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A nude person kneels on a sofa, facing away from the camera with their forehead resting against a plain wall. The sofa is entirely covered in protective clear plastic sheeting.

“Nymphomaniac” photographer Casper Sejersen's explosive images

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Date
22 September 2016

There’s something unsettling in the work of photographer Casper Sejersen. In one image, a woman stands serenely in a flimsy creamy yellow dress. On the wall next to her is a shattered full length mirror, and her eyes direct us to her feet – placed apart to tread on the mirrored fragments. Another series, titled Wish You Were Here from Man About Town features a ginger quiffed Bowie lookalike, his hair refracted in additional images around him, his eyes rolled to heaven. Among images of near-deathly stillness, there are images of explosive life – a car shattering into shards in a cloud of smoke.

Casper has created editorials for publications including Office , Dazed, Man About Town, Self Service, Purple and New York Times Style magazines. For Dazed, Casper has photographed a string of editorials as well as the likes of Abra, Hari Nef, Tyler Ford and Alexandra Marzella for annual who’s who list Dazed100.

His work extends beyond fashion editorials into advertising, photographing campaigns for brands including Louis Vuitton, Mugler and Maixet, and film: Casper was responsible for the photographic promotion of Lars Von Trier’s infamous cinematic triptych Nymphomaniac. He’s even directed TV in the form of Danish programme The Legacy. As part of his work on Nymphomaniac, for which he created a series of much talked about “orgasm face” portraits of the cast, Casper also collaborated with fellow Danish art historian Cecilie Høgsbro for a book titled Belongs to Joe, “a photographic essay compiled as a set of notes on Lars von Trier’s film script for Nymphomaniac ”.

A bouquet of pink and white roses and a peony sit in a slender, translucent glass vase. The flowers are set against a stark black background, lit from the side.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A brown and tan patterned snake curves across a plain grey surface. A thin piece of wire and a small blue object lie nearby.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A person stands against a pale sky, their face covered by a draped, textured beige cloth. They have spiky orange hair and a bare torso. Subtitles at the bottom read “- A smile from a veil?”.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A person with reddish-brown hair looks upwards with a pensive expression. They are surrounded by mirrored reflections of themselves against a warm, golden light. The text “- heroes for ghosts?” is laid over the bottom of the image.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A person with long, dark hair looks directly at the camera in a black and white portrait. They wear a satin slip dress and long pearl earrings, with a small “VIP” tattoo visible on their upper arm.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A car explodes in a massive cloud of beige smoke and debris. Shards of metal and glass fly through the air against a pale, hazy sky.
Above

Casper Sejersen

A person stands in a white room wearing a white top and a yellow pleated skirt. To their right, a fragmented mirror on the wall reflects their profile.
Above

Casper Sejersen

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About the Author

Bryony Stone

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Bryony joined It's Nice That as Deputy Editor in August 2016, following roles at Mother, Secret Cinema, LAW, Rollacoaster and Wonderland. She later became Acting Editor at It's Nice That, before leaving in late 2018.

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