Inka and Niclas Create Surreal Scenes in Nature

April 21, 2022

The Stockholm studio of artist duo Inka and Niclas Lindergård is just like their art: colorful and bright, with a touch of wizardry. A large, curved window floods the room with natural light as it illuminates the books, sculptures, and objects carefully placed on the shelves. It’s where the magic happens, so to speak—their creative nest where they do all the planning, building, and material experimentation. Then, when it’s time to work on a photography project, they will take their process outdoors and into the vast landscapes of nature. This is perhaps where they’re most comfortable.

Their studio is walking distance from home, and they’re preparing for a plethora of exhibitions and projects coming up, including public installations for a hospital.

The pair is used to being side by side; it’s been an intense partnership since they first met in 2007 while studying photography. “It became quite natural for us to work together,” says Niclas. “We’ve never really worked individually.”

Known for their illusory, surrealist imagery, the couple explains how they often spend hours trekking in nature to source their photos. They’ll wait at their desired spot—a rock, perhaps—for the sun to set, leaving just a few working moments to capture the shot. “We have around 20 minutes a day to actually photograph,” Inka says. “It’s very much about location scouting.”

And while documenting landscapes is one thing, having the right companion at your side is another—especially if you need to hold off for the weather and kill a little time. “It’s nice to be together with someone,” Niclas says. “Waiting for the light for three days would be unbearable on your own.”

Swapping trees for children, the duo recently decided to add to an ongoing series called “Family Portrait”—a phosphorus project that started after the birth of their first child. Family has become muse as they document themselves in reflective clothing, posing against the bushy backdrop of their surroundings. “It’s interesting to see the passing of time in the project,” says Inka, citing the landscape, aging bodies, and additional family members as catalysts.

Inka and Niclas’ practice is unwavering, and it’s their pleasant optimism and kinship that can be thanked for that. But whether the past year has truly altered their way of thinking, Niclas says: “Maybe it needs to be some time before you realize completely how you changed.”