Linda Thompson

I am a doctoral student in artistic practice with an emphasis on photography at Mid Sweden University in collaboration with HDK-Valand at the University of Gothenburg.

My doctoral project is concerned with seeking new knowledge about, and through arts practice focused on the representational challenges related to places of energy extraction and environmental change. Within documentary photography exists a tradition of care for social and environmental concerns, that despite good intentions continues to face challenges related to representation of the subject. At the same time, documentary photographic practice and artifacts have been used in extractive ways in the subjugation of both people as well as the more-than-human world. Recently, terms such as “decolonizing photography” or “environmental rephotography” are emerging to describe the work of engaging in acts of revision with archives and past narratives. In English the word “revision” implies careful reading, change, and at times, correction. In Swedish revision also implies an audit or external critical review. The research project, ”Revision and the River” explores acts of witnessing and revision in documentary arts practice focused on environmental storytelling.

The project focuses on the case of the iconic Nämforsen rapids-turned-hydropower-plant along the Ångermanälven River in Northern Sweden as a site of collective memory and imaginary potential. Nämforsen was the site of the first of forty-four hydropower dam installations on Ångermanälven imposing catastrophic barriers to the wild Salmon’s critical migration journey. Through interpretive environmental rephotography, montage, sequencing and other acts of revisionist storytelling, this research explores place-based documentary-arts practice as a form bearing witness to- and reimagining- the image of Nämforsen.

Questions of special attention in the research:

Q1: What characterizes witnessing and revision in environmental storytelling.

Q2: What representational challenges arise in documentary arts practice focused on places of energy extraction and environmental change.

I am a practicing artist and educator based in Ångermanland, Sweden. I have a background both academically and professionally in photojournalism with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Montana and a Master of Arts from Mid Sweden University. I am the author of three monographs dealing in different ways with the representation of migration through the documentary arts; In Place of Memory (Teg Publishing, 2016), Emigrant Memoir (Self-published, 2019) and Återvändarna / The Returners (Self-published, 2021). www.lindamthompson.com

Background

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism emphasis Photojournalism, University of Montana (2000)

Master of Arts in Photojournalism, Mid Sweden University (2014)

Area of interest

photography, photojournalism, documentary arts, environmental rephotography, plant-based photography, visual storytelling, migration, identity, representation

Research

In 2022 I began doctoral studies in artistic practice with an emphasis in photography at the Department of Design at Mid Sweden University in collaboration with HDK-Valand at the University of Gothenburg.

Between 2019-2022 I was a part of Miun Research Exhibition working with the theme "the forest and sustainability". The work is to result in a physical and virtual exhibition. www.miun.se/borealabilder

Teaching and tutoring

I teach in a variety of courses within the subjects of photography, graphic design and industrial design.

Other information

Exhibitions

2020

”KKV c/o Konsthallen” (group) Härnösands Konsthall, Härnösand, Sweden,

2019

"Mellanplatser / Places in Between" Västernorrlands Museum, Härnösand (solo)

"Emigrant Memoir" Missoula Art Museum, Missoula USA, (solo)

"Emigrant Memoir" Sune Jonsson Centrum för Dokumentärfotografi, Umeå (solo)

"Publicerat / Published", Centrum för Fotografi, Stockholm (group).

2018

“Publicerat / Published” Hasselblad Center, Gothenburg (group)

“Code-switching: a practice in progress” Centrum för Fotografi, Stockholm

2017

“In Place of Memory”, Söråker’s Folkets Hus

2016

“In Place of Memory”, Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography, Umeå

“In Place of Memory”, Black Door Gallery, Örebro

2015

“In Place of Memory”, Galleri Kontrast, Stockholm 

“Planket” Umeå. Outdoor group show in Umeå. 

2014

"Vi och dom Andra /Us and Them" VODA (group). Sune Jonsson Center for Doc. Photography, Umeå. 

“Planket” Stockholm. outdoor group show in Stockholm. 

“New Nordic Photography” (group), Hasselblad Center, Gothenburg, Sweden. 

“Masters Work: The First Dynasty” (group), Centrum för Fotografi. Stockholm, Sweden.

“Neighbors/Vi och dom Andra /Us and Them" (VODA) at Riga Photo Month 2014. (group)

"Masters Work: The Sweden Project", Norrlandsdagarna. Umeå, Sweden. (group).

2013

"Masters Work: The Sweden Project", (group) Fotomuseet Sundsvall, Sweden

“Masters Work: A View of the North" (group) Fotomuseet, Sundsvall, Sweden

2011

"Icons of the West", Dana Gallery, Missoula MT, USA (group) 

2009 “No Place Like Home”, the Loft at Higgins Alley in Missoula, MT, USA

Awards / Distinctions

• Swedish authors fund, One-year grant
• Göran Dahlbergs Award 2020
• Winner Svensk Bokkonst 2019 / Swedish Book Art 2019
• Konstnärsnämnden/Swedish Arts Council, one-year working grant 2019
• Landstinget Västernorrland travel grant 2019
• Semi-finalist Lange-Taylor Prize 2018
• Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse 2017
• Högsjö Hembyggdsförening culture award
• Landstinget Västernorrland resebidrag 2017
• Sveriges Författarfond “one year grant” 2016
• Successful Kickstarter campaign 2016
• Stiftelsen Längmanska Kulturfonden 2016
• Sune Jonsson Award 2016
• Alba Årets Fotograf / Alba Photographer of the Year, www.alba.nu
• Nominee, TT:s Stora Fotopris 2015
• Svenska Fotografers Förbunds travel and education grant 2015
• Nominee, The 2014 Victor Fellowship in Photography – The Hasselblad Foundation

Catalogs and anthologies

• Svensk Bokkonst 2019: 25 Utvalda Böcker, ISBN 978 91 7000 410 0
• Published: Photo Books in Sweden, König, WaltherVerlag 2018. ISBN 978-3-96098-475-7
• ArkDes Resumé #2 – Höra hemma: om det bostadspolitiska dilemma ISBN 978-91-87447-08-2
• New Nordic Photography – The Victor Fellowships 10 Year Anniversary Issue, 2014 ISBN 978919769757-6
• Planket 2014 – Angelägenheter ISBN 9789198196009

Represented in collectitons

• Umeå Kommun Konstsamling (Municipal collection)
• Västernorrland Läns Landsting (County collection)
• Örebro Läns Landsting (County collection)

Selected press

• Volym, Review by Marareta Klingberg (Swedish) “Mellanplatser / Places in Between 2019
• Missoulian Newspaper, Preview “Photographer documents movement and loss in Emigrant Memoir” 2019
• Volym, Review by Margareta Klingberg (Swedish) “In Place of Memory”01/20/2016
• Dagens Arbete, “En plats i förändring” nr 10 2016
• Sveriges Radio, P1 Kultur / Kulturnytt. “Bilder från ett svunnet och ett nytt Ådalen” 15/11/2016
• SVT Västerbotten, “Migration handlar mycket om ens identitet”, 12/11/2016
• Public Radio International, The World, “Hundreds of miles from danger, these families still aren’t safe,” 11/8/2015
• Sveriges Radio, P1. Kulturreportaget. “Vi och dom andra: Bilder från två hall” 26/1/2015 (Swedish)
• Västerbottens Kuriren, “Makten over bilderna” 6/1/2015 (Swedish)
• Tidningen FOTO, “Ett område i förändring”  Nr 9/2014 (Swedish)
• Mittnytt, SVT, “Bildjournalist vid Mittuniversitetet kan få prestigyllt pris” 17/4/2014 (Swedish)

Her website: www.lindamthompson.com 

Extra contact information

+46(0)70 229 4890