david stenbeck's photo series at SNOW contemporary in tokyo takes us to his dreamscapes

the fantastical worlds by david stenbeck

SNOW Contemporary in Tokyo hosts David Stenbeck’s solo exhibition, taking viewers on a sensorial journey through his surreal photo series titled ‘dreamscapes’. On display until 8 April 2023, the exhibition presents eleven works selected by the Swedish artist, depicting fictional landscapes in a pastel color palette.

His imagined digital sceneries play with synthetic light reflections and strong refractions, blending natural elements like sky, sea, clouds, and flowers with neon rays and colorful balloons. Developed using computer-generated imagery (CGI), the resulting pictures see a conjunction between reality and dream, consciousness and unconsciousness.

exhibition view courtesy of SNOW Contemporary

translating his poetic world into dreamscapes

Born in 1978 in Lund, Sweden, Stenbeck has worked as a poet, literary critic, and editor. Stenbeck eventually started working with 3D modeling software to visualize the world depicted in his poems. His poetic practice is undoubtedly reflected in his nostalgic photo series, which exudes a youthful carefreeness evoking a genuine surprise and curiosity.

His artworks are created by extracting universal elements from classical art and reviving them in the contemporary era. ‘Setting classical art history as its base, my practice updates old conventions into something more contemporary and approachable by questioning the conventional structures and concepts.’ commented on his artworks.

The artist has collaborated so far with many fashion brands and companies around the world and is increasingly gaining attention internationally. To see more of his work, check out his instagram account, which now has more than 260,000 followers.

‘Jesolo Cloud’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery

‘Rimini 1990’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery

‘Luglio-Agosto’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery

‘I Miss You All’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery ‘Ostsee Rose’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery ‘Strata I’ by David Stenbeck, courtesy of Jenn Singer Gallery