Today was the opening of Nederman Group’s new global headquarters in Helsingborg with 200 invited guests. In connection with the opening, a new photo project with Olof Jarlbro was presented in a unique and committed collaboration with the Nederman Group. Both as book and exhibition.
Thank you to everyone involved at Nederman Group. Thanks to Anton Tilo Design and expoline for the table construction.
In the photographic series Dum Spiro Spero, Jarlbro has documented workers at the Kawah Ijen sulfur mine in East Java, Indonesia. Also an active volcano that emits toxic gases and with a lake whose PH acidity is more reminiscent of sulfuric acid than a regular lake with water. A toxic place where every inhalation is dangerous to health. Being there for a long time can cause irreversible damage to organs and the nervous system.
Jarlbro’s pictures may convey that living conditions differ in the world, but he portrays it with a large portion of empathy. Therefore, he has also supplemented the photographs from the sulfur mine by visiting the workers in their homes. Rather, his portraits of people living under different conditions emphasize the human commonality of what unites humanity overall. There is thus also an optimistic undertone in Jarlbro’s pictures about human endeavour.
The title of the exhibition – Dum spiro spero – means on in the style of “as long as I breathe there is hope”. It emphasizes breathing not only as a physical prerequisite for life, but also constitutes a positive quality in never giving up hope.
Curator: Martin Schibli
Partner: www.nederman.com
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