Encountets of a New Kind : An interview with fine art photographer Gabriel Isak

Surrealism emerged as a captivating art and cultural movement in Europe following the tumult of World War I, where artists sought to liberate the unconscious mind, allowing it to manifest in its most unrestrained form. Today, we witness a remarkable resurgence following a global surge in elevated consciousness, and Gabriel Isak articulates his manifesto with clarity.

Take us back to your childhood. Was there a moment when you first felt the pull toward creativity? Photography is such a powerful medium. What was it about the camera that felt like home to you?

When I was a teenager, I received a small HP point-and-shoot camera from my dad. From there, I began to document the external world around me, and soon enough, the internal world. Photography gave me the tool to explore my emotions and what I was going through in images, almost like therapy. Soon enough I began to face depression and turned to photography to explore and express my state of mind.

The depression grew very intense, and I stopped taking photos for many years. I lost the passion for everything due to depression. After battling melancholy for seven years, I rediscovered camerawork and decided to pursue it professionally in 2014. At the time, I was going to the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, obtaining my BFA in photography, and graduating in December 2016.

Since then, it has been a tool I’ve used to capture the interior and exterior worlds we live in, with an emphasis on themes including surrealism, mental health, and man’s journey through life. I now live in Stockholm, Sweden, from where I work on my art.

Your work carries an almost dreamlike stillness, often exploring solitude and the subconscious. How personal are these themes? There’s a quiet language in your visuals—recurring silhouettes, the ocean, the faceless figures. How would you elaborate on this artistic meditation, and what do these symbols mean to you?

Indeed, it all stems from personal experience; yet, the process of creating my work serves as a form of meditation. Upon resuming my photography journey after a seven-year hiatus and enrolling in school for photography, I began to explore the kinds of images that now define my work. I soon began to recognize that all the images I was capturing were a reflection, a manifestation of the years I lived in the blue arms of depression, and this realization unfolded entirely without my conscious awareness. I decided to continue my journey along this road, and today photography has become a tool I use to delve into human experiences such as depression. It allows me to illuminate the complexities of mental health and illness, aiming to foster awareness and dismantle the stigma that often accompanies these topics. The silhouettes embody the essence of the individual—the soul, the person. The ocean represents the unknown, the serene, the blue world of melancholy, a realm of feelings (for example, drowning in one’s emotions). The water symbolizes my connection to home and my Scandinavian heritage, as I grew up by the water.

Ultimately, I perceive the ocean as an enigmatic and surreal place—another world that I find fascinating yet at the same time frightening. The faceless figures in my creations are utilized to convey the theme of each image so that there is no face to distract from the story. This approach allows the viewer to immerse themselves in the story and draw parallels to their own experiences— their own stories.

Take us inside your creative process. How do you turn a fleeting thought into an image and bring it to life?

My photography is very planned in advance, as I like to have as much control as possible over the shoot. I begin by conceptualizing the idea through research and brainstorming. Then I decide on clothes, props, location, model, and equipment and finalize the idea with a sketch. Thereafter, I start to produce the shoot and end the process in post-processing, where the image becomes finalized. My favorite moment is looking at the final image, comparing it to my original sketch, and feeling the joy of bringing it into existence. I scout for a surreal setting that aligns with the essence of the image I aim to craft; this strategy applies equally to the subject, be it an abstract silhouette that evokes a soul or a figure adorned with hair or symbols that obscure their identity. Following that, I organize my travels to the destination where I intend to create the image, be it in Scandinavia, Europe, or America.

What artists, movements, or moments would reveal themselves if we could glimpse into your mind? Who do you believe has influenced your work the most? 

Surrealism has significantly influenced my work, providing the freedom and the space to craft the surreal world I envision, tapping into art that is dreamy, mysterious, psychological, emotional, graphic, and minimal in its aesthetic. This movement felt instinctive as I started my work, likely due to my desire to capture the profound blues in minimal landscapes—which compels me to create exclusively at dusk or dawn, or on overcast days that transform the landscape into a surreal playground for photography. I have also been inspired by Scandinavian melancholy art and many paintings from many different masters, exploring the abstract silhouettes, which led me to study similar themes in photography. Occasionally, I come across fragments from films, songs, or literature that ignite inspiration for my own work. For example, Carl Jung’s concept of ‘The Shadow Self’ influenced my series ‘The Shadow and the Self.’

You’ve cited photography as a form of healing. What do you believe your work whispers to those facing their own silent battles?

Photography has served as a lens through which I navigate the myriad experiences life presents, transforming into a therapeutic instrument that aids in the processing of my journey and fosters a deeper understanding in retrospect. When depression resurfaced in my life, it has assisted me in overcoming it. That is why the primary objective of my work is to shine light on mental health and human experiences that we combat in today’s society but also to have the spectator interact with the subjects and their internal world that are portrayed in my imagery, which in turn will allow the spectator to reflect on their journey in life.

If I would give any message, it would be that art and, most and foremost, photography saved me many times in my life, and my work is to inspire others to do the same when they are struggling in silence. To express ourselves creatively in any medium is immensely healing and can help to get out of the blue and into the light.

“To express ourselves creatively in any medium is immensely healing and can help to get out of the blue and into the light.”

Art is a dialogue between the creator and the observer. Which encounters via your art moved you?

It is always fascinating to witness the varied responses individuals have to the same art piece I have created or my work in general. Some get profoundly emotional; some feel that the image really makes them feel seen and understood over an experience they have had; and for some, it becomes immensely overwhelming My aim when presenting my work to an audience is to encourage viewers to engage with the figures depicted and delve into their own inner landscapes.

My pieces are loaded with a mysterious, serene energy that makes one feel peaceful or makes one daydream, reflect back on memories/events in their own life, reviving them back to life. I have received numerous letters about how my art has helped people, particularly those suffering from depression, and how what I’ve created in front of them makes them feel understood and soothed. One message that stuck with me came from a cancer patient who wrote to say that my work was a constant source of inspiration and motivation during their toughest times. Acknowledging the impact of my art, that it helped even the tiniest degree, was quite overwhelming to hear… that message has stuck with me to this day.

What do you foresee as the destination of your artistic odyssey? Are there any upcoming ventures or collaborations that appear particularly exhilarating to you?

I see myself exhibiting more on a global scale, creating books about my art, and delivering discussions at universities and conventions on the power of photography in the world of mental health and mental illness, all while continuing to raise awareness and dismantle stigma through this medium. I aspire to journey to remarkable places around the globe to cultivate my ideas, all the while anticipating the intriguing technological advancements that will transform the field of photography accordingly.

“Acknowledging the impact of my art, that it helped even the tiniest degree, was quite overwhelming to hear…”

Images courtesy of the artist.