Joakim Kocjancic, born in Milan in 1975, had a dual cultural upbringing in Italy and Sweden. Since 2006, he has called Stockholm his home. Graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Italy in 2002, he further honed his craft with a Master’s in photojournalism from LCC, London, in 2005. His formative years included extensive travels across Europe, immersing himself in diverse cultures in Italy, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, and England.

Drawing from foundational skills in painting, Kocjancic has seamlessly translated them into an expressive and graphic photographic style. His exclusive use of black and white analog photography upholds the manual and organic traditions of painting. Rooted in neo-realism and classic street photography, he captures moments authentically.

Between 2006 and 2012, Kocjancic focused his lens on the streets of Stockholm, resulting in the book “Paradise Stockholm,” published by Journal in 2014. Recognition followed with a grant from the Swedish Arts Council in the same year. “Paradise Stockholm” was exhibited at Galleri Kontrast in Stockholm, FORMA in Milan, and Galerie Intervalle in Paris. A grant from the Swedish Writer Association led him to Cardoso (LU), Italy, where he spent six months documenting the village’s people. The outcome was the book “After the Flood,” published in 2018 by Pacini Editore, Italy, and showcased at the Photolux Festival in Lucca in 2018.

Kocjancic’s work has been published in publications such as La Repubblica, The New York Times, Dagens Arbete, and ETC. His exhibitions include prestigious venues like Centre de la Photographie in Geneva, FORMA in Milan, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, and various galleries across Europe. His ongoing project, “Europea,” spanning 1999 to 2016, envisions a borderless, open Europe. Reflecting on his extensive European travels, Kocjancic shares, “Europea is about the search for my own identity and maybe also a search for what a European identity can be.” The project garnered the Swedish Art Book prize in 2020 and the first prize in the photo documentary category at the Photo Festival of Rovinj in Croatia in 2019. The Modern Museum of Art in Stockholm has acquired five prints for their permanent collection. Published by Bokförlaget Max Ström and designed by Lars Liljendahl & Eleonora Bergendal from La Strada Studio, Stockholm.

Kocjancic’s unwavering commitment to black and white analog photography is evident in his fascination with the medium. He values the intricate process—from contact sheets to proof prints, witnessing the evolution of work over time. Through meticulous editing and darkroom post-processing, he aims to craft a surreal, timeless atmosphere.

His most recent project, captured in the streets of Bucharest between 2019 and 2023, delves into an oneiric, personal vision of a city with universal resonance. Focused on the vibrant energy of the younger generation, this series is planned for a book publication and exhibition in 2025.