The moon hovers bright against a dark yet strangely transparent cosmos. The sidelight that hits the rock mass highlights the unevenness of the surface, while at the same time creating a graphic and relief style expression. The cliff in the foreground is like a black silhouette; the shadow is also black. Considering the grandeur of the motif, the actual dimensions of the image are surprisingly modest – the monumental impact seems to be more dependent on proportions rather than the actual size.

Ansel Adam's Half Dome and Moon covers a range that extends from brilliant white to pitch black and encompasses everything in between; moreover the depth of field and detail reproduction is so clear that viewing it is akin to an eyebath. Despite the fact that many people would identify with the authenticity of the description, the image cannot be confused with reality: it is a photograph.

If you were to pinpoint the uniting factor in the works of the Hasselblad Foundation collection – that which reflects a specific interest and an intention – the accentuation of the photograph's individuality would be foremost in your mind. A tradition that is intrinsically linked to this orientation is the documentary aspect; a genre where the focus is on highlighting the world. The collection contains works by several classic reportage and documentary photographers whose works depict different aspects of human life: everything from tranquil everyday scenes to war and deprivation. The images alternate between what is known as ”straight photography” and a more subjective attitude, and they often contain expressed social dimensions. The collection has been enhanced in recent years with the type of photography that is reflective of contemporary art. The question of representation plays a prominent roll in these works, and the fact that the photography produces concepts of the world (and not just depictions of it) is of particular interest. One of the most distinct examples is Miriam Bäckström's series IKEA Museum, Collections and Reconstructions, where staged home environments are depicted using the “objective” language of the photograph.

My mission has been to present a selection from the collection based on my own preferences and ideas. Photographic exhibitions often include rows of images displayed closely together, which is a generous and enriching experience. However, you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Perhaps it is the closeness of the photograph to printed media that results in the presentations assuming this guise. But because an exhibition is not a book I have decided to make a more selective assortment. My hope is that individual photographs will find their place in a better way, and that the different themes and expressions contained in the material are highlighted with greater clarity. The distinguishing factor of the images that caught my eye is that they contain more than what was apparent at first sight. On the surface the photographs are undramatic, and if it were literature we would be talking about the iceberg analogy: the most of the ice is concealed under the surface of the water. Take Lars Wallsten's Images of Crime series, for example, where the motif gradually but inexorably reveals itself. Or Susan Meisela's images that avoid the spectacular and depict the ravages of political violence with a restrained fury.

A surprising number of works in the collection represent people who are beholding the world around them, or are directing their gaze straight at the camera lens. Of these, a number of portraits of workers make an indelible impression on your mind, photographed by Jean Hermansson and Yngve Baum in the the sixties and seventies. Viewing is also a recurrent theme of in the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Christer Strömholm and Helmut Newton. In the two latter cases, sexual desire and voyeurism are in focus. I have also been captivated by images where people are thrilled by different types of sensation, or are moved to a state where they are visibly driven to distraction, such as in Marjaana Kella's studies of hypnotised women.

These are a few examples, but there are various several threads to pick up on. My hope is that the visitor will always take the allow time to see the individual works and be attracted by identifying the connecting theme between the images.

Niclas Östlind, curator
Niclas Östlind is chief curator at Åmell's Art Dealers. Prior to this he was curator at Liljevalch Art Gallery (2001–2007) and manager of Gävle Art Centre (1998–2001). He lectures at colleges and universities, and publishes essays on contemporary art and photography in journals and catalogues.