SLEEPING MEN – AN UPCOMING ART EXHIBITION

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2010

The photographer/artist Martin Nordstrom will visit Belgium and Luxemburg as a part of his current art
project Sleeping Men. Sleeping Men is built entirely around tiny, beautiful photographs of – yes –
sleeping men. Nordstrom is looking for men in Belgium and Luxemburg who would like to be featured in
this project, which ultimately will be exhibited in Europe, the U.S.A, Canada and beyond.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Martin Nordstrom has spent the past 15 years working as a full-time artist in his native Sweden and
internationally. During this time, he has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including
at the distinguished Liljevalchs in Stockholm. Beyond galleries and museums, his work has also been
featured extensively in newspapers, magazines, and on television. Nordstrom holds a Master of Fine Art
from Konstfack (University of Arts, Crafts and Design), Sweden’s leading art school. In 2008, Nordstrom
received a prestigious two-year grant from Svenska Konstnärsnämnden (the Swedish Arts Grants
Committee), to complete Sleeping Men.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Sleeping Men is built entirely around photographs of sleeping men from around the world (so far 12
countries and 185 men). In each country he visits, Nordstrom creates a series of beautiful, tiny, yet
poignant photos of men pretending to be asleep in their own beds. Each country series is composed of
pictures of between 9 and 13 men placed in a row (see sample below). Each individual photograph is only
2 x 1.5 centimeter. No names are included in the exhibit, only the country from which each series is
drawn. When the project is completed it will include some 300 men from 20-30 countries. So far 185 men
have participated in the project from USA, Canada, Germany, Denmark, UK, Finland, Sweden, France,
Norway, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands and soon Belgium and Luxemburg as well!
Nordstrom deliberately limits the participants to men with significant life experience, many of whom
have reached levels of power and respect in society. In their sleep, however, they too relax from their
careers and the stresses of everyday life. Most of the men are in their 50s up to their 70s. Sleeping Men is
a celebration of each man that it features. At the same time, it challenges common perceptions of what it
means to be male, by highlighting the vulnerability of its participants.
HOW TO BECOME A SLEEPING MAN
He is looking for men in their 50s -70s to be included in Sleeping Men. Each photo session takes about
30 minutes and takes place at the home of the participant. Please contact Nordstrom at 0046-730658505 if
you are interested in being part of this fun and thought-provoking project. You can also e-mail Nordstrom
at nordstrom.martin@gmail.com.