Artist Statement 

Gabriel Isak’s art entails surreal and melancholic scenes where he invites the viewer to interact with the inner world of solitary figures that symbolize our own unconscious states. He uses photography as a medium to draw and paint surreal images, minimal and graphic in its aesthetic, rich in symbolism and emotion, focusing on themes inspired by human psychology, dreams and romanticism, as well as his own experiences, especially the years he went through depression. Isak’s work is a serene and melancholic meditation that stills the chaos of life and transforms into an introspective journey that questions the depths of existence. The objective of Gabriel Isak’s art is to shine a light on the experiences of being and the states of mind those brings along. His subjects are anonymous with the slightest glimmerings of consciousness, imprisoned in monochromatic settings, so the viewer can envision oneself as the subject, reflecting back on one’s own experiences and journey in life.

Biography

Gabriel Isak was born in 1990 in Sweden. In 2016, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California. 
Isak has exhibited his work in solo exhibitions around the world, including Galerie XII in Shanghai, Paris, and Los Angeles, Up on Walls in Hjo, Sweden, The Cannery Gallery in San Francisco, California and at Falsterbo Photo Art Museum in Sweden where his work is hold in their permanent collection. His works have been included in various notable exhibitions including “Acclimatize” at the Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, Sweden; “Culture Pop” at M Contemporary, Sydney, Australia; and “Camera Obscura” at Last Rites Gallery in New York, USA.
Gabriel’s surreal photography has earned him several awards including 1st place winner in Fine Art Photography Awards and Rangefinder Fine Art Photography Awards and in 2018 he received PDN Emerging Photography Award.
His work has been published in many prestigious platforms such as Juxtapoz Magazine, VICE, Adobe, PDN, and Elle magazine. Isak travels around the world for personal and commissioned projects. His home is in Stockholm, Sweden.