ABOUT THOMAS KLINGBERG
Thomas Klingberg lives and works as a freelance photographer and visual artist in Düsseldorf. His artistic work is divided into three areas: On the one hand, he dedicates himself to documentary photography, with a particular focus on socially relevant topics. On the other hand, as an attentive flaneur, he captures the poetry of everyday life in snapshots. In addition, he is involved in artistic photography projects with social and urban sponsors, in which he raises awareness of social challenges and promotes dialogue between art and social issues through photographic works and the communication of photography.
“My work aims to capture people and stories that are often and willingly overlooked in everyday life.”
In his documentary work, Klingberg explores the margins of society, striving to offer viewers of his work a deep and unfiltered insight into the realities of his subjects’ lives. He aims to encourage reflection on the depicted scenes and foster understanding and acceptance of non-linear life paths. Klingberg seeks central photographic messages in his work that convey despair and tragedy, as well as hope, dignity, longing, and new beginnings.
“My photographs are honest reflections of human experiences and challenges. In my images, the focus is on portraying the often overlooked dignity as well as the despair, but also specifically the contrasting facets of social realities.”
An example of this is the publication “Brüche und Aufbrüche” (Fractures and New Beginnings), which Klingberg published together with WDR journalist Frank Menke in 2021. Through interviews and photographs, the book portrays the realities, wishes, and dreams of seven long-term unemployed individuals. The project was honored with an invitation for all protagonists to the city hall of the state capital Düsseldorf and a reception by Mayor Klaudia Zepuntke.
“You will leave this exhibition with a different awareness than when you entered it.” (Mayor Klaudia Zepuntke about the exhibition→ breaks and new beginnings)
In addition to his documentary work, Klingberg is dedicated to the stylized and poeticized depiction of seemingly everyday scenes and marginal occurrences in public spaces. Through the deliberate selection of his photographic perspectives, Klingberg gives special meaning to seemingly ordinary moments and people who often go unnoticed in daily life. He invites viewers of his photographs to discover the diversity and uniqueness in the ordinary and to take a closer look.
“Each work is a narrative for me that conveys more than just visual aesthetics—it is at least the constant attempt to do so.”
Klingberg has presented his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions. In 2022, he was part of the juried NRW State Art Exhibition at the Dortmunder U / Museum Ostwall. In 2017, he received a two-month working scholarship from the renowned Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow with a subsequent exhibition of his documentary ‘Moscow Study’ at the Rodchenko Art School and as part of the Düsseldorf Photo Festival ‘Düsseldorf Photo’ in 2018. In 2016, he presented his photo documentary ‘FORST’ in Düsseldorf, in which he accompanied people with unconventional life stories as part of an integration and re-socialisation measure. In 2013, he exhibited his portrait series ‘Faces of Dementia’ in Gelsenkirchen in the Nordstern Tower and at the same time in the Werner Thiel Collection, sponsored by the German Alzheimer Society. In 2012 and 2014, he took part in the HAMASAT photo festival in Qatif, Saudi Arabia.
“The majority of my work consists of a web of appreciation, empathy, careful attention, observation, recognition, and gratitude. Often, the artistic contribution recedes in importance behind the significance of the human encounter and the photographic moment.”
The photographer works in interdisciplinary projects with municipal, social, and cultural institutions, as well as with artists from various genres. In 2015, he presented the exhibition “Bildsprachen/Sprachbilder” (Visual Languages/Language Images) in Berlin, a combination of photographs and poems, together with the artist, poet, and urban gardening activist Petrus Akkordeon. In collaboration with Spiegel bestselling author Susanne Schmidt (“Machen Sie mal zügig die Mitteltür frei”), he realized the public space exhibition “Poetry and Everyday Life – Between Tracks” in Berlin-Schöneberg in 2017, funded by the city of Berlin. Alongside visually impaired artist Bärbel Frank, he exhibited the series “Strong Characters” in Hamburg in 2013, where Bärbel Frank made Klingberg’s photographs tactilely interpretable for visually impaired and blind people through the application of small objects of various tactile qualities. The project was funded by the Hamburg Blind Foundation.
“Klingberg’s photographs are imbued with deep humanism. A master of the iconography of everyday life.” (Dr. Rainer Strzolka, literary scholar and photographer)
Klingberg presents his works not only in conventional galleries, art forums, or typical exhibition spaces but also considers unusual venues. He utilizes industrial halls, public spaces, vacant storefronts, libraries, churches, courtyards, shops, and public institutions. His goal is to reach people with his work who rarely or never visit traditional exhibition spaces.
“Provides people access to appealing photography through his choice of unusual exhibition venues, which they might otherwise rarely encounter.” (Reinhold Adam, former city councilor in the Cultural Committee of the City of Gelsenkirchen)
Klingberg has published several publications, illustrated books and exhibition catalogues documenting his artistic work. He is a member of the Bundesverband Bildender Künstlerinnen und Künstler (Federal Association of Visual Artists), where he was active as an advisor to the board of the Düsseldorf district association. He is also a member of the German Media Association and is registered in the artists’ directory of the state capital Düsseldorf.