LISE JOHANSSON
Lise Johansson (b. 1985) is a Copenhagen-based visual artist and photographer. She studied portrait and commercial photography at Media College Viborg from 2012 to 2016, with an earlier focus on analogue and fine art photography at Vera, School of Art and Design, Copenhagen, in 2010. Her education also includes a four-year apprenticeship at the National Museum of Denmark’s Department of Conservation and Restoration, and she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of Copenhagen.
Before her formal photography training, Johansson spent several years living in Paris and traveled extensively across the globe. These experiences have deeply influenced her artistic work, not only shaping her as a person but also informing the personal and emotional depth of her images.
Johansson’s artistic practice explores the boundaries between reality and illusion, creating visual narratives that blur the line between the conscious and unconscious. She delves into themes of identity, belonging, and the complex relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Her work often begins with physical models of landscapes or architectural spaces, which she photographs and later reconstructs using various textures and objects through intricate post-processing techniques. This process results in layered, dreamlike compositions that challenge perceptions of the familiar and the fantastical.
Johansson is particularly interested in how individuals and communities relate to their environments. Her work questions why certain places evoke a sense of belonging while others do not, and how location and identity are intertwined. These connections between people and their surroundings are central to her exploration of culture, politics, and social life.
Her photography has been exhibited globally, including shows in London, Paris, Copenhagen, and New York. Johansson’s work has received numerous accolades, including two awards at the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards in 2017, the title of ‘Photographer of the Year’ at the International Color Awards in 2020, and 1st Place in the Fine Art/Other category at the International Photography Awards in 2021. Most recently, she was recognized as the ‘Most Inspiring Fine Art Photographer’ at the Corporate Vision Small Business Awards in 2023.
CV
Exhibitions
Upcoming
2025 I ZONAMACO México – Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico
Past
2023 I ‘Through Her Lens’, In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2023 I Image Nation, SOHO Photo Gallery, New York (group exhibition)
2023 I In the Gallery (group exhibition)
2022 I ‘Counterparts’ – PORTRAITS – Hellerau Photography Awards. Den Technischen Sammlungen, Dresden (group exhibition)
2022 I Artsy ‘Lise Johansson – I’m not here’ (solo exhibition)
2022 I ‘Winter Light’, In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2022 I 6th Biennial of Fine Art & Documentary Photography FotoNostrum, Barcelona (group exhibition)
2021 I DER GREIF / Guest-room curated by Anika Meier (online solo exhibition)
2021 I Summer Light – In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2021 I ImageNation, Luciana Fondazione Matalon, Milan (group exhibition)
2021 I Art on Paper – In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2019 I Image Nation – Paris Photo Off, Paris, France (group exhibition)
2019 I Self-Staged / Selv-Iscenesat, Denmark (group exhibition)
2019 I Home/Away, Gallery Anders Breiner, Denmark (group exhibition)
2018 I ‘Winter Light’, In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2018 I ‘Image Nation’, Galerie Joseph Turenne, Paris, France (group exhibition)
2018 I ‘Award Winners’, In The Gallery, Denmark (group exhibition)
2018 I ‘Composite Structures’, In The Gallery, Denmark (solo exhibition)
2017 I Salon de la Photo, Paris, France (group exhibition)
2017 I Reggia di Monza, Milan, Italy (group exhibition)
2017 I Sony Imaging Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (group exhibition)
2017 I Ginza Milan, Italy (group exhibition)
2017 I Bucharest Photo Fest, Romania (group exhibition)
2017 I Galerie GADCOLLECTION, Paris, France (group exhibition)
2017 I Brussels Expo, Palais 4, Brussels, Belgium (group exhibition)
2017 I Palazzo Trigon, Enna, Italy (group exhibition)
2017 I Sony Square NYC, New York, USA (group exhibition)
2017 I Sony World Photography Awards & Martin Parr, Sumerset House, London, United Kingdom (group exhibition)
2016 I SVEND, UngK, Aarhus, Denmark (group exhibition)
2015 I Mørke Dage, Denmark (group exhibition)
