Information

Emma Hartvig (b.1990) is an artist best known for her portrayals of femininity. Her body of work is highly influenced by a desire to understand the parallels between solitude, intimacy and identity - often through her use of the cinematic and performative. Hartvig attempts to find a frame that looks at the private/public persona - a frame that keeps reflecting a desire between wanting to remain inside our own space while still longing for a connection to the world and others.

Born and raised in Sweden, Hartvig moved to London where she completed a BA in photography at University of the Arts. She lived in Berlin, Paris and Copenhagen, and spent a major part of her early 20's in Los Angeles - places that influenced her work deeply. Eventually she settled in Vienna where she currently works on long term projects with the women of the city. Hartvig’s work has been exhibited in several cities in the United States, as well as European cities such as Milan, Venice, Vienna, London and Bratislava. Her work has been published in L'Oeil de la Photographie, Fisheye Magazine, Die Zeit and AnOther Magazine, amongst others. She was included in Rizzoli's book "Pools" (2020) and Hatje Cantz "The Swimming pool in Photography" (2017).

"My work is an exploration of emotion and identity through photography, rooted deeply in the female experience and the expressive potential of the body. I use the body not only as a visual subject but as a conduit for storytelling, embodying shifting states of vulnerability, strength, intimacy, and self-inquiry.

Often unclothed, the figures in my images are not about sexuality, but about stripping away layers - literal and metaphorical - to arrive at a raw, unfiltered sense of being. Nudity, in my work, becomes a symbol of both vulnerability and liberation: the act of being seen and the boldness of reclaiming visibility on one's own terms. In combination with my portraits of women, I often place myself in front of the camera, using self-portraiture as a way to examine the complex terrain between tenderness and resilience. These images become a kind of dialogue with myself - an attempt to understand the contradictions of being seen and wanting to hide. In many of these works, I disguise or obscure parts of myself - not to withdraw, but to look deeper, beyond the limits of my understanding.

A strong influence in my visual language is cinema - particularly the storytelling and visual drama of classic Hollywood. There’s a hint of nostalgia, a reaching toward the past, not for replication, but for reclamation. I’m interested in how female archetypes have been historically portrayed and how those images can be dismantled, reimagined, and re-embodied through a contemporary, personal lens. Each frame is a still from an unwritten film, suspended between narrative and emotion. It’s not about showing everything, it’s about revealing just enough to feel the weight of what’s not said. In that space between visibility and secrecy, I find truth.

- Emma"

"Emma Hartvig's photography, with its cinematic quality and keen eye for detail, narrative depth, and emotional resonance, captures more than just moments; it delves into the stories behind the subjects, often with a profound commentary on the political and social roles of women. Hartvig’s work, characterized by its aesthetic finesse and thematic boldness in addressing nudity, offers a compelling exploration of femininity, identity, and the dynamics of power and vulnerability, making her a notable voice in contemporary photography.

Through meticulously staged scenes that resemble stills from a film, Hartvig’s photographs transcend mere visual appeal, inviting the viewer to engage with the underlying stories and themes. Her subjects, always women, are portrayed in ways that challenge conventional perceptions and highlight their complexity, strength, and agency. By doing so, Hartvig contributes to the ongoing discourse on gender equality, feminism, and the roles women occupy both in the private sphere and the public domain.

Hartvig’s approach to depicting women eschews stereotypical portrayals, opting instead for a nuanced representation that acknowledges the multiplicity of women’s experiences and identities. Her photographs often depict moments of introspection, intimacy, and interaction that hint at the broader socio-political contexts influencing women’s lives."

Text written by Anne Avramut (Curator and Director of Galerie Michael Bella)

Exhibitions

Solo

2026 (Upcoming) Masks and Myths, The Hulett Collection, Tulsa, USA

2025 (Upcoming) Masks and Myths, Los Angeles, USA

2025 Masks and Myths, FAS44, Las Vegas, USA

2023 Silent Cinema: Wiener Frauen, Galerie Salon am Schwarzenbergplatz, Vienna

Group

2026 (Upcoming) Table Manners, Barbati Gallery, Venice, Italy (curated by Pia Sophia Ottes)

2024 Persona, OFF Gallery, Bratislava

2024 (Dual) Embodied politics: women, power and public life, Galerie Michael Bella, Vienna

2024 Aesthetica Art Prize Group Show, York Gallery, UK

2022 Just Women, La Fondazione Luciana Milano, Milan