A major new retrospective in Norway is casting light on the paradoxical life and work of the country's most celebrated photographer, Tom Sandberg. His strikingly calm, reflective images, which helped establish photography as a serious art form in the Nordic region, stand in stark contrast to the tales of his hard-living, erratic personal life.
The Alchemy of the Darkroom
Tom Sandberg: Vibrant World at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, situated by the Oslo fjord, is the first significant exhibition of his work since his death in 2014 at the age of 60. The show spans four decades, from student work in the mid-1970s to photographs created just before he passed away.
Sandberg was born in Narvik in 1953. His fascination with photography was ignited early by his photojournalist father. "His father took him to the darkroom for the first time and exposed Tom's hand on the photo paper. He said he was immediately smitten by that alchemical magic and never looked back," recalls art historian and friend Torunn Liven. Sandberg considered the darkroom process, where he experimented with materials and retouching, to be a pivotal part of creating an image.
A Life of Contrasts
While his work evolved towards Zen-like compositions and contemplative monochrome scenes—often of wet Oslo streets, puddles, and rain-dappled windows—his social life was far from monastic. He was a charismatic, larger-than-life figure known for his huge social capacity, befriending everyone from taxi drivers to Norway's crown princess.
Yet this liveliness had a shadow side. Sandberg struggled with alcohol and substance abuse, periodically going on "benders," according to his former assistant and exhibition co-curator Morten Andenæs. Andenæs describes him as a "wild soul" who used his work to deal with existential issues, once saying that without photography he'd "probably go to the hounds."
He also enjoyed fanning the flames of his own mythology. When asked about a missing piece of his ear, he would hint at wild stories, like whether it was bitten off by a woman. He told interviewers he dreamt in black and white.
Legacy of a 'Lorry Without Brakes'
Despite his personal turmoil, Sandberg achieved considerable success in his lifetime, including a solo show at MoMA Ps1 in New York in 2007. His prints grew to near-cinematic scale, and his portraits, such as those of composer John Cage, are noted for their topographical scrutiny of skin.
His daughter, Marie, who now manages his estate, remembers a complex father who was protective and funny, but not always easy. She sees the photographs he took of her as a child as a form of self-portraiture. "I think he saw a lot of himself in me," she says.
Andenæs summarises Sandberg's relentless drive: "He had a drive and intuition that rumbled on like a lorry without brakes." The exhibition, which includes works on loan from the Norwegian National Museum and the important Tangen Collection, features just one image of Sandberg himself: a 2001 self-portrait where he sits like an unnoticed security guard in an empty room.
Tom Sandberg: Vibrant World is on display at the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter in Oslo until 1 March 2026.