2015 I Tomrummet, Denmark (solo exhibition)
2015 I Surreal Art, Byens Rum, Denmark (group exhibition)
2015 I Mørke Dage Pre-event, Byens Rum, Denmark (group exhibition)
2012 I Det Personlige Fotografi, Central Station, Denmark (group exhibition)
2010 I Minimalismo, Centro Fotográfico, Oaxaca, Mexico (group exhibition)
2010 I Vera, Denmark (group exhibition)
Art Fairs
2024 I Enter Art Fair. In The Gallery, Denmark
2024 I Photo Basel, Switzerland
2024 I PHOTO LONDON
2024 I ZONAMACO México – Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico
2023 I ART MIAMI Art Fair, USA
2023 I ZONAMACO México – Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico
2022 I ART MIAMI Art Fair, USA
2022 I Enter Art Fair. In The Gallery, Denmark
Awards & Honors (selected)
2024 I Nikon Emerging Photographer Award 2024, shortlisted
2023 I Corporate Vision, Small Business Awards, Most Inspiring Fine Art Photographer 2023, United Kingdom
2022 I ‘Counterparts’ – PORTRAITS – Hellerau Photography Awards – Finalist
2021 I IPA – Int’l Photography Awards – 1st Place, Fine Art / Other
2020 I IPA – Int’l Photography Awards – Honorable Mention, Fine Art, Other, Absence
2020 I International Color Awards, Photographer of the Year – Outstanding Achievement, Absence
2020 I International Color Awards, 1st Place – Outstanding Achievement Fine Art, Absence
2020 I Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, Nominee Fine Art Category, Absence
2019 I International Color Awards, Nominee Fine Art Category, Lighthouse
2018 I FAPA Fine Art Photography Awards, Nominee conceptual category
2018 I International Color Awards, Nominee Fine Art ‘wipe – out’
2017 I Felix Schoeller Photo Award, shortlist, category Free Choice/Conceptual, ‘Hearth’
2017 I Sony World Photography Awards, 1st place winner of the National Award Denmark , ‘Hearth’
2017 I Sony World Photography Awards, 1st place winner of Enhanced category, Open ‘Hearth’
2017 I Monochrome Awards, Honorable Mention in conceptual category ‘Sehnsucht’,
2016 I Winner of the Hasselblad Student Award, exhibition SVEND
2016 I FAPA Fine Art Photography Awards, 2nd place winner in conceptual category ‘Sehnsucht’
Podcast
2022 I United Nations of Photography, United Kingdom, Podcast: A Photographic life episode 228: plus photographer Lise Johansson
Artist Talk
2024 I KBH Film og Fotoskole, Trekronergade 126F, 2500 København
2024 I Grundtvigs Fotofestival, (workshop) Frederiksværksgade 147, 3400 Hillerød
2023 I ‘Through Her Lens’, In The Gallery, Dronningens Tværgade 19, Copenhagen, Denmark
2021 I Grundtvigs Fotofestival, (workshop) Frederiksværksgade 147, 3400 Hillerød
Features & Publications (selected)
2024 I See-zeen Magazine issue #11, Focus on Nordic Photography, text by Marie Wengler, January 2023
2023 I Dodho Magazine Exclusive Interview with Lise Johansson, November 2023
2023 I Collater.al Magazine, Lise Johansson and the non-appartenence to places by Giorgia Massari, April 2023
2023 I Aesthetica Magazine, Q&A Identity and Belonging, January 2023
2022 I Aesthetica Magazine, Distorted Reality by Eleanor Sutherland. New Artists, May 2022
2022 I ‘Counterparts’ – PORTRAITS – Hellerau Photography Awards. Exhibition Catalog, Den Technischen Sammlungen, Dresden
2022 I Barcelona Foto Biennale, FotoNostrum, The Meditteanean House of Photography 2022
2022 I Aesthetica Magazine Artist Directory, Issue 105, February/March Issue 2022
2021 I Identity, Place & Belonging, Foto Nostrum Magazine, Issue no. 18, August 5th 2021
2021 I Self-portraits; I’m not here by Lise Johansson, Dodho Magazine
2020 I 13th Winners Book, Absence, International Color Awards
2020 I Grafik & Foto Årbog 2018/19, published January 2020 by Grafik & Foto
2019 I Selv-Iscenesat, exhibition catalogue, Teatermuseet, Forlaget Franka, 2019
2018 I In Vacuo by Lise Johansson, Dodho Magazine
2017 I Annual Book Monochrome Awards
2017 I Feature for International Women’s Day, World Photography Organisation
2016 I Hearth, Art People Gallery
2016 I Hearth, Dodho Magazine
2016 I Sehnsucht, The Creators Project, Vice
2016 I Sehnsucht/Fractures, Art People Gallery
2015 I Lise Johansson Photography, Dodho Magazine
Education
2024-2026 I University of Copenhagen. Master of Arts in Art History
2019-2023 I University of Copenhagen. Bachelor of Arts in Art History
2012-2016 I Media college Viborg, Portrait and Commercial Photography
2012-2016 I The National Museum of Copenhagen Apprenticeship with Roberto Fortuna
2010 I Vera – School of Art and Design, Fine Art Photography
2006 I Grundtvig Højskole