Sun Dec 20
Hans Ericksson Interview
Hans Ericksson has stolen the Hedi Slimane esthetic. His photography nabs moments in time that are a rare glimpse. They could be simply ordinary moments, but he transforms them into something magical. Hailing from Sweden, one of the most fashionable countries in the modern age, he truly shows us why life in the north is something to be sought after. He’s just finished a new project documenting young boys in a very raw state. His project teases us with, “Is it sexual? Is it sensual? Is it up to me or the public to decide?” Hans Ericksson is currently showing his project, entitled “Greetings from the Beautiful Boys of Stockholm Part II” at the Almänna gallery in Stockholm. I’m not yet satisfied.
HE: I’m interested in the way you see people. And women you see all the time in magazines, movies and TV. That’s why I chose this time to portrait guys instead.
TT: Did you find Hedi Slimane to be an inspiration during the project? I find the style of the photos eerily similar to Hedi.
HE: I would be lying to you if I said no. I know it sounds like a cliché, but I’m also very inspired by the old masters like Avedon and Penn. I remember the books that my father had (he was also a photographer), and i loved to look in these books when I was young — long before I ever thought of becoming a photographer. I also did an exhibition back in 2002 that mused on the same theme “Greetings from the Beautiful Boys of Stockholm Part I”.
TT: What do you think it is about young skinny men that has made the fashion world so interested in them?
HE: It’s like rockstars. A young Keith Richard or in these days Pete Doherty is much cooler then Meatloaf or a hunk.
TT: What do you hope to accomplish with this project?
HE: First of all I would like to show people beautiful pictures and as you write in the text above, it’s up to the public to decide.
TT: Do you hope the reactions to your work will stir controversy or drama?
HE: It doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that there is a reaction.
TT: I really like your work. The black and whites are simply flawless. When do you push the shutter button?
HE: That’s the thing about being a photographer, everybody can learn the technical terms. But when to push the button is something your born with. The feeling in a picture is something that’s in your head, nothing you can learn. It’s not a technical thing.
TT: What do you find so magical about the moments that you capture?
HE: It’s that you freeze a sudden moment, 1/250 of a sec. Afterwards you can look and it’s fascinating for hours, days, years, even decades. That’s magic.
TT: What would you say about Sweden? Is any part of it reflected in your work?
HE: I live here and I love it. Of course it’s reflected my work, but I can’t say how. Maybe I have to move away from Sweden for a couple of years to answer that question. I’ll let you know then.
TT: How did you come into photography? What was the procession like from child to now?
HE: Like I mentioned before, my father was a photographer. I had no plans to be a photographer when I was younger. My father has been a big inspiration for me and he always supported me in this.
TT: What other artists, if any, do you find inspiring or stimulating?
HE: Pablo Picasso and the photographers that I mentioned above. I love the work of William Eggelstone.
TT: If you had to write down three truths on a piece of paper about you that nobody would ever know unless they inquired, what would they be?
HE: I’m not a man of secrets, so I can´t come up with anything.
TT: Do you find a lot of work in Sweden, or do you feel pressure to move to America?
HE: I like it in Sweden, so i don’t think I’m going to move from here and if I did I think I would stay in Europe. But you never know!
TT: What is your work good for?
HE: I could live on something that was a hobby from the beginning. That’s good and few had that chance. Hopefully I can give people something nice to look at and think about. I love the idea that my pictures can invoke people’s feelings.
TT: Do you feel happy being a photographer? If you could change your career to anything with nothing to stand in your way, would you? If so, what career would you choose?
HE: Yes, I am happy being a photgrapher. When I was a child I always wanted to be a farmer, so I would go for farmer.
TT: How cold is too cold?
HE: It’s never too cold for me.
TT: Do you like photos with movement, or completely frozen in time?
HE: I like them both.
TT: This is the part where you put down all your cards. What would be the best hand to win in life?
HE: I have too give you a boring answer on that one, but I’ve got it already. My son and my lovely girlfriend.
Download the Rare Issue. Tweet