Opens tomorrow at 10:00.

Artist Panel Talk: Harder Better Faster Stronger

Meet some of the artists behind Fotografiska's major autumn exhibition Harder Better Faster Stronger – Are Men OK?

Three teenage boys pose in front of a green sports net outdoors. The boy on the left holds the net above his head and looks right, the middle boy poses with his arms up holding the net while looking left, and the boy on the right poses with one hand on his hip and the other holding the net while looking down. The boys are dressed in dark t-shirts, a hoodie, and jeans. The background shows lush greenery and a brick building.
Bror © Brian Cliff Olguin

On October 3, Fotografiska invites you to an insightful Artist Panel Talk featuring artists Jakob Ganslmeier & Ana Zibelnik, Sara Sadik, Brian Cliff Olguin, and Johan Bävman. Moderator for the conversation is comedian and host Kodjo Akolor. Together, they explore one of the most pressing questions of our time: what does it actually mean to be a man today?

The exhibition Harder Better Faster Stronger – Are Men Ok? brings together 30 international artists. In this panel discussion, five of them meet to discuss masculinity, vulnerability, care, and identity. Through their diverse artistic perspectives, they shine a light on the ideals shaping today's men and examine what happens when these norms are challenged, stretched, or completely broken.

Welcome to an inspiring and thought-provoking panel discussion on the opening day of the exhibition.

program

13:30 Doors open, Annie Floor 0
14:00 Panel discussion with artists Jakob Ganslmeier & Ana Zibelnik, Sara Sadik, Brian Cliff Olguin, and Johan Bävman
15:00 Mingle and book signing

Arrive early to enjoy lunch in the restaurant, and take the opportunity to see the exhibition before or after the discussion.

Jakob Ganslmeier & Ana Zibelnik

Portrait of a man with short fair hair and blue eyes standing alongside a woman with wavy brown hair, both wearing plain black t-shirts and looking directly at the camera with neutral expressions. Bright sunlight streams through large windows behind them, creating a warm backlit effect.

The artist duo explores how digital self-improvement trends, such as looksmaxxing and mewing, intersect with reactionary gender ideals. The work highlights how recommendation algorithms turn extreme notions of masculinity and women into a natural part of young men's feeds.

Sara Sadik

Close-up of a digital display showing a visible pixel grid and moiré pattern. The scene consists of a dark green and black background with a blurry, glowing area in the center displaying blue and pink tones.

Sadik's film follows 20-year-old Zine as he strives to become his best self ahead of a marriage proposal through a modified version of Grand Theft Auto V. Inside the game, a muscular digital body meets a poetic inner monologue about love and insecurity, transforming the gaming world into a space for both masculine performance and emotional self-reflection.

Brian Cliff Olguin

Close-up portrait of a man with short dark hair, stubble, and round, clear-framed glasses. He is wearing an olive-green shirt and looking directly at the camera with a gentle smile against a plain, light grey background.

Set in the Oslo suburb of Holmlia, Olguin portrays young men beyond the usual statistics of crime and vulnerability. Through football, friendship, and everyday life, their sense of community, ambition, and mutual care are brought to the fore, where the title Bror (Brother) captures a profound sense of trust and belonging.

Johan Bävman

Close-up portrait of a fair-skinned man with blue eyes, short light brown hair, and stubble/short beard. He is wearing a dark blue button-up shirt over a teal t-shirt, looking directly at the camera with a calm expression under soft, natural lighting.

Bävman portrays Swedish fathers who have chosen to take at least six months of parental leave. Everyday feeding, bathing, shopping, sleep deprivation, and play reveal a masculinity built on presence, patience, and care. At the same time, the series asks why fathers are still often praised for care work that is expected to come naturally to mothers.

Kodjo Akolor

Kodjo Akolor smiling at the camera, with a shaved head and a beard, wearing a dark blue knit sweater and a thin silver necklace, standing against a light wall.

Comedian and host Kodjo Akolor joins Fotografiska as moderator. He made his name in stand-up comedy and is also one of Sweden's most beloved radio voices, known from Swedish Radio P3's Morgonpasset and Musikhjälpen.