Tuija Lydia Elisabeth Lindström was a Finnish-Swedish photographer, artist, and professor, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Nordic photographic art. Born on 5 May 1950 in Kotka, Finland, Lindström moved to Sweden in the 1970s and settled in Stockholm. She studied at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, graduating in 1984, where she developed advanced skills in large-format photography and darkroom techniques
"Women at Tjursjön", clubbed for 2 807 GBP at Stockholms Auktionsverk.
In 1992, Lindström was appointed professor at the School of Photography and Film at the University of Gothenburg, becoming the first woman to hold such a position in Sweden. She played a key role in challenging visual norms and advancing women’s perspectives in the medium. Her work blended poetic undertones with stark visual honesty, often exploring themes of gender, identity and the female body.
Girls in the Pond and Other Iconic Works
Her breakthrough came in the early 1990s with the series Kvinnorna vid Tjursjön (Girls at Bull’s Pond), featuring women floating in dark water – a powerful meditation on femininity, vulnerability, and strength. It became a defining feminist work in Scandinavian photography. Lindström’s approach was innovative, blending traditional photographic methods with experimental techniques. She often used filtered light and unique darkroom processes to create soft, radiant images that challenged conventional representations of the female body and experience.
"Estella", pigment print.
Educator and Innovator
As a professor, Lindström encouraged new ways of seeing and critiquing the world through a lens, influencing a generation of Nordic photographers. Lindström’s work has been exhibited internationally and is held in major collections, including Moderna Museet (Stockholm), the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), and the Finnish Museum of Photography (Helsinki). Tuija Lindström passed away in Stockholm on 26 December 2017.