsjöbacka
This was going to be a self-portrait, wearing one of my old business dresses that I wasn’t keen on hiking in. So getting my hair done beforehand, with a messy bun hinting that the woman had been at it for a while, was ok but I changed into my outfit when we had arrived.
Andreas on the hiking trail | Sandsjöbacka
When arriving at the heath we spent some time looking for the optimal spot to shoot at, with a great undisturbed view and where a lot of the beautiful heather could be seen. We didn’t have to look for that long. Since I had the entire image planned out beforehand, all that was needed was a quick change of clothes, some rigging, and then we got to it.
Behind the Scenes of ‘Hide and seek’
The shoot went quite smoothly even though we took our time to not stumble around destroying any of the heather.
And luckily it went quite fast, because the mosquitos were ruthless, as can be seen by taking a look at Andreas’s legs the day after.
