Unfortunately, the Eaton Fire recovery process still dominates our daily lives, so I haven’t been able to resume making new work since returning to California. However, I know that the creative freedom I found in Sweden will return—whether by seeking out other places that nurture my need for solitude and natural environments, or through future trips back to Sweden. In the meantime, I will continue editing the images I created there and spend time writing a statement about the work that emerged from the residency.

This was an essential part of the residency. The isolation of Björkö removed all distractions, allowing me to focus entirely on my art. I spent the first week simply exploring—getting to know the land, the textures of the plants, and the contours of the terrain. Then I shifted into the studio, creating magical narratives that wove together my personal experience with the distinct character of this place. It was so freeing to be able to focus on the immediate – the art, the flora and fauna, the wind, the rain, the cold, and the sky! e.

This was an essential part of the residency. The isolation of Björkö removed all distractions, allowing me to focus entirely on my art. I spent the first week simply exploring—getting to know the land, the textures of the plants, and the contours of the terrain. Then I shifted into the studio, creating magical narratives that wove together my personal experience with the distinct character of this place. It was so freeing to be able to focus on the immediate – the art, the flora and fauna, the wind, the rain, the cold, and the sky! 

Seeing the aurora borealis was a lifelong dream, and I was thrilled to experience it on many evenings. I loved the crisp, cold air and the closeness of both the sea and the forest at the BKN residency. I would love to explore more of the country and travel farther north to see the lights again. I enjoyed our community gatherings for fika, the fire walk to mark the arrival of winter, and my half attempted polar plunge into the Baltic. And life will never be the same now that I have had a proper Swedish Sauna!

The residency offered me a crucial period of healing and a renewed sense of hope after the fire. It also connected me with other artists in my community whom I hadn’t met before. Spending an extended period together created a unique bond among the participants, and I’m grateful to have formed deep connections with peers that I know will continue long after the residency.

Merges a love for fabrication and materials with visceral photographic images. The core of her work revolves around ideas; she uses photography as a storytelling medium, where the narratives are deeply rooted in personal experiences. Her images can be seen as a diary that records details of life over time, or a series of self-portraits, even when she is not physically present in them. She also creates striking environmental portraits that explore regional identities and the unique elements of place.

Szabo’s work has been exhibited in solo shows at institutions such as the Forsberg Gallery at Lower Columbia College, Huntley Gallery at Cal Poly Pomona, Danforth Art Museum, Griffin Museum of Photography, Koslov Larsen Gallery, John Wayne Orange County Airport, Museum of Art & History in Lancaster, CA, Foto Museum Casa Coyoacán in Mexico City, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Yuma Fine Art Center Arizona, and the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art.

Among many other locations, her work has been included in group exhibitions at Spartanburg Art Museum, Oceanside Museum of Art, Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, The Brand Library Gallery, Colorado Center for Photographic Arts, Photo LA, LA Art Fair, San Diego Art Institute, Los Angeles Center for Photography, Kaohsiung International Photographer Exhibition in Taiwan, and Foto Fever in Paris, France.

Szabo’s photographs have been featured in The Huffington Post, Shadow & Light Magazine, Arte al Limite, Lenscratch, Mono Chroma Magazine, Silvershotz, Bokeh Bokeh, L’Oeil de la Photographie, Fraction, A Photo Editor, Don’t Take Pictures and more.

Szabo’s art is in the permanent collections of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Art & History, Arte al Limite Santiago, Chile, Centro de Arte Faro Cabo Mayor in Santander, Spain and in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. She holds an MFA from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.

https://www.janeszabophotography.com

BKN is located on an island in Norrtälje municipality, Sweden. It’s a costal region covered with almost boreal forest. It’s a quiet place only some 350 people live across the island. It’s connected by a bridge to the mainland and is 2 hours north east of Stockholm. The public transportation for greater Stockholm area brings you to the doorstep. If you come directly from Arlanda Airport it takes about the same time. Björk in Swedish is birch and ö island, so yes you will see them every where along with aspen but more so you will encounter pine, heather and spruce. Moss and kitchen are much appreciated aspect of the nature here as well.
The darker half of the year you have a chance to see aurora borealis and from May the days are rapidly getting longer towards midsummer. It’s a four season climate with some snow in the winters and 15-20 degrees during the summer. In 2020 BKN was founded in two former school buildings, wooden structures that are over 100 years old. Resources include, in addition natures offerings, black and white darkroom, loom, sawing machine, wood shop, beamer, speakers etc. During the first five years BKN had over 200 artists. More from them >>>