Women Behind the Camera 1848-1968

Female photographers are a phenomenon as old as photography itself. Already in the mid-1800s, photography was one of the most important professions for women, and around the turn of the 20th century, female and male photographers were roughly equal in number in many cities. Then it changed - early in the 1900s came a sharp decline and sudden male dominance, and the myth of the male photographer grew stronger.

The exhibition Women Behind the Camera, 1848-1968 brings professional female photographers back into focus. It is a story of pioneers, breakthroughs, and golden ages - but also of setbacks and the struggle for rightful recognition.

The exhibition is based on the book of the same name (Bokförlaget Arena, 2024), the first comprehensive study of the history of professional female photographers in Sweden. Curator: Dragana Vujanovic Östlind, in collaboration with authors Eva Dahlman and Magnus Bremmer, and Lena Wilhelmson.