Dreamy Swedish portraiture with a Renaissance twist

Julia Hetta's style is immediately recognizable, you can’t help but notice the nod to Rembrandt in her beautiful, renaissance-style portraits – the frail light falling on her subjects seems to be the same that touched on Van Eyck or Vermeer's canvases. Clarity and perfectionism have fast become Hetta's signature style, having worked with Dazed last year on our November 2013 'Dark Arts' issue, together with stylist Mattias Karlsson she created an enigmatic and powerful image series “South of Heaven”. Now the Swedish photographer is putting on her debut solo show in Norway. Different Days is on display at Shoot Gallery from May 13 – June 21, in this stunning collection of portraits, Julia’s characters resemble Pre-Raphaelite Ophelias and nymphs, existing in a lucid, dreamy and faint world. “My work reflects myself and I always try to be close to my own inner language and aesthetic. I am a very romantic person”, reflects Julia. Speaking of her technique she said, “It's basically very simple, but as we know simplicity can sometimes be the most difficult. I'm very focused on the lighting but always driven by art that is beautiful yet complicated, dark and mysterious.”

 Julia will also be taking the exhibition to Foam Photography Museum in Amsterdam opening on July 10.