In collaboration with the Gothenburg Book Fair, the Hasselblad Foundation organises the exhibition To the Moon and Back. Astronaut Marcus Wandt will inaugurate the exhibition.

This year's theme at the book fair is space. Humanity's first steps on the moon were captured with a Hasselblad camera from Gothenburg, and the photographs are among the most iconic in history. The camera showed us the moon—and even the Earth—in ways we had never seen before. The exhibition tells the story of Erna and Victor Hasselblad, the visionary couple behind the camera, and showcases unique historical artefacts and contemporary photographic works about the moon and space.

About the Exhibition

This exhibition unites science and photography from a societal perspective. In addition to historical NASA images, moon cameras, and the story of Erna and Victor Hasselblad, contemporary works by photographic artists depicting space in various ways are also presented. The exhibition explores the fascination with the moon, its beauty, and humanity’s smallness in the universe. There are also works that critically highlight the historical invisibility of women in astronomy, as well as questions about truth and photography in relation to the 1960s space race. Other works examine today’s ambitions to use the moon to monitor the Earth. Additionally, images from Gothenburg’s largest photography project for ninth graders, also themed around space, are displayed.

The Hasselblad Story

The interest in photography in the family-owned company began with Victor Hasselblad’s grandfather, Arvid Viktor Hasselblad. In 1885, he secured the exclusive rights in Sweden to sell George Eastman’s photographic products, later known as Kodak. Victor Hasselblad continued to develop the business around photography and, together with his wife Erna, founded the camera company Victor Hasselblad AB. The couple had a deep interest in nature, and Victor was one of Sweden’s early bird photographers. The need for a compact and high-quality camera led to the development of the Hasselblad camera in the 1940s – the world’s first medium format camera with interchangeable parts, such as film magazines and lenses. These features were crucial when NASA chose to use the Hasselblad camera during its space missions in the 1960s and 70s. The camera offered high image quality, the backs could be preloaded with film, and the modular system made it possible to adapt the camera to space conditions.

Despite the high quality of the Hasselblad camera, it was not a given that the company from Gothenburg would succeed in establishing a partnership with NASA. Erna and Victor Hasselblad understood the importance of being part of the Apollo program and the first moon landing. They invested heavily to create the best conditions and to outperform other camera manufacturers in the fierce competition. Their efforts paid off, and the Hasselblad camera was used in all six moon landings between 1969 and 1972. It showed us the moon – but also the Earth – as we had never seen them before.

In the 1970s, Erna and Victor sold the camera company. However, the factory and operations remain in Gothenburg. The Hasselblad couple’s fortune is the foundation of the Hasselblad Foundation, established in 1979. Here, the couple’s interest in nature, science, and photography is combined. Hasselblad Science is our scientific branch, supporting space, the environment, and nature projects. In photography, we conduct research, create exhibitions at the Hasselblad Center, and award the Hasselblad Award – the world’s largest recognition in photography.

Participating photographers To the Moon and Back: Ansel Adams, Helena Blomqvist, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Nanna Debois Buhl, Joan Fontcuberta, Maria Friberg, Sven Gillsäter, Victor Hasselblad, Klara Källström & Thobias Fäldt, Michael Light, NASA, Lennart Nilsson, Per Olof Swanberg, Johan Österholm, and ninth graders from Gothenburg.

Inauguration

Astronaut Marcus Wandt will inaugurate the exhibition
Date and time: Thursday, September 26, at 11:00 AM

Seminar at Gothenburg Book Fair

Hasselblad Foundation's seminar at Gothenburg Book Fair
"Photography and Research: Between Objectivity and Distrust"
Date and time: Thursday, September 26, at 1:00 PM

About the Seminar:
What role does photography play in humanity's pursuit of knowledge? How are we affected by the prevailing distrust towards the objectivity and truth claims of both photography and research? In a dialogue about the balance between image and truth, we will explore the significance of photography in research. Participants: Åsa Wikforss, theoretical philosopher and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Swedish Academy, and John Conway, professor of radio astronomy at Chalmers University and director of the Onsala Space Observatory. The discussion will be moderated by Kerstin Hamilton, a researcher in image technologies and the role of photography in the ethics of knowledge at the University of Gothenburg.