Bio

Bio

Nina Strand is a photographer, writer, editor, and founder of Objektiv Press. Working across image and text, she uses the book as her primary exhibition space. She holds a BA in project management and an MA in creative writing.

Strand’s work is held in the collections of the National Museum of Norway, the Norwegian National Museum of Photography, Kunst på Arbeidsplassen, and public libraries and institutions in Norway, as well as in private collections. Her publications include The Notes Series (Objektiv Press), Dr. Strand (Journal) and Current Condition (Journal), alongside numerous zines, posters and photo-text works.

She is a regular contributor of essays on photography to Norwegian and international publications and has curated and co-curated exhibitions and festivals internationally, including Les Rencontres d’Arles and f/stop Leipzig. Strand is the recipient of multiple grants and awards and currently holds a work grant from Arts Council Norway. She lives and works between Norway and France.

This extended biography traces Strand’s artistic, editorial, and curatorial practice from the early 2000s to the present. Rather than a selective résumé, it documents a continuous engagement with photography, writing, publishing, and debate, with particular emphasis on the book as a critical and exhibitionary space.

2025
I launched Notes on Presence, the inaugural publication in The Notes Series, at the Preus Museum. This ongoing project examines Generation X, and the first fanzine explores society’s and our own perceptions of women at a certain age, sparked by a debate I participated in a few years earlier about the market value of people. The publication is distributed by Antenne Books and was presented in Paris at Au Passage in June. During Paris Photo, I launched Notes on Paname at Polycopies, later presenting it at Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo.

I also worked with Elle Pérez on their first publication, published by Objektiv Press, and curated the exhibition Double Carol Newhouse & Carmen Winant for Les Rencontres d’Arles. More information here. I also wrote an extensive essay for Objektiv Press accompanying the exhibition.

I was interviewed on Studio 2 for Objektiv Press’ 15th anniversary, listen here. Also happy to take part of the jury for the Henri Cartier Bresson Award for Fondation HCB.

2024
I participated in an exhibition at Kunst på Arbeidsplassen, showcasing a photo novel from my book Studio Situations. This photo novel was also presented at Fotogalleriet as part of the Forbundet Frie Fotografer exhibition later that year.

I served as a juror for the DummyAward at The Photobook Museum in Cologne, Germany. I also participated in Printed Matter's NY Art Book Fair, A Bigger Book Fair at Peckham24 in London, and later at Polycopies.

During a two-month residency at Cité Internationale des Arts, I wrote ten texts about Paris and the Olympics, which can be found under Notes on this site.

2023
I launched my photo novel Current Condition at Delpire & Co. in Paris on March 8, followed by a launch at Tronsmo on March 19 with a conversation featuring Vanessa Baird and Mette Hellenes.

I co-curated and was the project manager of the exhibition Søsterskap for Les Rencontres d’Arles. I also wrote an extensive essay for Objektiv Press publication accompanying the exhibition. My residency at Cité Internationale des Arts contributed to the exhibition’s development. Additionally, I served as a jury member for Prix de Livre in Arles and opened the Paris bureau for Objektiv Press in collaboration with Les Arches.

At the Fotobokfestival Oslo in August 2023, I exhibited my three books published with Journal. In the fall, I launched Studio Situations, a collection of zines I created between 2013 and 2019 focused on being an artist. During Paris Photo in November, I exhibited my project Second Spring at Cometa, Paris.

2022
I organized a pop-up of Objektiv Editions: Books, Prints & Videotapes in Paris over three weeks in April, May, and June. This included a presentation of our books&prints, and a film by Helene Sommer, followed by a small exhibition of Ola Rindal's work and a conversation with Lillian Davies about art criticism. In the final week of June, we launched the early Paris edition of Why Must the Mounted Messenger Be Mounted? by Lucas Blalock.I also had a two-month residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Montmartre.

Additionally, I was a jury member for Stipendien der Krupp-Stiftung at Museum Folkwang and wrote a long essay on a #MeToo case in Norway, which was published in Norwegian by FETT magazine. The original English version can be found under Notes on this site.

