The Art of Collecting Photography

A sudden love affair with photographic art has taken Christina and Claes Lindquist on a breathtaking journey—from art enthusiasts to becoming some of Scandinavia’s foremost collectors and exhibitors of fine art photography. Their collection, which has grown to more than 600 works over the course of 20 years, is the result of an exceptionally well‑synchronised duo in search of images that captivate, surprise and challenge.

The walls of Christina and Claes Lindquist’s home are anything but pared‑back, Scandinavian white. Wherever the eye comes to rest, it is met by vibrant photographic art: a half‑naked Pamela Anderson in a provocative pose photographed by David LaChapelle, Peter Lindbergh’s cool, iconic image The Wild Ones, and a striking photograph from Chen Man’s series Long Live the Motherland. The entire home is peppered with visual conversation pieces.

“Our interest in art has always been part of our lives, but it wasn’t until we began exploring photography 20 years ago that we noticed a real shift,” Claes recalls. “Friends and family who had barely noticed the oil paintings on the walls suddenly stopped, asked questions and expressed genuine fascination with the photographs.”

Christina nods in agreement and adds:
“It really was a noticeable change. The first photographic works we chose were fashion‑based. One of them was an iconic black‑and‑white piece by Herb Ritts, known for his evocative and expressive imagery. It wasn’t just the artworks themselves that caught people’s attention, but also the stories behind each image.”

Christina and Claes, both raised in the city of Borås, found each other early in life—at 16 and 18 years old. In a town known for its textile industry, art and design were a natural part of everyday life, not least because Christina’s mother and Claes’s father both worked in the textile sector. Over the years, Christina has held a variety of jobs, from running a cleaning company to selling kitchens, while Claes has a background in business, including work with the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and a central role in a wine‑import company.

Art has long been their shared passion, and they began collecting oil paintings and lithographs as their finances allowed. But a trip to London and Paris—resulting in the purchase of their first two photographic works—changed everything. Twenty years later, their collection numbers just over 600 pieces.

“Our collection has a strong focus on fashion photography, although it also includes much more,” Claes explains. “What makes fashion photography so compelling is its ability to push boundaries. The images are full of imagination, largely because fashion photographers have always pushed major magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar to be as artistic and spectacular as possible.”

As the collection continued to grow and empty wall space at home became increasingly scarce, it soon became clear that the house would no longer be enough.

“It felt pointless to simply store the works—we could barely enjoy them ourselves,” Christina says. “So we began looking for a place where everyone could experience them. We mainly searched for venues in Copenhagen and came close to committing on three occasions. Then we read that Falsterbo Strandbad was standing empty and contacted the municipality of Vellinge. Six months later, we opened the Falsterbo Photo Art Museum—a photography museum that is unique of its kind in Europe.”

Although interest in photographic art has taken time to develop in Scandinavia, Christina and Claes see a clear shift.

“In Sweden, photographic art was for a long time something new and unfamiliar,” Claes says. “Only a handful of galleries showed it, and many people didn’t even realise that photography could be art.”

“Major cities such as Paris, Berlin, London and New York have long been at the forefront of photography,” he continues. “In New York, for example, the photography‑focused Staley‑Wise Gallery opened as early as 1981. People laughed at them at first—but today, works by photographers such as Richard Avedon, which they sold early on, can fetch tens of millions.”

Asked how fashion photography has changed over time, Claes reflects:

“Fashion photography has unfortunately become a bit more polished and restrained—almost like in the 1930s and ’40s, when models were simply lined up. That said, there are still photographers, such as Steven Klein, who dare to push boundaries. Overall, there has been a trend toward greater caution, particularly in connection with movements like #MeToo.”

“At the same time, we’re seeing an exciting wave of photographers from South America and Africa beginning to make their mark,” Christina adds. “They often bring an incredible use of colour and bold, spectacular expressions.”

Christina and Claes share a deep passion for photographic art—one that not only unites them, but also defines their life together. For them, each artwork represents a distinct chapter in their shared story.

“Choosing a favourite photographer or photograph is almost impossible—we love so many,” Christina says. “When we return to older works, it’s like falling in love all over again. Personally, I feel a particularly strong connection to David LaChapelle, as he was one of the first photographers we collected, and because we’ve had personal contact with both him and his muse.”

When it comes to selecting new works, their synchronisation borders on the telepathic.

“At an exhibition, we each choose three favourites, and it’s fascinating how often we end up choosing the same pieces,” Claes says. “It simply confirms how similarly we think and feel about art.”