about

Linda Maria Thompson (1978) is a Swedish-American photographer based in Ångermanland, northern Sweden. Working experimentally with plant-based photographic techniques, archival materials and documentary practices, she investigates how photography can contribute to a more socially and ecologically equitable world.

She was born in Sweden – raised in the United States and lives in Härnösand with her family. Several of her projects channel her roles as both a native of -and immigrant to- Sweden in her approach and her projects reflect her interest in issues surrounding spatial and temporal migration. Namely the book and exhibition projects In Place of Memory (2016), Emigrant Memoir (2019) and Återvändarna / The Returners (2021) deal with transience and impermanence on a personal and political scale.

Linda has a background in photojournalism with a bachelor of arts in photojournalism from the University of Montana where she also studied courses in “Natural Resource Conservation”. She holds a Master of Arts in photojournalism from Mid Sweden University. For 6 years she was a staff photographer at the Missoulian newspaper covering western Montana. She combines her love of photography with a passion to teach and is on permanent staff as a lecturer in photography at the Design Department of Mid Sweden University. Her photographs have been published and exhibited internationally. She is the author of two monographs and her work is included in several prestigious anthologies. (detailed CV below)

CV

EDUCATION

  • Master of Arts in photojournalism, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden, 2014
  • Hola Folkhögskola. Documentary certificate program. Prästmon, Sweden, 2005
  • Bachelor of Arts in journalism (emphasis photojournalism), The University of Montana. Missoula, MT USA, 2000

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

  • Mellanplatser / Places in Between Västernorrlands Museum, Härnösand, Sweden, 2019
  • Emigrant Memoir Missoula Art Museum, Missoula Montana USA, 2019
  • Emigrant Memoir Sune Jonsson Centre for Documentary Photography, Umeå, Sweden, 2019
  • Code-switching: a practice in progress Centrum för Fotografi, Stockholm, Sweden, 2018
  • In Place of Memory, Söråker’s Folkets Hus, Söråker, Sweden, 2017
  • In Place of Memory, Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography, Umeå, Sweden, 2016
  • In Place of Memory, Black Door Gallery, Örebro, Sweden, 2016
  • In Place of Memory, Galleri Kontrast, Stockholm, Sweden, 2015
  • No Place Like Home, the Loft at Higgins Alley in Missoula, Montana, USA, 2009

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

  • Boreala Bilder: Om skog, tid och hållbarhet, Web-based exhibition miun.se/borealabilder 2021
  • KKV c/o Konsthallen Härnösands Konsthall, Härnösand, Sweden, 2020
  • Publicerat / Published: Photobooks in Sweden, Centrum för Fotografi, Stockholm, Sweden, 2019
  • Publicerat / Published” Hasselblad Center, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2018
  • Photo everyday exhibition, 4th ICPT, NicosiaMunicipal Arts Centre, Nicosia, Greece, 2016
  • Planket Umeå, Outdoor group show in Umeå, Sweden, 2015
  • Vi och dom Andra / Us and Them, Sune Jonsson Center for Doc. Photography, Umeå, Sweden, 2014
  • Planket: Angelägenheter, Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden, 2014
  • New Nordic Photography, Hasselblad Center, Gothenburg, Sweden, 2014
  • Masters Work: The First Dynasty Centrum för Fotografi. Stockholm, Sweden, 2014
  • Neighbors/Vi och dom Andra /Us and Them (VODA) at Riga Photo Month 2014, Riga, Latvia, 2014
  • Masters Work: The Sweden Project, Norrlandsdagarna. Umeå, Sweden, 2014
  • Masters Work: The Sweden Project, Fotomuseet Sundsvall, Sweden, 2013
  • Masters Work: A View of the North, Fotomuseet, Sundsvall, Sweden, 2013
  • Icons of the West, Dana Gallery, Missoula, Montana, USA 2011

MONOGRAPHS

  • Återvändarna / The Returners, Self-published, 2021 978-91-519-6237-5
  • Emigrant Memoir, Self-published, 2019 ISBN 978-91-519-0985-1
  • In Place of Memory, Teg Publishing, 2016 ISBN 97891880350402

