Klaus Thymann
“Thymann makes sure to capture his piercing vision of the world so he can share it with others and hopefully inspire them to greater appreciation—or action.”
- LensCulture
Charity: Project Pressure
Danish born Klaus Thymann is a multi award-winning photographer, filmmaker, writer and creative director. He has developed an original viewpoint having worked across a wide range of subjects and media, utilising a cross-disciplinary skill-set combining journalism, image making, mapping, documentary and exploration with a focus on contemporary issues and climate emergency. Delivering original content and installations across multiple platforms for Institutions, brands, NGOs and media. In 1996 he was the youngest ever winner of the Scandinavian Kodak Gold Award, in 2013 he won the Sony World Photography Award.
In 1997 he co-founded a magazine, Virus, a biannual publication with in-depth features. Virus was first to uncover Echelon (the popular name to describe a signal intelligence system capable of interception communication content). The feature ultimately led to an investigation by a committee of the European Parliament with a report published in 2001.
In 2008 he founded Project Pressure – visualizing the climate crisis. The charity is collaborating with world-renowned artists creating and exhibiting work to engage emotions in order to incite positive behavioural change. Project Pressure has pioneered innovative new technological developments and forged partnerships with World Glacier Monitoring Service, NASA and others.
In 2011 Project Pressure was recognized as an official contributor to GTN-G (Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers). Further recognition and funding has come from prestigious beneficiaries including The Queen of Denmark, Arts Council England and the Swiss Environmental Ministry. His devotion and passion for the environment led him to complete a BSc in Environmental Studies.
Throughout his practice, Thymann reveals a deeply held interest in the act of exploring and mapping – both in a physical sense and in a more conceptual manner. He has conducted the only scuba dive of the world’s clearest lake in New Zealand, documented tourism in Iraq, parkour in Gaza, the relocation of the Arctic town Kiruna and explored the glaciers of Uganda and Congo via new trekking routes. He is continuously launching expeditions and has led teams to mountains on six continents summiting peaks above 6300m.
Thymann has been featured by BBC, CNN, NPR, Wired, The Guardian, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Vice, Creative Review, Discovery Channel and others, has created global work for brands like Nike, Sony and Johnnie Walker. He regularly contributes to CNN, The Guardian, New York Times, Wired and others. He also lectures at Central St. Martins College of Art and Design, Oxford University, The Photographers' Gallery, University of Brighton, University of Roma and University of Cancun.
Education
BSc (Hons) in Environmental Studies, Open University, UK
Wilderness Medical Training, Courses for Explorers “Far From Help”
4x4 Land Rover Defender “MudMaster”
Full Member (experienced mountaineer) Alpine Club
Graduate Marie Kruse Gymnasium (college), Denmark
Advanced multistage Cave Diver, Normoxic Trimix, Advanced Nitrox, Self Sufficient Diver and Side Mount with IANTD, Dry suit with PADI
Prizes / Awards
2019 | Shortlisted for Landskrona Fotofestival Prize
2019 | Shortlisted for Welcome Photography Prize
2018 | Honourable mention, Danish Press Photo of the Year
2016 | Selected as original artist for London Creative Network (LCN). Funded by EU European Development Fund & Arts Council England
2016 | Nominated for Prix Pictet
2016 | Winner Photo District News, The Great Outdoors Underwater category
2016 | Shortlisted Royal Photographic Society RPS International Print Competition 159
2016 | Shortlisted for Red Bull Illume
2015 | Shortlisted for Arts Council England supported neo:artprize2015
2014 | Winner, Photo District News, 2014 Photo Annual
2013 | Winner, Sony World Photography Award: Fashion & Beauty Photographer of the Year
2013 | Shortlisted for ‘Inntravel Award’ at Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival
2013 | Production support Hasselblad
2012 | Winning Entry Editorial Category Creative Review Photo Annual
2012 | Getty Images Creative Grants for Project Pressure
2011 | Grant awarded by the Queen of Denmark for Project Pressure
2011 | Arts Council England, grant for Project Pressure
2011 | Danish Arts Council, production grant for Christiania
