Jonas Bendiksen at Fotografiska

"The Last Testament"

There are many things that I like about Fotografiska (The Swedish Museum of Photography). Besides the photography, location, space, generous opening hours and restaurant, it is their mix of exhibitions that I really enjoy. They are very particular in making sure that the three or four ongoing exhibitions are very different from one another. While one exhibition might be more flashy and glossy with a fashion photographer, another will be more gritty and realistic with a journalistic point of view. A third exhibition might be more historic in nature. At any rate, it keeps it more interesting and makes it more likely that visitors will all find something that appeals to them.

"The Last Testament"

I was at Fotografiska this past weekend to see an exhibition called "The Last Testament" by the Norwegian photographer Jonas Bendiksen before it closed (Feb 17th is the last day). For three years, Jonas traveled around the world meeting and documenting seven men who all claim to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. At first I didn't think this exhibition would be my cup of tea, but it turned out to be quite fascinating and compelling.

"The Last Testament"

What makes it interesting is how diverse this group of men are and what level of success they have reached (i.e. number of followers). Jonas found these men in places like Brazil, the UK, South Africa, Russia and Japan. Some, like the man in Japan, preached by himself from the back of a truck while others, like in Russia, seem to have a much larger following. Seven very different men from all over the globe, all claiming to be Christ returned. The exhibition also contains a video showing how Jonas Bendiksen tackled the project.

"In Character"

Another new exhibition is "In Character" with, another Norwegian photographer, Anja Niemi (until April 7th). Her work is described as putting "Hitchcockian Blondes into Lynchian landscapes" which is a good description! You still have the opportunity to see the fantastical exhibition "Wonderland" by Kirsty Mitchell (until March 3rd) which I blogged about earlier. Keep your eyes open for some great new exhibitions coming this spring...

"Wonderland"

Fotografiska is located on the northern waterfront of Södermalm, just a 15-20 minute walk from the Hotel Rival. The closest subway/bus station is Slussen (10 minute walk from the museum). One extra special aspect of Fotografiska is their generous opening hours, closing at 11pm on Sun-Wed and 1am on Thurs-Sat. They are also open daily all through the holiday season, including Christmas! They also have a café and award-winning restaurant on the top floor with views of the harbor... well worth a visit.

They are doing some major construction in the Slussen area. But just follow the signs, like the one above, to get to Fotografiska.