In Friends of Place Blanche (Swedish: Vännerna från Place Blanche) Christer Strömholm intimately documents the lives of transgender individuals living near Place Blanche in Paris during the late 1950s and 1960s. Created in a period when dressing as a woman could result in legal punishment, Strömholm's photographs challenge widespread prejudices, emphasizing dignity and personal aspirations rather than focusing solely on marginalization. His artistic vision is deeply participatory; he develops close relationships with his subjects, whom he affectionately refers to as his "girlfriends." This empathetic engagement allows the project to transcend typical reportage, exploring themes of identity, isolation, and community solidarity with authenticity and sensitivity.
Aesthetically, Strömholm employs stark black-and-white photography, embracing available nocturnal and neon lighting typical of the Parisian nightscape. His commitment to existing-light results in deep shadows and a distinctive atmosphere marked by intimacy and candor. Compositions are often centrally framed, highlighting the solitude and vulnerability of his subjects without slipping into voyeurism. Using a discreet camera suited for candid work, images are developed in a temporary darkroom and shown to subjects soon after, creating a cycle of immediacy and mutual recognition.
First published as Vännerna från Place Blanche in 1983 (expanded as Les amies de Place Blanche, 2011), the series has been central to major surveys—Moderna Museet’s retrospective 9 sekunder av mitt liv (Stockholm, 1986) and the first U.S. museum show at ICP, Les Amies de Place Blanche (New York, 2012)—and featured prominently in later retrospectives (e.g., Fundación MAPFRE, Madrid, 2024). Strömholm’s broader achievement was recognized with the Hasselblad Award (1997).