 CATALOGS/ANTHOLOGIES

  • Svensk Bokkonst 2019: 25 Utvalda Böcker, ISBN 978 91 7000 410 0
  • Published: Photo Books in Sweden, König, WaltherVerlag 2018. ISBN 978-3-96098-475-7
  • ArkDes Resumé #2 – Höra hemma: om det bostadspolitiska dilemma ISBN 978-91-87447-08-2
  • New Nordic Photography – The Victor Fellowships 10 Year Anniversary Issue, 2014 ISBN 978919769757-6
  • Planket 2014 – Angelägenheter ISBN 9789198196009

REPRESENTED IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

  • Statens konstråd (National collection)
  • Umeå Kommun Konstsamling (Municipal collection)
  • Västernorrland Läns Landsting (County collection)
  • Örebro Läns Landsting (County collection)

EMPLOYMENT

  • Permanent faculty in photography, Department of Design, Mid Sweden University. Nov 2016 – present
  • Freelance Photographer. May 2000 – present.Photography appearing in, among others, The Economist, Expressen (Sweden), The New York Times, USA Today, PRI.org, Dagens Arbete, Justitia magazine (Sweden), Montana Outdoors, and worldwide through the Associated Pressand Zuma Press.
  • Program coordinator photojournalism, Media & Comm. dept., Mid Sweden University.Aug 2015 – Dec 2016
  • Adjunct instructor in photojournalism, Mid Sweden University. August 2014 – August 2015
  • Staff photographer, The Missouliannewspaper, Missoula, MT.April 2005 – June 2011
  • Adjunct instructor in photojournalism, Mid Sweden University, January 2004 – June 2004
  • Coordinator of Dokument03 Photography and Film Festival, April 2003 – September 2003

PEER REVIEWED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • Hasselblad Foundation, Gothenburg, “The Diary”, a panel discussion, 2019
  • Svensk Form Pecha Kucha, Härnösand, artist talk, 2020
  • Västernorrlands museum, Härnösand, artist talk, 2019
  • Missoula Art Museum, Missoula Montana USA, artist talk, 2019
  • Sune Jonsson Centre for Documentary Photography (SJCD), artist talk, 2019
  • Centrum För Fotografi, Stockholm, Artist talk 2018
  • Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography, Artist talk 2016
  • Fotografiska, Stockholm. Artist talk, photography book fair 2016
  • Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography, Fotoseminarium: Människor och Miljö, 2016
  • The Gothenburg Book Fair (Bokmässan), several engagements, 2016
  • Fotobok GBG, A-Venue, Gothenburg. Release of In Place of Memory, 2016
  • Norrlandsdagarna, Skellefteå. Artist talk at the Swedish Photographers Association’s winter conference, 2016
  • Planket Umeå. Artist talk, 2015
  • Sune Jonsson Center for Documentary Photography. Artist in conversation with Dr. Karin Becker and artist Malin Grönborg, 2015

AWARDS/GRANTS/DISTINCTIONS

  • Swedish Authors Fund, One-year working grant 2020
  • Göran Dahlberg Award 2020
  • Winner Svensk Bokkonst 2019 / Swedish Book Art 2019
  • Konstnärsnämnden/Swedish Arts Council, one-year working grant 2019
  • Landstinget Västernorrland travel grant 2019
  • Semi-finalist Lange-Taylor Prize 2018
  • Helge Ax:son Johnsons Stiftelse 2017
  • Högsjö Hembyggdsförening culture award
  • Landstinget Västernorrland resebidrag 2017
  • Sveriges Författarfond “one year grant” 2016
  • Successful Kickstarter campaign 2016
  • Stiftelsen Längmanska Kulturfonden 2016
  • Sune Jonsson Award 2016
  • Alba Årets Fotograf / Alba Photographer of the Year, www.alba.nu
  • Nominee, TT:s Stora Fotopris 2015
  • Svenska Fotografers Förbunds travel and education grant 2015
  • Nominee, The 2014 Victor Fellowship in Photography – The Hasselblad Foundation
  • Umeå2014, (group) grant for Vi och dom andra/Us and Them (VODA)

SELECTED PRESS

Memberships/affiliations

  • Jury member of the Swedish Photography Book Award 2021
  • Board member Centrum för Fotografi (CFF) 2019-2021 www.centrumforfotografi.com
  • Member of Svenska Fotografers Förbund (SFF) the Association of Swedish Professional Photographers, Centrum För Fotografi (CFF) The Centre for Photography, Kollektiva Konstnärsverkstan Härnösand (KKVH), Art Photo Index (API), Vi och dom andra (VODA)