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Gerry Johansson


About


Born 1945 in Örebro, Sweden.
Lives and works in Höganäs, Sweden.

Gerry Johansson is a reserved but investigative photographer. In his grayscale images, composed down to the last detail, he visualizes a phenomenon that is often understood as an abstract, elusive concept: Culture. Or, to be more precise, the cultural differences between the locations portrayed – no matter how subtle they may be. The true meaning of Johansson’s works can only be found in the deeper layers. For decades he has traveled to countless places all over the world, some relatively close like the Swedish Kvidinge, others far away like the Mongolian Ulan Bator or the city of Pontiac in the Midwestern, United States. 

Gerry Johansson’s independent visual language is the central thread that connects the places aesthetically with each other. At the same time, however, it also represents the key that enables the viewer to decode the cultural differences in what is shown.

His interest in photography began to develop as a teenager. After a stay in New York for several years in the early 1960s, he first studied graphic design at the School of Design and Crafts in Gothenburg, Sweden. After graduating in 1969, he worked as a graphic designer for 15 years before dedicating himself completely to photography in the mid-1980s.

News


Work


American Winter

America

Antarctics

Ehime

Deutschland

Meloni

Ravenna

Tokyo

CV


Education

1969 Graphic Design, School of Design and Crafts, Gothenburg, SE

Solo Exhibitions (selected)

2025

#69 tokyo/ehime, Ibasho Gallery, Antwerp, BE

2024

In Palin View, Large Glass, London, UK

2022

THE BOOKS, Landskrona Museum, Landskrona, SE

2020

At Home In Sweden, Germany and America, Spazio Labo‘ – Centro di Fotografia, Bologna, IT

2019 

AMERICA SO FAR, 1962-2018, MiCamera, Milan, IT

Roots around Gerry Johansson, Copenhagen Photo Festival 2019, Harbo Bar, Copenhagen, DK

America Winter, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2018

America Winter, Galerie f5,6, Munich, DE

Deutschland/Schweden, Kunsthalle Rostock, Rostock, DE

2017

Tokyo, Vu‘ La Galerie, Paris, FR

Tyre Choice, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2016

Tokyo, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

Tokyo, ONLY PHOTOGRAPHY, Berlin, DE

2014

GERRY JOHANSSON, Galerie f5,6, Munich, DE

GERRY JOHANSSON, Malmö Konsthall, Malmö, SE

2013

Amerikabilder 1962-1993, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

Deutschland, Freelens Galerie, Hamburg, DE

Moment, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

Deutschland, Swedish Photography, Grundemark Nilsson Gallery, Berlin, DE

Closing The Books, GunGallery, Stockholm, SE

Deutschland, MiCamera, Milan, IT

2009

Small Gardens And Squares, GunGallery, Stockholm, SE

2008

Impediment, Double Elvis Gallery, Stockholm, SE

2007

Photographs, 1978-2006, Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, SE

Landsbygd, Nordiska Museet, Stockholm, SE

2005

GERRY JOHANSSON, Panoptikon Fotografins Hus, Stockholm, SE

2003

Antarctica, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

2002

GERRY JOHANSSON, Blue Sky Gallery, Portland, Oregon, US

1998

GERRY JOHANSSON, Galleri F48, Stockholm, SE

Group Exhibitions (selected)

2025

8 Projects – From Landscape To Interior, Projektbüro DFI e.V., Düsseldorf, DE

2024

being human, being material, with Andreas Johnen, Dorothée Nilsson Gallery, Berlin, DE

Observing, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2023

Stepping Stones: Three Photographic Journeys, Large Glass, London, UK

Hidden Gems, Dorothée Nilsson Gallery, Berlin, DE

2022

20 Years of Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2021

GERRY JOHANSSON + JOHAN RÖING, Dorothèe Nilsson Gallery, Berlin, DE

2020

Diachronie, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2019

double trouble double grins is it so with twins, Lothringer 13 Halle, Munich, DE

Framed Landscapes, European Photography Commissions, 1984-2019, Museo Colecciones ICO, Madrid, ES

In dialogue with Strömholm, Dorothée Nilsson Gallery, Berlin, DE

2018

Summer in the City ’18: Cars, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

Il deserto rosso now, Photographic Reactions to Antonioni’s Classic Film, Die Photographische Sammlung / SK Stiftung Kultur, Köln, DE

2016

Trees, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

2015

Summer in the City ’15: Cars, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen, Amsterdam, NL

A Way of Life, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

2014

KONSTELLATIONEN, Galerie f 5,6, Munich, DE

Between Realities. Photography in Sweden 1970-2000, Hasselblad Center, Göteborg, SE

2013

FotoDoks, Festival für aktuelle Dokumentarfotografie, Münchner Stadtmuseum, Munich, DE

2012

Sense of Place, Palais des Beaux-Arts / Bozar, Brussels, BE

Another Story, 1000 Photographs from the Moderna Museet Collection, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

2008

Nordic Moods – Landscape Photography of Our Time, ARKEN Museum for Moderne Kunst, Ishøj, DK

2006

Xposeptember 2006 – Stockholm fotofestival, Stockholm, SE

2005

Fotografi i Fokus – Malmös och Lunds fotobiennal, Malmö fotobiennal, Malmö, SE

Scandinavian Photography 1: Sweden, Faulconer Gallery at Grinnell College, IA, Grinnell, US

2004

Gerry Johansson/Susanna Hesselberg/Regina Viserius, Institut Suédois, Paris, FR

1999

European Eyes on Japan. Museum of Art, Matsuyama, JP

Impediment, Lunds Konsthall, Lund, SE

1992

Trivia, Photographs from the eco-doc project Fotografiska and Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

1989

Photographs from EKODOK 90, with Arne Persson, Varberg Museet, Varberg, SE

Books

2025

Maine

2023

Coast to Coast

2022

Spanish Summer

The Books

2021

Esker / Gerry Johansson

GGGJ Verso Nord Guido Guidi / Gerry Johansson

2020

At home in Sweden, Germany and America

Meloni Meloni

Lalendof und Klaber / Gerry Johansson

Ehime

2019

Halland

Borås

2018

Härryda Kommun

America Revised

American Winter

Supplement: Deutschland

2017

Tyre Choice

2016

Tokyo

Ravenna

2015

Tree Stone Water

2014

Antarktis

2012

Hattfabriken/Luckenwalde

Deutschland

Ölgunda

2011

God Jul och Gott Nytt År önskar Ann och Gerry

Pontiac

Dalen

2009

America Special Edition Ulan Bator

2007

Fyrbodal Kvidinge

2005

Sverige (Sweden)

1998

America

1995

Amerikabilder 1962-93

1992

Från Skåne

Trivia

Betong

1985

Halland. 30-tal och 80-tal

1980

Gerry Johansson. Fotografier 1976-81

Collections

Moderna Museet, Stockholm, SE

Museet for Fotokonst, Brandt, DK

Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK

The Swedish Art Council, SE