Jean Hermanson
Photographer
Jean Hermanson (1938-2012), a prominent figure in Swedish documentary photography, is renowned for his poignant depictions of the working class. Born in Norrahammar, Sweden, Hermanson moved to Stockholm at 18 to pursue photography at Ateljé Welinder, an experience that shaped his early career.
In the late 1960s, he embarked on a pivotal journey across Sweden, photographing construction workers, a project culminating in his first photo book, "Byggnadsarbetare" (1969), co-authored with Arvid Rundberg. This marked the beginning of Hermanson's lifelong commitment to capturing the lives of industrial workers.
Collaborating with writer Folke Isaksson, Hermanson delved deeper into the Swedish industrial landscape from 1969 to 1970. Their joint efforts produced "Dom svarta" and "Nere på verkstadsgolvet," books that offered a raw, unfiltered look into the lives of foundry and metal workers. These works stand as a testament to Hermanson's dedication to exploring the underrepresented facets of society.
Hermanson's photographic ventures extended beyond Sweden, taking him to Ireland, Guinea-Bissau, Vietnam, and Spain. His time in Vietnam was particularly significant; he captured the daily grind in factories and agricultural cooperatives during the war's closing phase.
Transitioning to documentary filmmaking in the 1980s, Hermanson documented the closure of key shipyards Öresundsvarvet in Landskrona and Kockums in Malmö. His films, including "Den sista båten" (1983), "Arbetets döttrar - kvinnor i två fabriker" (1986), and "Gjutarna" (1990), are notable for their poetic portrayal of the working class.
Hermanson's legacy continued posthumously through exhibitions and documentaries like "Himlens mörkrum" (2017) and "Himlens mörkrum - bilder ur arkivet" (2020). His work remains a vital chronicle of a bygone era, offering a window into the lives and struggles of the working class, and his influence persists in the world of documentary photography and film.
SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY:
• BYGGNADSARBETARE (Construction Workers) - Jean Hermanson et Arvid Rundberg - Svenska byggnadsarbetareförbundet and Rabén & Sjögren - 1969.
• DOM SVARTA – EN BOK OM GJUTERIARBETARE I SVERIGE (The Black Ones – A Book About Foundry Workers in Sweden) - Jean Hermanson and Folke Isaksson - Bonniers - 1970.
• NERE PÅ VERKSTADSGOLVET – EN BOK OM METALLARBETARE (Down on the Workshop Floor – A Book About Metal Workers) - Jean Hermanson and Folke Isaksson - Stiftelsen Litteraturfrämjandet, Lund - 1971.
• JEAN HERMANSON OCH DUBLINS BARN – DET FÖRSTA OCH SISTA ARBETET (Jean Hermanson and the Children of Dublin – The First and Last Work) - Jenny Lindhe and Nils Petter Löfstedt (éditeurs) - Landskrona Foto - 2016.
• HIMLENS MÖRKRUM – FOTOGRAFIER AV JEAN HERMANSON (The Heavenly Darkroom – Photographs by Jean Hermanson) - Nils Petter Löfstedt and Jenny Maria Nilsson (éditeurs) - 70/70 Bokförlag, Malmö - 2018.
