LISE JOHANSSON
Lise Johansson is a lens-based visual artist whose work explores the border between reality and imagination. Her images blur the conscious and the unconscious, creating spaces where memory, identity, and belonging are continuously negotiated.
Working primarily with medium format photography, Johansson often begins by constructing miniature models of landscapes or interiors, which she photographs and later reconstructs with layered textures and digital techniques. The resulting dreamlike compositions feel both familiar and unsettling, reflecting how environments are never neutral but always shaped by emotion, memory, and perception.
With a background in photography and a degree in Art History from the University of Copenhagen, Johansson approaches her practice with a strong research perspective. This academic foundation informs her engagement with culture, politics, and representation, allowing her work to move fluidly between visual art and critical inquiry.
Her work has been presented at art fairs, galleries, museums, and festivals worldwide, including London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Barcelona, and Copenhagen. Johansson has received major international recognition, among them two Sony World Photography Awards (2017), Photographer of the Year at the International Color Awards (2020), and 1st Place at the International Photography Awards (2021). Most recently, she was named Most Inspiring Fine Art Photographer at the Corporate Vision Small Business Awards (2023).
CV
Exhibitions
Upcoming
2025 I ART MIAMI Art Fair, USA. Dec 2, 2025 – Dec 7
2026 I ZONAMACO México – Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico. Feb 4– Feb 8
Past
2025 I Archiv der Augenblicke at Foto Forum Dresden, Germany (group exhibition)
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 Fotoforum Copenhagen, (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
2025 I Enter Art Fair. Copenhagen Denmark
2025 I Photo Basel, Switzerland
2025 I Art Central, Hong Kong
2025 I ZONAMACO México – Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico
2024 I Enter Art Fair. Copenhagen 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. Copenhagen Denmark
Awards & Honors (selected)
2025 I IPA – Int’l Photography Awards – Official Selection -Honorable Mention
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
Collaborations
2025 I Weeping Men – Hybrid performance & videoinstallation (2025)
Co-production between CuntsCollective (DK) & Pikene På Broen (NO), with HUUTAJAT Choir (FI). Collaborating artist (photography & video installation). Premiered at Barents Spektakel, Norway.
2024 – I Co-founder of DÍSIR, Nordic network for womxn lens-based artists – fostering cross-border collaboration, research, and visibility for womxn photographers through exhibitions, talks, and curatorial projects.
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
Commission
2018 I In Vacuo project for VM Elektro, Denmark
Grants
2025 I Statens Kunstfond, Nordic Mobility Funding, Nordic Culture Point – support for Weeping Men project
2024 I Nordic Culture Fund (Nordisk Kulturfond), support for the DÍSIR network
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
Residency
2024 I Pikene på Broen, artist-in-residency program, Kirkenes Norway
Membership
2016 – I Member of the Danish Union of Journalists (Dansk Journalistforbund)
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