2021
I initiated a debate on the language used to describe older women in dating, sparked by an interview with two well-known therapists discussing the ‘market value’ of people in dating dynamics. My response sparked a debate that continued with one therapist on a radio show and the other on a debate show. This dialogue eventually inspired my book Notes on Presence.

I co-curated TRUST for f/stop Leipzig with Susan Bright, where we developed both the online and on-site programs, overseeing the festival’s concept, content, and form. For the June show at Leipzig Spinnerei, we invited artists such as Hoda Afshar, Viktoria Binschtok, Ingrid Eggen, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Laure Prouvost, Carmen Winant, and Guanyu Xu. Winant also created work that was displayed on advertising posters throughout the city.

In the fall, I collaborated with Kunstnernes Hus on a pop-up gallery: Objektiv Editions: Books, Prints & Videotapes, adjacent to their cinema. Here, I showcased prints, launched Visual Wanderings (Objektiv #23), and hosted conversations with various artists. Additionally, I invited writers to contribute to the manifesto A Criticism Review (Objektiv #25), which was also launched during this pop-up.

2020
I wrote the essay Perpetual Photographs, which became the first in Objektiv Press' new essay series. The launch was online, accompanied by a conversation with Lucas Blalock.

Additionally, I initiated the online series Visual Wanderings for Objektiv Press’ webjournal, where photographers worldwide created art responding to the pandemic. I also curated and published the third edition of STAFETT.

Together with Anna Planas, Pierre Hourquet, and Antonio Cataldo, I co-curated Le Book Club, an exhibition of photobooks in five chapters, at Fotogalleriet Oslo. I also moderated a panel on venues for photography at PHOTOLA, inviting Phil Chang, Travis Diehl, and Duncan Forbes.

2019
I created and self-published the photo-text book Residency (working title), the final installment of my zine series exploring the life of an artist. The book was launched at Fotogalleriet on the finissage of my exhibition there.

I also curated and published the second edition of STAFETT, which was launched at Kunstnernes Hus. That year, I served as a juror for the Camera Austria Award Photography Prize in Graz and the Aperture PhotoBooks Awards in Paris.

2018
I was invited to curate the exhibition Thumbing the Library at Fotogalleriet, Oslo. I also completed a commission with several works from my books for Fredrikstad municipality. I served on the expert panel for the Photobook Reset seminar at C/O Berlin and was honored to be a fellow at the MFA in Image Text at Ithaca.

2017
I co-curated Subjektiv, an international group exhibition at Malmö Konsthall, which was later shown at Kunstnernes Hus in Oslo. That same year, I was awarded the Art Critic grant from Fritt Ord.

2016
On May 1, Tomas Lagermand Lundme and I revived our zine Militær from 2006 and invited a group of artists to participate in a year-long email relay, culminating in an exhibition and the publication STAFETT at Fotogalleriet.

I also produced several zines focused on the theme of being an artist, including Age vs Beauty and Kunstnerlønn, which I launched at Galleri Riis. Later that year, I released the zine Arbeid at Kunstnernes Hus. Additionally, I exhibited my largest print to date in the exhibition Dr. Strand at Oslo Central Station.

In the same year, I began a six-month artist residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, where I ended up staying for two years.

2015
I published my photo-textbook Dr. Strand (Journal), which received diplomas in all Scandinavian countries and was shortlisted for Photo España's Best Photobook Prize and Prix du Livre, Arles. The book received many reviews, from Tomas Espedal in Klassekampen among others. and gained considerable attention, including mentions in Fotografisk Tidskrift, Helsingborgs Dagblad, Aftenposten and later Verk. The book was launched alongside an exhibition at TM51's window gallery, close to Oslo city hall where my late mother once held a great speech.

Three of my zines from the series on being an artist were featured in the Autumn Exhibition. For the opening, I created a special edition called New View, which included a critique of the government's art policy at the time. I also participated in the Våbenhvile exhibition at Overgaden in Denmark, where I launched the zine Kvinnelig Kunstner, which was part of my series on being an artist. This zine was mentioned in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

For the eleventh issue of Objektiv, I collaborated with Mats Stjernstedt and Ida Kierulf on an exhibition for the late Tom Sandberg at Kunstnernes Hus. This issue was launched at Printed Matter's Book Fair in New York.

