“My Surreal Photography Is A Reflection On Years Of Depression”

Gabriel Isak was born in Huskvarna, Sweden. He uses photography as a metaphor for experiences of the soul by creating photographs that are simple in form, but rich in ideas and emotions. His imagery entails surreal and melancholic scenes inspired by the inner world of dreams and psychology, where he invites the viewer to interact with the internal world of solitary figures that symbolize our own unconscious states.

The objective of Isak’s art is to reflect human experiences that will allow the spectator to reflect on their own journey. Gabriel is currently residing in Stockholm, Sweden from where he works and travel all around the world for commissioned and personal projects.

“Over the past year, I have been working on a collection of images in which I wanted to depict the internal world of solitary people who symbolize our own unconscious states. The work is inspired by the years I went through depression, where I wanted to reflect human experiences that would allow the viewer to reflect on their own journey.

I began exploring photography about 12 years ago; around the same time, I faced depression for the first time in my life as a way to express my state of mind. Photography allowed me to escape into a different world, the one which I was creating, a place and a story that was lead by me, not that I was led by. But after a few months, I fell deep into the arms of depression and lost all passion for the medium,” Gabriel told PetaPixel.

More: Gabriel Isak, Behance, Instagram, Facebook h/t: petapixel