GFN = Gunnar Fägersten Novik

Born in the late fifties, I have spent my life exploring the many languages of communication — in words, in images, and in the spaces between. Theatre, armed forces, journalism, business development, marketing — they have all been part of the same search: to understand how people connect, how ideas travel, and how meaning takes shape.

“Walk with an open heart and a friendly face,
and the world offers you its true moments.“

Images have followed me for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been drawn to how artists and photographers find new ways of seeing, new ways of revealing what is already there. A good exhibition, a thoughtful play, or a moving film. All these things feed my curiosity.

For more than forty years I’ve also been behind the camera myself. I still remember the day I bought my Nikon FM2, a sturdy, all-manual companion that taught me patience and precision. Letting go of all the filters, lenses, and other decorative gear (I had earlier) felt like a return to something essential. Every frame demanded full attention as a dialogue between eye, hand, and light. Even now, I wouldn’t say I’ve mastered photography, and perhaps that’s the point. To always learn anew is the real art.

I often talk to those I photograph. Or at least I sometimes do a f t e r the picture is taken. I’ve seldom met reluctance, or mishap. Openness invites openness, something every new photographer should pursue. Walk with an open heart and a friendly face, and the world offers you its true moments.

I am from Sweden, but a piece of my heart has long belonged to the US. I’ve traveled there many times, mostly to the Midwest where my American family lives. Only late on did I begin to sense the deeper layers of the Windy City; Chicago. Close by, and I thought of it mostly as an ugly airport place. But, with its blend of rhythm, architecture, and human stories is fascinating. Walking its streets with a camera is never a time wasted. The city has also been a wellspring of inspiration for my mentor and friend, Mats Alfredsson, whose passion for street photography continues to guide and inspire me.

There are so many places to still explore. And I expect that the people there are just as intriguing. So I’ll probably won’t quit creating photos soon…