Icons – An Exhibition about the Right to Exist

It is said that one can assess the level of cultivation of a society by treating some of its most vulnerable; the sentenced and those with disabilities. Common to them, just like everyone else, is that among the worst we can suffer is isolation. Failure to join the community, to be left outside, is fatal to humankind man. Since ancient times there is a group that has been constantly neglected, excluded and invisible; those born with Down's Syndrome. In our times of fetal diagnosis, the current trend is that they are not born at all.

Time and place

April 3 -  May 29 2018, Gallery NIPÅ, Köpmansgatan 4, Mariehamn
Open daily Mon-Fri at 13-16
Vernissage Tuesday, April 3rd at 16-18:00

About the exhibition

The idea of creating the exhibition was conceived during a summer camp for people with Down syndrome in Portugal, organised by the Glada Hudik Theatre. In collaboration with Fotografiska for Life, the concept was further developed and the next step involved connecting the models and their families with our partners who made the project possible. Icons were created in the end by costume designers Linda Sandberg, Helena Andersson and photographer Emma Svensson.

The exhibition premiered for the first time in the beggining of 2016 in Fotografiska Museum, Stockholm. The exhibition has been touring since the opening and is now coming to Åland. 

The exhibition is produced by Fotografiska for Life in collaboration with Glada Hudik Theater. It consist of 21 unique, beautiful and magnificent images, which is hoped to have the potential to change people’s minds and allow the models throughout the pictures have their place in art, society and history.  

The exhibition is a collaboration of Fotografska for Life, Glada Hudik-teatern and Aftonbladet.

Photo: Emma Svensson