2011 | Winner Timed to Perfection competition hosted by Wired
2010 | Danish Arts Council, production grant
2010 | Gold Award finalist, Campaign Photo Award for Project Pressure
2010 | Winner D&AD, best use of photography (Contributing to EXIT Magazine AW09)
2008 | Merit at Fujifilm Distinctions Awards
2008 | Winner of production grant for a short film sponsored by Sony Playstation
2008 | In book for Orgreen campaign at the Association of Photographers Awards
2008 | Winner, Best Out-Door Danish Advertising Awards for Coca-Cola
2006 | Selected for ’New Photographers’ at International Advertising Festival in Cannes
2003 | Winner of Best Photographer at the Danish Advertising Awards
2002 | Winner of Clio Silver Award for Nikewomen.com
2002 | Shortlisted at Cannes Lion Advertising Festival
2000 | Winner of Best Music Video at the Danish Grammy Awards
1999 | Nominated for Best Music Video at the Danish Grammy Awards
1998 | Winner of Music Photo of the Year, a prize of Danish Musicians Society
1997 | Winner Bronze Cannes Lion at International Advertising Festival in Cannes
1996 | Youngest ever winner of the Scandinavian Kodak Gold Award
Select Solo Exhibitions
2019 | VOICES FOR THE FUTURE, projection onto the UN building in New York
2019 | Shroud, Gallery Luisotti, Santa Monica
2015 | Timezone, The Supermarket, New York
2010 | Klaus Thymann for i-D, BBlessing, New York
2008 | HYBRIDS, Exposure, London
2007 | HYBRIDS book launch and solo exhibition at DreamBag Jaguar shoes, London; V1 Gallery, Copenhagen; and Wild Project, New York
2006 | I can’t see what you are saying, B&B Premium in conjunction with ArtMBassy, Berlin
2006 | no.one Gallery, London
2005 | Fast Forward on Pause, r-s-v-p Gallery, Munich
2004 | ‘Because my phone is not a camera’ at Viaux Gallery, Hamburg
Select Group Exhibitions
2020 | Kiruna Forever, ArkDes, Stockholm
2020 | Night Fever. Designing Club Culture 1960 – Today, Design Museum Denmark
2019 | MELTDOWN, The Horniman Museum and Gardens, London; and Natural History Museum, Vienna
2019 | WARNING SIGNS, Alt +1000 with Musée des beaux-arts, Le Locle
2018 | When Records Melt, Museum of Unseen, Amsterdam
2018 | Vanishing Glaciers, Museum of Climate Change, Hong Kong
2016 | Uncertain States, The Mile End Art Pavilion, London
2015 | NEO Artprize 2015 Finalist, Bolton
2015 | Nordic House, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh
2014 | 125 Live, Londonnewcastle, London
2013 | House of Arts, part of National Cultural Centre, Bratislava
2013 | Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London
2012 | Featured artist in Contemporary Art Society Leap! Gala
2011 | Menonsyne, selected for The-Event at Grand Union, Birmingham; and public screening at Big Screen Project, New York
2011 | CITIES: visionary places, Torrance Art Museum, Los Angeles
2011 | After the crash, Orto Botanico UNESCO heritage site (with catalogue), Rome
2010 | Copenhagen Photofestival, large prints installed in public spaces, Copenhagen
2010 | Haiti FOTORELIEF, Milk Gallery, New York
2009 | Mnenosyne, one channel installation Museum Centro Arti Visive Pescheria, Pesaro, Italy
2009 | Seven Star Gallery, Berlin
2007 | Group show at Paul Smith’s Space Gallery, Tokyo
2004 | Onedotzero, Institute of Contemporary Art, London
Collaborations with Institutions, Charities and NGOs (selected)
Amigos de Sian Ka’an, Design and Artists Copyright Society, Extinction Rebellion, Fridays for Future, Glacier Trust, Global Ocean Trust, Hayward Gallery London, Homeless World Cup, Lighthouse Foundation, London Cycling Campaign, NASA, Red Cross, Teenage Cancer Trust, UNICEF, United Nations, University of Florida, Wildlife Trust, Women for Women, World Glacier Monitoring Service, World Health Organization.
Collaborations with Publications and Broadcast (selected)
Avaunt, AnOther Magazine, BBC, Bloomberg Business Week, British Journal of Photography, CNN, Danish Broadcast, Dazed & Confused, Details, EXIT, Financial Times, GQ, i-D, Lensculture, L’Officiel Hommes, National Geographic, New York Times, NPR, Nowness, Monocle, Outside, POP, Rolling Stones, Royal Photographic Society Journal, The Fader, The Guardian, The Observer, Vice, V Magazine, Vman, Wired.
Collaborations with Brands (selected)
Adidas, Asics, Audi, BMW Motorcycles, Bjorn Borg, Bogner, Canon, Carlsberg, Casio, Coca-Cola, Diesel, Dr Martens, Evian, Ellesse, Fjallräven, Garnier, Gatorade, Google, Jaguar, Johnny Walker, Lenovo, Levi’s, Norse Projects, Orgreen, Playstation, Powerade, Ray Ban, Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Sony, Speedo, Selfridges, Target T-Mobile, Umbro, Vodafone, Westin Hotels & Resorts.