“This exhibition is a tribute to the trust that comes with being truly seen and the moment when individuals reveal their inner most person.” These are the words of Tobias Regell, one of Sweden’s most important portrait photographers. His timeless black-and-white imagery renders subjects with unique presence and intimacy. Fotografiska Stockholm presents Du såg mig med orädda ögon – which translates to “You Saw Me With Fearless Eyes” – a major retrospective of Regell’s work. The exhibition brings together over 100 photographs, spanning several decades and multiple series, that trace the artist’s exploration of trust and the vulnerability that allows those he photographs to be authentically seen.
Regell’s work is distinct because it is built upon intimacy rather than spectacle. His portraits – of artists, actors, dancers and creative figures – capture people in moments of pause, rather than as an icon. A man pours wine, his head resting in a bowl; two women lean into one another, in a moment of unguarded closeness; a single figure looks directly outwards, the gaze steady and unflinching. These are photographs that ask for attention without demanding it, drawing the audience into instants of stillness and closeness. The exhibition’s title speaks directly to Regell’s philosophy: “For over thirty years, I’ve followed people using the camera as a mirror. I’ve sought out the meetings that occur in these photographs – the moments when the subject dares to be themselves.” This sense of chance encounter is paramount to the show, where each image has a sense of authenticity and the tension of a real encounter.
Black and white is central Regell’s visual style. It’s a signature that removes the distractions, allowing images made decades apart speak to one another. It means that the exhibition, made up of multiple series and projects, becomes one seamless experience. Curator Marina Kereklidou says: “Tobias’ photographs have a calm that feels deeply human. His portraits are not about the superficial, they are about meetings, about daring to stop a moment and allow someone to truly see you. In Du såg mig med orädda ögon, we want to show an artistry that reminds us of the original power of photography: imparting presence.”
Visitors are offered an insight into Regell’s working method through a setting inspired by his own studio, recreated within the exhibition space. It’s a subtle but telling gesture – shifting focus away from the finished image alone and towards the creative process. It’s a detail that’s emblematic of the entire show, which is a place for slowness, conversation and trust. Here, the artist asks audiences to meet the gaze held within the frame, recognise the courage it takes to be seen, and consider what it might mean to offer the same openness in return. This is a show that deals with one topic alone: what it is that makes us human.
Du såg mig med orädda ögon is at Fotografiska, Stockholm until 19 April: stockholm.fotografiska.com
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1&4. Alexander Ekman © Tobias Regell
2. Alexander Ekman © Tobias Regell
3. Amanda Ooms © Tobias Regell
