Fotografiska

According to much of the travel advice I received prior to my trip, Stockholm's photography museum was a site that couldn't be missed. A more recent entry to Stockholm's seemingly endless list of museums, Fotografiska has only been a stand-alone facility since 2010. The museum has no permanent collection, but instead features four major exhibitions (and several smaller ones) that rotate each year.

A trip to Fotografiska isn't just about the collections, however. The museum repurposes the former customs house, a large brick structure perched on the waterfront at the southern edge of Stockholm's harbor. There are two dramatic ways to approach Fotografiska. Either you can step off a water taxi right at the museum, or you can descend dozens and dozens of stone steps from the lofty cliffs that house the restaurants, shops, and bars of the trendy Sodermalm neighborhood. The facility also includes two places to eat: an outdoor restaurant and bar that sits at the front entrance and an elegant cafe with an incredible view that makes up the museum's top floor.

One of the other qualities that sets Fotografiska apart from its competition is its late hours. The museum stays open until 11 pm on weekdays and until 1 am on the weekends. We took advantage of this rare after-hours opportunity among Swedish attractions and arrived after 8 pm to view the collections. After scanning our Stockholm passes, we headed up to the top floor for a late dinner, only to be met with our first surprise: the cafe doesn't keep the same hours as the museum. I walked over to the long bar that stretches across the water-facing windows, the same spot where I had hoped to dine, to check out the priceless view. It was amazing, and I highly suggest it for those who can make it during cafe hours. One of the servers suggested that we head back down to the restaurant that was at the front entrance. We followed her advice, only to discover that they had stopped seating customers for the night. But, we were told we could still order food from the bar. Option three did lead to food, but there was only one item on the menu: a barbecue plate. Realizing that this was our only option, we ordered from the bartender (and least friendly Swede we encountered during our trip). I split the plate with one of my fellow travelers, and we made the best of the situation. We still had an incredible view, just a little lower. And we still had a great meal, just a smaller portion at a higher price tag.

We finally headed into the museum to view the exhibits. It is important to note that Fotografiska falls into the modern art category, meaning that one can expect to see content that is probably edgier and racier than you get in a typical museum. And the exhibits did not disappoint in that regard. The largest exhibit was entitled "Like a Horse," and it explored topics like class, gender, and culture through the connection of horses. In addition to photographs, the exhibit also included objects, videos, and randomly placed golden horse droppings--which I really hope were fake. I found the works to be thought-provoking, like when one of my travel companions and I discussed the shift from the masculine cowboy image of horses to its current status as a female-dominated activity. 

Like a Horse

One of the show-stoppers for me was a display of glass bottles that advertised to contain scents associated with horses. We had to remove the top of each numbered bottle in order to smell it, and a key on the nearby wall identified the smell. I thought it best to try a couple out before I checked the descriptions, you know, to be daring. Then I joked, I'm probably smelling horse pee or something gross like that. A quick check of the key indicated that yes, in fact, horse urine was one of the scents I had tried. Some of the bottles contained nice smells, like sandalwood and hay. Then I made the poor decision to sniff the bottle identified as "human sweat." It's always nice to be reminded that yes, I do have a gag reflex. And it was also nice that I'd had a light dinner, so there was less to turn in my stomach. I don't know how the artist created the scents, but I can assure you that the effect was very powerful. I chose not to watch the short fictional film in the exhibit, which I think was a good decision. That's the point I realized I would not feel comfortable bringing small children with me to this museum.

The Scent Jars

The move to the next room was jarring. Entitled "What's on the Plate," this exhibit focused on the current famine in Somalia and South Sudan. The lighting was darker, sounds of wind and birds filled the space, and images of food and starving individuals stood on the walls. The mood was much more somber and subdued as we read the stories of struggle and survival as well as messages on climate change and its role in the famine. There was also a hut structure that you could walk into and sit down on the floor. A video about the famine was playing the round, and I couldn't help put feel pulled into the experience.

The Same New Pet

The second floor contained several smaller exhibits. "The Same New Pet," a look into efforts in South Korea to clone your pet. "Confluence" a collaboration between two artists--one who produced a photograph, the other who added additional elements with paint, ink, or other media. A selfie booth. And finally, an exhibit on the collected works of Irving Penn.

Confluence

What I enjoyed most about the exhibits from Fotografiska was the mixing together of classic with contemporary. While the shifts between exhibits could be stark and unexpected, I did enjoy the variety of subjects. This is a museum that you don't want to visit alone--you need someone else to share the experience. At times, you'll be shocked, disgusted, upset, impressed, and filled with laughter. Overall, this museum is a great complement to the Stockholm museum scene.

View from Fotografiska: Gamla Stan at Sunset