2014
I had a successful launch at Tronsmo, where I presented the zines on being an artist SOLO and Backstage, along with a children’s zine, Trollet som ikke ville være troll, created in collaboration with my daughter. I was also interviewed for the På Nattbordet column in DN (Dagens Næringsliv).

2013
From 2013 to 2019, I self-published a series of zines about being an artist, with a political focus on artists' conditions. The first zine, Det Fiktive Forhold, was launched at the group show Fictions at Fotografisk Center, Copenhagen. I also served as a jury member for the Nordic Dummy Awards.

Three of the zines from my series on being an artist were featured in the Autumn Exhibition. For the opening, I created a special edition, New View, which included a critique of the government's art policy at the time. I also participated in the Våbenhvile exhibition at Overgaden in Denmark, where I launched the zine Kvinnelig Kunstner as part of my series on being an artist, it was mentioned in my favorite Danish newspaper, Politiken.

For the eleventh issue of Objektiv, I collaborated with Mats Stjernstedt and Ida Kierulf on the exhibition for the late Tom Sandberg at Kunstnernes Hus. This issue also had a launch at Printed Matter's Book Fair in New York.

2012
I exhibited photo novels in two shows: I Remember You and M.A.N., both presented at In The Gallery, Copenhagen. I also served as a jury member for the Swedish Photobook Award and organized a seminar on Nordic photography during the Copenhagen Photo Festival in collaboration with Finnish and Danish photography journals.

2011
My works were flown to China as part of the exhibition at the Pingyao International Photography Festival. Additionally, I presented my work with Objektiv at a Baltic seminar on magazine production.

2010
I wrote and published the documentary novel Nykter for the Norwegian Tyrilistiftelsen. The book, which includes interviews with former residents and staff as well as my own photographs, was released in connection with the foundation's 30th anniversary.connection with the foundation's 30th anniversary.

2009
I founded Objektiv Press and invited a group of talented individuals to join on the editorial board. Initially launched as a bi-annual magazine focusing on photography and film, the first issue debuted in April 2010.

2008
My first photobook, So, How Do You Think You're Doing? / Hvordan synes du selv det går? (Journal), was launched at the Gothenburg Book Fair. It was reviewed in FOAM magazine and featured on a Norwegian radio show, among other notable events.

I was also part of the group show In My Blue Blue Blue Jeans at Kontorprojects, Copenhagen.

2007
I participated in the group exhibitions Grethe’s Grandchildren in Copenhagen and Songs from the Basement at Galleri Projekt, Copenhagen. The same year, I had my first solo exhibition, How Do You Think You're Doing?, at Galleri Projekt. While living in Copenhagen, I worked for several Norwegian newspapers, notably producing the articles Søppelarkeologene for A-Magasinet and Running Dinner for VG. I also began working as a regular essayist on photography for Ideer in Dagbladet.

2006
From 2006 to 2009, I co-produced the photocopied fanzine Militær (Military), conceived as a shared platform for Scandinavian photographers and as an exploration of whether common visual tendencies exist across the three countries, which share nearly the same spoken language. I also participated in the group exhibition In the Twilight at Gallery Larm, Copenhagen, and photographed a Henrik Vibskov fashion show for Politiken.

2004
I published my first book of short prose, Gutta på Gølvet, with Cappelen. That same year, I worked as image editor and was part of the group that transformed Kvinnejournalen into the magazine FETT, which still exists today. I moved to Copenhagen to attend a one-year photography program at Fatamorgana and remained in Denmark for another four years, working as a freelance writer and photographer and collaborating with the Danish artist Tomas Lagermand Lundme. Having lived in Denmark for a total of ten years, intermittently since the age of 13, I consider both Denmark and Norway my home.

2000–2004
I developed a series of photo novels, including Snart Tenåring for Samtiden, Sweet Fifteen for Morgenbladet, Adios for Vinduet, as well as various photo stories for the magazine Kraftsentrum. During this period, I also worked as a photographer at Klassekampen. Prior to this, I had my own column in the magazine HENNE for two years and co-founded the company Medieoperatørene, which I am happy to see is still active today.Running Dinner for VG. I also began as a regular essayist (on photography) for Ideer in Dagbladet.