Christer Strömholm

1918–2002

Christer Strömholm (Swedish, 1918-2002) is also known as Christer Christian. Strömholm began studying painting at Dresden’s Akademie der Künste with Waldemar Winkler in 1937. Dissenting opinions about Paul Klee and other Bauhaus artists led Strömholm to leave the academy and continue his studies in Stockholm. After serving in World War II he resumed his education in 1946 at the Académie des Beaux Arts in Paris, where he remained after graduation to work as a photographer. Under the name Christer Christian he joined the fotoform artist group around Otto Steinert in 1951 and exhibited his works in the subjektive fotografie shows. From 1956 to 1964 Strömholm photographed facets of Parisian nightlife, such as the transsexual scene at the Place Blanche. He founded the University of Stockholm’s legendary Fotoskolan, which he headed from 1962 to 1974.