A shirtless person with gray hair stands in a yellow room, facing a television mounted above a blue door. A red chair is partially visible to the right. The room appears sparse and brightly colored.
Experience / Exhibitions / Lars Tunbjörk — A View From The Side

Lars Tunbjörk — A View From The Side

For one month only this January, the American Swedish Institute presents Lars Tunbjörk — A View From The Side, the captivating photography of acclaimed Swedish photographer Lars Tunbjörk (1956–2015). 

Known for his warmth, humor, deep exploration of loneliness, and the search for meaning, Tunbjörk’s work invites viewers to pause and reflect, causing a variety of emotions, from happiness and recognition to sadness and anger. His photographs are often described as deadpan—offering a documentarian-like snapshot into the absurd yet familiar. The richness in detail and emotion transports viewers into these vivid, dreamlike moments.  

Tunbjörk started with photography at the age of 15 and soon established himself as one of Sweden’s most prominent press photographers, and, in 1993, he created his breakthrough photo project on Sweden titled Landet utom sig. The photographs on display in this exhibition are from the series Landet utom sig (1993), Office (2001), Home (2003), and Winter (2007). Following his sudden passing in 2015, the Lars Tunbjörk Foundation was established to preserve Tunbjörk’s full body of work to be shared with generations to come.   

Curated by the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC in collaboration with the Lars Tunbjörk Foundation, this exhibition showcases Tunbjörk’s iconic, colorful, and vibrant images, immersing visitors in the time, place, and process of his artistic journey. 

A person dressed in beach attire playfully climbs inside a giant replica tube of kaviar at a park. The tube stands upright against a backdrop of trees and a clear blue sky. Another person looks on, smiling, while a figure is suspended from a rope above.
A man in a toy car, a person in a Santa suit, and two children are on a sunny road. One child sits on a deck chair while the other plays nearby. A yield sign is visible, surrounded by trees and a clear blue sky.
A shirtless man in shorts stands in a room with yellow walls and green floors, facing a TV mounted high on the wall showing a black-and-white image. Theres a blue door and a single red chair nearby. A fluorescent light is on the ceiling.
Two people embrace and kiss in a pool surrounded by numerous black inner tubes floating on the waters surface. The clear water contrasts with the dark tubes, creating a serene and romantic scene.
Two children wearing blue helmets and light blue jackets stand in front of a DOMUS MARKNAD store. They are facing away, looking at colorful, cone-shaped flower arrangements in front of the building.

Exhibition Supporters

Lars Tunbjörk — A View From The Side is presented by the American Swedish Institute with support from ASI’s members and donors. The exhibition’s media partner is the Star Tribune. Minnesota artist activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. 

Logo with colorful vertical stripes showing nature and arts symbols, including reeds, a musical note, trees, and water. Text reads Clean Water Land & Legacy Minnesota Amendment State Arts Board in various colors.